FENRIS

wallflower, blooming

There’s a glimmer of poorly hidden anger in Luke’s gaze (even an inebriated Cassius could tell, to Cas, it’s always been easy to read Luke). The anger doesn’t scare him though. Cassius knew what it was like to be scared of Luke, the gut-wrenching realisation that came after knowing he had been scared of the person he trusts most. Maybe Cas’ survival instinct has simply fallen, getting repeatedly banged up by a strongarm had a way of changing one’s outlook on injuries. Or maybe it was just a fact, that even after three years, Cassius didn’t have to be scared of Luke. (Would never have to be scared of him).

“There’s no one like you… stupid”. It’s nothing but a drunken mumble, unfiltered messy half-thought-out feelings that Cassius isn’t intelligible enough to hide from the other man. It’s also most certainly not what Luke had been imploring. “Turn around,” the human demands, hands already nudging Luke’s side until the man’s broad back is facing him. And maybe Cassius takes a slow drunken second or two to admire the expanse of Luke’s broad back now that he’s close to it, but maybe he doesn’t – that’s up to his alcohol-addled brain to decide tomorrow once it sobers up.

Body heavy, Cas is anything but graceful when he wraps his arms around Luke’s neck, awkwardly reaching up from his seated spot on the barstool. He’s probably half choking the man when he squeezes the fire elementalist’s neck, almost endearingly insistent in his hazed logic, “Take responsibility for finding me like this, carry me home”. Take responsibility for leaving me all alone for three years. When Cassius looks back on this moment he’ll regret it, he’ll want to stuff all of his moronic words back into his own mouth, pull his hands back behind himself knowing that in this moment all he wanted was to see if Luke still felt warm and safe to him after all these years. But as it is now, all that matters to Cassius is the familiar warmth under his arms and hands, and none of the implications that come with it.

one look at cassius and all he sees is him. the person he left without a word three years ago. suddenly he feels stupid, stupid for leaving him like this, stupid for doing the worst thing he could have done. he knew that cassius felt something, something he wasn’t ready for. and by leaving he probably proved the other that his decision had been a good one. he should have stayed. he really should have.

“oh, there’s commands now?” he mutters to himself before slowly complying to what cassius is asking for. luke waits for whatever cassius is planning and is surprised by a sudden chokehold. for a second he thinks the other is actually trying to choke him, but he decides to let the other have his angry moment, until- “take responsibility for what now? not my fault you’re hanging around diamond territory.” luke knows it’s a reproach. it has to be. but he doesn’t comment on it, he simply pays for everything and carries the human out of the bar. “is it fine with you if you’re staying at mine tonight? you can have the bed, i take the couch or something. i really do not want to walk to your apartment.” his hands wrap around cassius thighs to help him stay put, but even that small touch feels disrespectful, as if he’s crossing some boundaries he shouldn’t cross. he closes his eyes for a moment and simply doesn’t think of the moment as them both searching comfort in the other, as them holding onto each other, but as cas simply being drunk and him being helpful.

Icy blue eyes caught the movements of the other fire elementalist which gave his brain enough information so that it could make its own conclusions based not only on the behavior he had been witnessing for weeks but also the actions that he was observing now. The way in which he was addressed made him feel a bit like a scolded child, which then led to his discomfort, making him shift in his chair as if suddenly his body could not handle being still. However his gaze never once wavered for fear that he might miss something important if he looked away, as if he might find something more acceptable hidden behind those words, it confused and annoyed him how everything lined up perfectly and soon enough all of the hopes he had constructed before meeting his dueling instructor were crushed.

His posture changed too, feeling uncertain about something or someone often made Asra adopt a much more reserved behavior, if not only to protect himself from harm but also to give him a little bit of time as he processed what was happening and how exactly he wanted to act. For now, he quietly listened to what was being said to him, feeling how his brain was turning to mush from hearing such bullshit.

He could hear the regret in his voice, how Professor Parker felt responsible for what happened and for a few seconds Asra tried to understand, to put himself in his shoes and then he shook his head, this was no one’s fault but the ones who had been spreading the rumors and the fact that he had almost been fired because of it was a consequence of some poor leadership and bad use of power. In fact, it showed how little respect they had for him as a teacher, if they were so easy to dismiss him and instead choose to preserve the good name of the school, instead of trying to figure out whether those rumors were true or not.

“Ah,” fuck this shit, he wanted to say, but instead opted only for a small nod as if he was agreeing with the decision, as if he understood everything. It angered him beyond belief that he was blaming this all on him, Asra had never asked Luke to care about his future, but he could not deny that it had felt nice to have one of teachers caring for him, to feel like one of them actually cared about their students development, but know this felt a bit too bitter, like Asra was just an excuse for the route that he had chosen to take now: to be a good, respected teacher that followed all of the biased guidelines, just like all the others.

“I guess it must feel good to finally be back” Asra looks at him from his seat, the words that leave his lips seem mechanical and rehearsed, but still he knows that some part of him did feel happy to see that he was back, even if a lot had changed. Even if the instructor that Asra thought he knew seemed like a completely different person, like someone was finally able to tame his fire, throwing guilt and shame at him until suddenly he was believing that he was the one that was wrong all along.

At last, Asra chuckled but the lines on his face did not seem particularly joyful, in fact there was some sharpness in his gaze even if now he had forbidden himself from looking directly at the man in front of him. “Yeah, I’m sure that would have worked beautifully” the image of Professor Parker speaking with Professor Harold about him thinking that Asra could benefit from some extra lessons seemed like a wonderful conversation where they could all discuss their thoughts about him. After all, Harold was all for the proper teaching methods being enforced on The Academy’s most challenging students.

Suddenly looking at the other elementalist was more than he could  bear, the uniforms that covered their bodies seemed itchy and too uncomfortable, The Academy symbol seemed ready to choke him to death and the fear that he might end up like a well-behaved puppy felt too real.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said abruptly, private conversations were not his style at all. Confusion was taking over Asra and he felt like he was now the one that needed more time. He had trusted Luke, had believed that he was truly going to help him, but now he acted just like the other diamonds and all of his other teachers. “You should ask your superior to assign me to another class, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to do that”. It had been foolish of him to pretend that someone would ever be capable and keen on changing how The Academy worked, in the end they were all just a cog in the machine.

“No,” he laughed and shook his head. The change in subject made him feel even worse now that he was not sure if Luke even cared anymore or if was just trying to preserve their relationship for another motive. “Nothing really worth mentioning, I think” maybe he would never really learn anything that useful here or maybe he did learn something new and decided to lie, Luke would never know. After all control could easily be just another word for containment and contrary to what Asra once thought, fire could too be contained, no matter how powerful. But there was no way in hell they were going to subdue him, that would never happen as long as he was alive.

“I should leave, I already took too much of your time, but thank you for listening to me” maybe it would be impossible for Luke to listen to him ever again, Professor Parker’s choices had clearly already been made and unfortunately so had Asra’s.  “I hope you find everything you want in this place and that you don’t regret it someday”

out of all ways he expected this conversation to end, this was the one he had wished for the least. asra seems to angry, mad even, very unhappy about the situation and pretty much dissatisfied with the answer he gave. it was an honest answer and he’s being serious about the whole situation, but it seems like..asra’s changed. there’s something different about the younger elementalist. luke is not able to tell if it’s bitterness or something else, but he really hopes that the other is just having a bad day.

“i should ask my superior to assign you another class.” he repeats. this is a worst case scenario, because if he asks sir harold about moving asra into another class, the rumors might go into another round and he might loose his job fully this time. “that might be contributing to the rumors, though, asra. that makes it seem like you’re uncomfortable and that would only..you aren’t uncomfortable around me, aren’t you? you know that the rumors aren’t true, right? i’d never even dare to lay hands or even eyes on you, asra.”

luke shakes his head, wondering if something he set had been a trigger for this sudden outburst of..what? emotion?

this feels like a goodbye, and luke doesn’t like it.

⌖ @ara-kadeu

somewhere in diamond territory, a new shop opened. luke’s original plan was to spare the market a small visit. he wanted to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, eat some streetfood and enjoy one of the last sunny days of this year’s autumn, but he got distracted - the shop simply looked too inviting. 

it’s something that comes close to a grocery store, but they happen to have some handmade clothes, too, and he definitely wants to support them. their shelves are full of homemade and handmade things. it’s mostly packaged or pre-cooked stuff, the shop owner seems to be asian and luke soon finds multiple things his mother used to make for him when he was a kid. he gets lost in childhood memories and decides to take some sweets with him. the shop owner greets him with a polite bow and he greets back, decides to continue looking through all the things they have.

the issue is, the shop is quite big, luke gets lost - and finds himself in an aisle full of things for babies. there’s small shoes, clothes and toys of all shapes and colors. 

he’s not planning to get a kid anytime soon and he’s quite sure that there’s no one wandering on earth he recently got pregnant, but the small shoes and clothes are just too cute. he’s in the middle of inspecting a blue hoodie, miniature sized, when he gets distracted by the woman next to him.

“wait a minute..if that isn’t the legendary ara?”

 their last meeting has been quite a while ago, but luke assumes they’re still on a comfortable level, especially since he got back to work and is mostly out of public’s eyes. apparently, the other hasn’t aged a day and doesn’t look that different, but he simply didn’t expect to see her in this area, or rather at this time - not after becoming ace. as a queen, luke had already been quite busy and since it’s early in the day, he would’ve rather assumed her to be at work.

wallflower, blooming

Through the haze of his own inebriation, Cassius’ expression visibly sours at the appearance of his former closest friend. Three years of absolute silence: no warning, no ‘goodbye Cas, I’m leaving now’… what a jerk. Although Cas had been the one to reject Luke, that had been done to protect their relationship, to protect Luke. Surely if Cassius was in Luke’s position three years ago, he would have at least had the common decency to tell Luke he hated his guts before fucking off to Umibe.

(Because Luke must detest Cassius for rejecting him, if he didn’t, then why would he just disappear like that?)

Petulantly, Cassius turns his head away and glares down at his emptied drink with a scowl, eyebrows furrowed, and posture defensively shifted away from the fire elementalist. He’s visibly irritated by the man’s presence, yet the occasional glance in Luke’s direction (which is rather obvious given his drunken state), instead suggests Cassius’ poorly hidden interest in the changes three years of absence had brought. Since their initial meeting a few days ago, the hint of ink at the base of Luke’s neck once again catches Cas’ attention, and he’s quick to conclude that whatever is inked against Luke’s skin must compliment the man’s broad shoulders very nicely. There’s other changes too, subtle things that make Cassius wonder if Luke is still the same man he knew all those years ago, or if they really were total strangers once again.

But really, of all the bars in Kadeu, why did Luke have to come to this one? Bars were as plentiful in Kadeu as egomaniacs, which means that this meeting was a stroke of absolutely appalling serendipity. The gods must be laughing at Cassius and his misery. Softly, Cassius grumbles down into his glass, complaining to himself, “Can’t he take his irritatingly handsome face and leave?” A brief pause… had he said that out loud? The human’s ears brighten up to an embarrassed red, and he hastily raises his hands to hide them from view, head turning so he can now glower directly at Luke, commanding (rather unconvincingly), “You heard nothin’”.

the first thing he notices is his jaw clenching. three years of absence and it takes two simple meetings for him to feel confusion around cassius again. it’s neither him drinking that angers him nor him having a small attitude, but the other’s ears slowly turning red. his fingers form into a fist and there’s a few moments where a suspicious crackling noise erupts from his fingertips. it’s gone as quick as it came.

leave. leaving. that’s all luke wants to do. leave.

wood splintering. he’s running and the fire is coming closer. why is he running from something he doesn’t have to be afraid of? he stops and turns to look into the fire. he sees-

when luke takes of his coat, the material of the jacket responds with a sizzling noise as it comes in contact with his hot hand. he takes money out of one of the inner pockets, puts it on the counter and turns to face cas after thanking the barkeeper. “you’re coming with me. i’ll make sure you get home safe.”

there’s nothing. only fire.

the elementalist throws the coat over his arm. cassius looks and he glares back, doesn’t even try to unclench his jaw. he doesn’t even know why he reacts like that, but it comes close to-

the fire stops and roars as good as fire can roar. he’s confused, steps closer. with feelings comes loss of control. he doesn’t want you and he made it clear. 

the feeling of betrayal. and suddenly, all the anger is gone. it’s just cassius, after all. just cassius. a crooked smile is plastered across his lips when he looks at the other for a second time. “you’re way too drunk to go home alone and-” luke stops talking. “..and..i mean, if there’s someone else i could get..that would take you home? like, if you have someone..” and he stops talking again. nonsense. freaking nonsense. idiot. idiot. idiot.

It was a bit surprising, to witness once again a friendly behaviour coming from the duelling instructor, as if nothing had ever happened. Asra followed his movements with his gaze, just trying to draw some conclusion out of observation alone, clearly confused about the whole change, it was not as if he wished anything but happiness to Luke, but clearly something wasn’t right.

The fire elementalist had suddenly left, disappearing for three years and then unexpectedly he had returned. Asra was feeling uncharacteristically optimistic about it all, out of all the teachers at The Academy, Luke was the one that deserved his teaching spot the most and he was happy to see that the others had reconsidered their decisions and offered him his job back.

But, then, Luke grew distant, cold and way more serious and that had worried Asra.

Still, he decided to keep his mind free of all those worries and sat down just as instructed, even if the frown had never left his face completely. “No, I -”  tea and cookies, why did tea always come up at the worst of times? What the hell was this conversation “I don’t want any of that, I just wanted to speak with you” and then it came to him that he had not exactly thought this through and that he did not know what to say exactly.

Eventually, he just decided to cut things short, his temper did not allow him to have much patience and it certainly did not allow him to act like a proper highranker would, make friendly, superficial conversation until the time ran out. “Why are you ignoring me?” Asra said ignoring all the previous questions, he sounded bitter and childish and yet he did not care about any of that.

“I just want to know why because I can’t keep thinking that you somehow blame me for all that happened” the rumors had affected him too, just not as much as they had affected Luke “I’m really sorry for what happened, I just wanted you to know that, alright?”

a deep sigh escaped luke’s lips as he slowly closed his drawer. “you’re misinterpreting my behavior.” the fire elementalist pinched the skin between his own eyebrows, fighting an upcoming headache. the day had been long. and asra was about to make his day even longer. “i can’t blame you for something that was completely my fault, can’t i? i made a mistake and for that i take the blame. the whole situation was nowhere near your fault.” even though the other declined the tea, luke still heats up some for himself and takes a cup.

“the reason i haven’t been talking to you that much is..well, how can i say..you’re the reason. i’m ignoring you because it’s not only my job on the line, it’s your future too. do you think i don’t hear the people talking behind my back? and they’re not only talking about me, they’re talking about you, too. it’s not that i don’t want to talk to you. i’m just giving the people here time to acknowledge that i have returned.” he takes a sip of the tea, leans back and then proceeds to stand up and turn his back to the student while he walks over to close the window. not only his tattoo peaks through his shirt, but his scars, too. 

“you don’t have to be sorry. it was nowhere near your fault.” the window makes a small noise while closing. “and i’d never blame you for what happened. i just want to wait until people stop talking, until people start forgetting and my return becomes less exciting. and i feel guilty.” he added the last sentence only after a while. “and it’s my turn to apologize.” luke slowly turned around. 

“i should have openly discussed the private lessons with sir harold. and i should have..i should have taken different actions.” a slight smile curled around his lips as he sat down again.

“please don’t worry about the whole situation, okay? we can talk in private, or rather when not that many people are around. and as soon as people stop talking or rather caring a little more, we can get back to what we were before.”

luke took a deep breath.

mr; luke doesn't really dislike anything about himself, but he does think that his feet could be prettier. lol.

Spiders: Does your muse squish bugs or put them outside?

The Dark: Did your muse sleep with a mana nightlight as a child?

Snakes: Would your muse ever keep an unusual/exotic pet?

Blood: What’s the worst injury your muse has ever had?

Clowns: Does your muse prefer comedy? Or horror?

Mirrors: What is your muse’s least favorite thing about their appearance?

Tight Space: Does your muse ever feel that they’re not living up to their own potential?

Closet Monsters: What is one thing your muse does that identifies them with their species? Their faction?

Crowds: What does your muse prefer, the action of Downtown Diamonds and the Circle, or the quiet away from it?

Death: What does your muse consider the worst way to die?

Ghosts: Has your muse ever seen something they couldn’t explain?

Needles: Does your muse have a strong stomach?

Curses: Does your muse believe in good/bad luck? How about karma?

Heights: Is your muse a risk-taker?

Solitude: Name 3 things your muse couldn’t live without.

Fire: Would your muse rather be very cold, or very hot?

Failure: Has your muse ever given up on an important dream?

Abandonment: How would your muse win back someone who left them?

The Unknown: Does your muse have a deity they believe in?

Boogeyman:  Name one thing your muse has lost that they wish they could get back.

Falling: What does your muse think about falling in love or commitment?

Change: What was a turning point in your muse’s life?

Disease: What does your muse do on a sick day?

Number 13: Does your muse believe any superstitions?

Noise: Name one sound your muse finds absolutely unbearable.

Insects: Name something your muse finds gross or annoying.

Dolls: Has your muse ever collected something?

Getting Old: Would your muse rather live 50 years loved, or 200 years alone?

⌖ @croupiex

the evening nears when luke is finally finished with work. it’s a friday, it’s roughly around nine pm and he hasn’t really eaten anything hot or warm yet. but the long day has left his traces on him and his mood and he decides that he’ll simply go to a bar or a restaurant to eat something before finally going home and getting a good sleep. he’s not interested in drinking, he’s learned his lessons with alcohol again and again in the past years, some good food will do it for now. the sun has long went down and he enjoys the warm breeze of the summer night on his skin. 

his feet lead him to a bar he’s been at before, the food they serve is good (their drinks are questionable, but he’s not there for that reason anyway - so why not have some nice soup or fresh vegetables?) and it’s not that far away from his apartment, meaning the way home won’t be long either. he’s not planning on staying for long, given he’s tired (or rather almost completely knocked out) from work. 

when he enters the bar he’s greeted by stuffy air and the smell of beer and other types of alcohol, but also some sort of smell that makes water collect in his mouth - fresh bread, parsley, all the good stuff.

the elementalist decides to sit down at a table and he’s lucky, there’s one below one of the open windows. a moth swirls around his head for a second, but he’s able to shoo it away with his hand. while he looks through the menu, someone else catches his attention. and if he would have known what he had to expect in said bar, maybe he never would have entered it. 

the barkeeper catches his gaze and greets him when he stands up, but she’s greeted by a serious and concerned look. there’s a guy sitting at the bar and he’s swaying slightly, given he’s noticeably drunk, that’s  not a big surprise. the thing is, luke would recognize that face and hair everywhere.

⋯　a renounced connection returned

There’s a pit at the bottom of Cassius’ gut that shifts uncomfortably at the realisation that although Luke’s appearance may have changed, the elementalist was still very much the same familiar man Cassius had grown affectionate for three years ago. If only Luke had become completely unrecognisable… at least then Cassius could leave his memories of the man firmly in the past without present day reminders to haunt him. Instead, bitter self-directed betrayal grows inside of Cas when a flutter of happiness makes itself present at the knowledge that Luke was planning on staying.

Who’s to say that Luke staying in Kadeu would change anything? Three years was a long time, and even if Luke hadn’t changed, they were strangers at this point. Or perhaps Luke had changed, and this Luke Cassius was seeing was nothing more than a figment of his pathetic imagination; the croupier’s mind conjuring up illusions of desires he can never accept. The conclusion is this: they are strangers, and Cassius is simply talking to one highranker among many.

(and Cassius is rotten to the core, and he knows without a doubt that Luke would crumble in his hands).

Subtly, Cassius takes a step back, forcing distance between the two of them as he looks up at the man, insincere smile still pulled at his lips. “I’ve been fine”. such a blatant lie. shaking hands and discarded pills, he was so so close and that’s so fucking scary he’s never been that close. finger-painted bruises with words that taste like honey but sting when slathered against bleeding lips. nights where sleep doesn’t find him because his brain just won’t shut up for a few hours. but what is one more lie upon the mountain of falsehoods cassius has chosen to bury himself with?

A fake laugh, well-practised enough that it’s convincing, but not a hint of genuine emotion behind it, “The diamond territory is the same as ever, not much changes for people like me”. He doesn’t reveal much within his response, because why would he? Luke is a stranger, and Cassius doesn’t share things with strangers. Yes, Cassius pushes away strangers until they’re far away from him and no longer at a distance where they’re close enough he might accidentally let them in. It’s safer this way, for them both. “Well, you were on your way out just now, weren’t you? Don’t let me stop you from leaving. I’m sure you have a busy schedule, getting resettled in the city and all”.

the elementalist only notices how close they’ve been when cassius takes a step back. it wasn’t on purpose, they technically bumped into each other and the surprise and shock that went through luke’s bones distracted him from the fact that cassius was still so small. a miniature part of his life that had long..left.

something about the other is different, but luke has yet to figure out what exactly it is. but when he looks at the other, there’s not much of a difference. he still looks almost the same to him, still has those beautiful- he still looks the same. just a little more expensive. maybe it’s the laugh? it’s the laugh that’s different, it seems dishonest, but also so..real? so different from the laugh that cassius used to have..around him. 

luke is so focused on figuring out what’s different that he almost forgets that he is in fact still talking to cassius and not just looking at a portrait of him. he snaps out of his thoughts right when the other stops talking and barely manages to figure out what he just said.

“constant things can be good sometimes. they give your life stability and peace, depending on if they’re positive or negative.” a quick smile, a few random words. that’s what their conversation feels like. small talk. the other is telling the truth, he just was on his way out and he has some things he needs to get done. but maybe that’s a good thing, maybe it’s better if luke doesn’t get more time to look at him, to talk with him. he wants to keep it short.

he nods, points towards his bag, which is already ready for grocery shopping. “you’re right, i was about to head out. but hey, maybe we’ll meet again? i’m not planning on leaving again anytime soon.” 

a few more steps and he leaves the vega gem, turns around one more time.

“it was good to see you, cassius han. see you around.”

Thronebreaker. Butch hadn’t made any deliveries to the tavern today but his feet had trudged him across the city anyway in search of a bowl of noodles and a cold mead. He’d gotten it, but what he hadn’t accounted for and got anyway, was a rather drunk man telling the Enforcer what he assumed was a little too much about something. Wondering in wry amusement how the man would react if the Alchemist rolled up his right sleeve to reveal the accursed LEA brand, Butch only nodded his head.

“That’s rough buddy,” he pats the man on the back a few times before he finishes off the remainder of his noodle bowl and pushes it across the counter for the bartender Me-Young to take back to her kitchen. Taking a drink from his mug, Butch eyes his new conversation partner with as much interest as the slightly tipsy alchemist can manage. The wrist tattoo peaking out from the sleeve of the man’s pullover looks like…. a Jack? Well, that’s a little surprising. Though, to be fair, the second floor of the Club tavern did draw in a rather diverse crowd and whomever this man was, he didn’t look quite as pompous as the average Jack.

Setting his mug down with a thud, Butch continues. “People just love to talk shit don’t they? What kind of rubbish did they spread around about you?” This could be good for a laugh. It might even be useful, given how highly ranked the other man was and how little he seemed to care about the information flowing from his lips. Then again, whose to say Butch would even remember this conversation in the morning. They were already talking anyway, it wasn’t like he had anything else to do tonight.

He reaches out a hand, moving the man’s empty whiskey glass towards Me-Young so there’s no danger of the object flying into him. “Name’s Butch, by the way.” The introduction is largely unnecessary but he figures it’s a good friendly step. He debates adding more but decides against it, settling into the role of active listener, moving the mug back to his lips to take a long drink.

one drink too much and luke immediately thought that his unimpressive outfit and the other’s unknown face and identity could protect him from a possible new scandal. because if the other was someone important, he would know, right? well, he definitely wasn’t one of the aces and that was enough for luke to keep talking. 

he forgets about the glass being empty for a second and already starts to complain about the stranger pushing it away before he realizes it’s just to make sure he doesn’t break it (as if he’s that drunk, tz.) the stranger becomes an acquaintance soon after, when he decides to introduce himself as butch. which makes the whole situation less anonymous - and that means it’s fine if he introduces himself, too, right?

“my name’s luke. and you don’t even wanna know what they said. ‘ts stupid, anyways.” he mutters, then proceeds to apologize to me-young for the trouble of protesting against her taking his glass and orders a water for himself, but not without leaving a huge tip. “you know..” he makes a pause, but not to seem reverent, but rather because the alcohol is getting to his head and clouding his mind more and more. the pause lasts a bit longer than three minutes and ends after he almost downs the water to sober up a little. 

“you know..” he starts a second time, “a few years ago..i lost my job. i work at the academy. the deck claimed i was sleeping with one of my students, which i was not. and then they put me on a pause.” the way he pulls up the sleeve of his pullover is a little too energetic and he’s glad the stranger, no, butch, made me-young take his glass away earlier. he reveals the arrow down for a second, then pushes the sleeve down again. “i mean. look at that. walking around with that tattoo isn’t fun. and i never even did anything. it’s just..the boy. he had a rough time and i..gave him a private lesson to protect himself and others from his impulsive behavior. he had something going on, didn’t show up to classes..so i made him study and look at that, he’s almost graduated now.”

@lukef​

The Vega Gem was quiet. A lull in customers had convinced Hyeonju to send his staff on their break for the day, which they had joyfully taken him up on. The jeweler had been sitting in the silence of his office at the back of the store skimming over documents when he tensed in surprise at the familiar voice he hadn’t heard in over three years. And it was threatening violence on too pleasant a day for Hyeonju not to allow himself a small chuckle.

He quickly pushed away from his desk and made for the front of the shop, schooling his expression to one of mild annoyance instead of the surprise and quiet joy he felt at hearing Luke’s voice. He couldn’t have the elemenatlist thinking he’d gone soft, now could he? Especially after threatening to burn down his livelihood only moments after walking through Hyeonju’s door.

“Don’t tell me that all you learned these past three years was how to be more of a destructive brat? I might have to retaliate if that’s the case. And I have yet to eat today. I’ve always been curious what fire elementalist heart would taste like. Do you think it’s spicy?”

Hyeonju spoke with all the snark and eloquence that was typical of the Heart. It was only the delighted smirk that grew on his face that indicated he was joking. It was effortless, like old times, the way the fox was able to let the banter slip from between his lips to tease Luke. As if he hadn’t spent decades avoiding the Diamond, hurt and angry. Those exchanged letters had done wonders to relieve the ache he felt when he thought of Lita and Luke and the days of past.

Hyeonju allowed himself a moment to observe Luke, noted he looked healthy and content. Something in the fox relaxed after that, though he didn’t dare admit he’d worried over the younger man the last few years. He walked past Luke to flip the sign to “closed” and waved the other to follow him to the back of the shop, up the stairs, and into a space he rarely allowed others—his apartment.

“Well, come on then. Rather than setting fire to my shop, you can be more productive and light the stove,” he said without look back, having noticed the armful of groceries ini Luke’s arms. He relieved Luke of some of the bags as he passed, not acknowledging how pleased he was that Luke was planning to feed him.

the immediate feeling of friendship that fills luke’s heart makes him chuckle before he’s able to stop himself from doing so. it surprises him again and again that even after all these years they need nothing but a few dumb jokes for their moods to be good, that even after everything they’ve went through without each other and together, they were still able to be friends.

“bold of you to assume that you’ll be able to catch me. and that you’re good enough at cooking to make it enjoyable. i also wouldn’t refer to my heart as spicy, rather as..hot.” he pretends to throw his hair over his shoulder - a gesture hyeonju is supposed to laugh at. while their letters were filled with talks about old times, lita and all the grief they’ve experienced, they were needed for them both to come to peace with what had happened. it happened and it laid in the past, was nothing that could be changed - so was there an other option?

luke follows as soon as the other waves and isn’t able to hold back the gentle smile that curls around his lips as soon as he sees the other relaxing. hyeonju is careful and so is luke, but he’s sure that within their next few encounters, they’ll be able to get back to their old, true form and friendship.

“do i look like your personal lighter? careful before i make use of my hands and you receive a fiery ass-slap.” the soft smile turns into a wide grin before he actually turns over to light the stove, making good use of his powers. “i brought all the good stuff to recreate my mother’s food. you can choose between dumplings and bibimbap. i think dumplings will take a little longer, but it’s up to you to decide. i sadly don’t have heart to offer, but..” he pushed his finger against the other’s collarbone, “..we have you. and you’re a heart, so maybe..” another grin after another dumb joke. the return to the academy has been rough and he doesn’t feel like he has fully returned yet, but the few happy hours hyeonju will get him lighten up his mood immediately.

⌖ @crookxdrook | backdated to august 31, 2007

tired and stressed are the best words to describe the young fire elementalist. there’s a clear time of the day where that changes to relaxed and happy, though, and that time of the day is around 9pm on tuesday, when he decides to go for a few drinks in a bar. he’s tired of sitting in his apartment waiting for something interesting to happen, so why not go to a place where he might meet someone new?

the thing is, even after a few drinks he’s surprised he actually meets someone that catches his interest. diamond’s are prone to looking different, but even between colorful shirts and horrible pants, the other still sticks out. maybe it’s the tattoos, or the hair, or just the way he behaves - or maybe, maybe it’s the fact that the other chose to sit down directly next to luke. if luke is honest, it doesn’t really matter to him, simply because he’s way too drunk. but he’s not too drunk to see the small ‘K’ on the other’s wrist, which somehow leads to a chain reaction in his brain - which then leads to a few dumb ideas. luke settles down for the first one that shoots into his mind, which is: impress him.

he can’t tell the other’s faction and rank just by looking at him, but he suspects the other’s not a diamond, given he would have seen him around at least once before if that was the case. but he’s a king, he looks nice. again, that’s all that matters. luke decides to wait a bit until the other’s had a few drinks, but then he creates (even though it takes him a long time to focus) a small (miniature and wobbly, barely recognizable) mouse, sends it in the other’s direction and manages to let it run over the stranger’s shoulders. it leaves a small piece of fabric burning, but luke manages to pat his shoulder, as if he was trying to show the other that it was his mouse. the fire stops spreading before the other can notice the heat (even though the smoke is still pretty noticeable). the mouse fades right in front of the stranger and luke manages to form a satisfied smile with his lips.

Burning bridges

@lukef​

Wednesday. 25th August 2024

Diamond’s Territory. The Academy. Training Instructor Parker’s office.

The hallways were silent, except from the few incoherent shouts that could be heard coming from the training grounds. Just moments before the fire elementalist had been in one of his classes, just one more student dressed in red awaiting for further instructions, but once he figured that it was safe to slip away, he did.

The majority of the classes were to end in fifteen minutes and that was all it would take for Asra to find Luke’s office and then make his way inside, without having any prying eyes or ears watching what he was doing. Stealth wasn’t his best skill, he knew that, he knew someone who was rather gifted at that, but no matter how many ways Sparrow tried to find in order to teach him, the truth was that the fire elementalist often preferred a much stronger approach, however for now, this would have to do.

The door was locked just as he had suspected it to be. One look to both ends of the hallway, let him know that the path was clear for him to do what he needed to do.

Asra had been able to unlock the door with a few minutes to spare and was now waiting inside for the ring that would indicate that Luke was done with his class and hopefully he would be coming to his office so they could have a chat.

As he paced around Asra tried to figure out  exactly what he wanted to tell and what he wanted to ask. He had noticed the way Luke had barely spared  a glance at him once he got back to The Academy, at first he thought nothing of it and then it started to bother him.

Did Luke perhaps think that he was to blame for what had happened a few years ago? Maybe he thought Asra had been the one to start the rumors and had decided to cut him off completely. Nevermind what had prompted the instructor to ignore him completely, Asra needed to at least clear things in order to move on.

Luke had been kind to him once, he deserved to know that Asra would respect his decision no matter what. But first, he needed to understand the reason behind it.

Fortunately, he did not need to wait for long and soon enough, just as planned, Luke entered his office. Asra did not lose any more time, “Can we talk?” 

after about a week, luke gets used to all the murmurs that start as soon as he walks by a group of students or the skeptical glares he receives by parents, students and fellow professors. he expected them, being put on a pause and then leaving for three years results in more rumors and suspicions. one student dared to ask him if he was absent due to having a baby with someone and wanting to spend some peaceful years abroad while raising the kid - which made him laugh at first, and then had him worry about more possible rumors. 

that made him realize that after getting his job back, risking anything wasn’t a good idea at all. and that’s how it started. 

seeing asra still at the academy took him by surprise. he expected that he got kicked out or simply left because he wanted to, but apparently he was back to visiting classes and courses. and while asra probably was the only student he really liked, he would never admit such thing to a colleague or one of asra’s friend. so he did what was best for him - he decided to ignore the fellow fire elementalist as much as he could. it started with nodding in response to a greeting and ended in not even gifting him a look unless the other asked for help with performing something new. it wasn’t that he thought it was asra’s fault, it definitely wasn’t. it simply was asra’s future, too. and such a rumor could last for a long time. 

the thing is, he also noticed the way asra started to react to his lack of reaction to him and he already knew it was only a matter of time until the other confronted him about it, considering he thought that the other’s personality probably hadn’t changed that much in the span of three years. but he didn’t know when and how - so it still took him by surprise when he opened the door to his office and was greeted by a familiar face.

“asra. long time no see. seems like you already let yourself in, anyways, so a little talk wouldn’t be that much of an issue, huh?” luke’s voice was friendly, as if to make it clear that he thought nothing bad of it - he probably already knew what this was about. “come, sit down in front of my desk. i’ve been standing for some time now, i’d prefer having a seat. do you care for some tea or cookies?” he flashes a smile in the other’s direction before he drops his bag next to his desk, closes the window and sits down behind his desk. he then proceeds to take his jacket off and lets out a long yawn, apologizing immediately after. after he placed his jacket on his chair, he placed a box of freshly baked cookies on his desk, offered asra some.