ask the cards.

The lanky man nods along as Zander speaks, and at the end of his request, he chuckles, giving a final, firm, understanding nod. “Gotcha. You don’t have to worry about company, I’m usually out late and come home by myself. Save the fun for the town, y’know?” He lets his hand give a flop in dismissal, his lips thinning in a half-smile. “But I getcha. Feel free to call me out if I get out of hand with anything. Sometimes I need a stern talking to. Kinda got a thick skull.”

Finally pulling himself away from his oddly casual, lazy stance, and starts walking to his empty soon-to-be bedroom, his steps long and drawn out as he speaks. He tries to avoid looking directly at the man, still trying to play off his awkward comment from earlier. “What do you like to do while you’re at home? Do you like board games? Conspiracy documentaries?”

1. What is your name?

“Zander.”

2. Do you know why you’re named that?

“I named myself that because I liked it.”

3. Are you single or taken?

He opens his mouth to answer but the words are drowned out by the whining of all the realities he exists and has different lovers in as they all collapse down upon him. There’s a thirty second gap where there’s nothing but a ringing noise and a black screen, we briefly see a young man sitting at a computer saying ‘what a silly question to ask a character on a tumblr blog’, and then reality reconstitutes itself and all is normal. Zander shrugs.

4. Have any abilities or powers?

“I see dead people.”

5. Stop being a Mary Sue.

“Stop being judgy bitch.”

6. What’s your eye color?

“Light brown.”

7. How about your hair color?

“Darker brown.”

8. Have any family members?

“My aunt, her wife, and my three cousins.”

9. Oh! How about pets?

“I’ve got a big whiny baby named Ianus.” He gestures to an adult black leopard, who is sitting up in the branches of a tree nearby and having a nice little nap.

10. That’s cool, I guess, now tell me something you don’t like.

“People who go out of their way to hurt other people. And mosquitoes.”

11. Do you have any hobbies/activities that you like to do?

“Sometimes I go down by the shore and pick up seashells. I’ll paint once in a while but like, I’m not very good at it. It’s just relaxing.”

12. Have you ever hurt anyone in any way before?

“I..... yeah.”

13. Ever… killed anyone before?

“God, no.”

14. What kind of animal are you?

“Uhhhhhh. I’m, uhhh.” He screws up his face a little while he thinks. “I’m a fuckin uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh moth.”

15. Name your worst habits?

“....I.. I catch me telling myself noone actually likes me a lot.”

16. Do you look up to anyone?

He taps his chin thoughtfully. “My dad?”

17. Are you gay, straight, or bisexual?

“Pan, baby.”

18. Do you go to school?

“Nah.”

19. Ever want to marry and have kids one day?

“NAH.”

20. Do you have any fangirls/fanboys?

He just laughs so hard he snorts.

21. What are you most afraid of?

“That I’ll die the same person I started, and alone and unloved to boot.”

22. What do you usually wear?

“Uhhhh. Black stuff.”

23. What’s one food that tempts you?

“Selasi’s bread.” And then he gasps suddenly, eyes bright. “SWEET ROLLS.”

24. Am I annoying to you?

“..n.....no?”

25. Well, it’s still not over!

“Okay??”

26. What class are you? (low/middle/high)

“I guess middlish?”

27. How many friends do you have?

“A couple.” Then he actually thinks about it, and smiles softly. “Actually, a few.”

28. What are your thoughts on pie?

“It’s good.”

29. Favorite drink?

“Apple cider.”

30. What’s your favorite place?

“I dunno, Nopal, probably? It’d be easier to list off places I don’t like, honestly.”

31. Are you interested in anyone?

He shrugs, but his face slowly turns red.

32. That was a stupid question…

“Why was it stupid? Love yourself.”

33. Would you rather swim in a lake or the ocean?

“Both. They’re very different swimming experiences and I love both. Also though: river.”

34. What’s your type?

“...b.......big..”

35. Any fetishes?

His eyes twinkle a little amusedly and he just shrugs again.

36. Camping or outdoors?

nekkid

aaaand here he is as he appears in my lair with his clothes

Quietly, Muriel joins him in looking at the palace for a moment. Even from a distance, he swore that he could still feel the dark presence that overshadowed it, never to be seen but always there, lurking just out of sight and waiting for a moment to strike. It made him uneasy, and he found himself wanted to leave the city as quickly as possible the longer he stared at the palace in the distance.

He hadn’t expected the apprentice to take much notice of him, so he remains quiet until he hears him speak. He waits for a brief moment, wondering whether or not to say any more, before turning to him slightly, as if he feared that if he saw his face from under the cloak, he would recognise him. He eventually decided to answer him, since he deserved to know what was happening there.

“… inside the palace,” he replies. “… you’ve felt it too, haven’t you? The presence that refuses to leave?”