𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞.

Shen remembers now, why he stopped letting Zed hold him when they were teenagers chasing after the Golden Demon, why he forbade Akali from hugging him when she got too old. The warmth it brings, even from Yone’s chilled body, and the pleasant tingling that accompany that, are almost too much for him. It threatens to overwhelm him. He wants to hold Yone again, cling to him, press his face to his hair and breathe in the scent he though he had forgotten. It is so dangerous to hold someone, so dangerous to let himself want when so much is at stake. If the stars were to order him to kill Yone, or Akali, or Zed, he has to be able to do it. He can’t be wrapped up in these desperate feelings of his.

    Still, he is grateful when Yone agrees to stay, and though the guilt at his selfishness threatens to smother him in the pause between word, Shen lets a smile lift the corners of his eyes, just enough for Yone to catch, and tries to crumple up his feelings for now, let himself focus on what he must do, even when Yone reaches for his hands and gives them a squeeze that sends him hurtling ten years into the past. Does Yone remember … ? Often spirits have fragmented memories, only partially connected to their human lives. How much can he recall … ?

   “Come in, then,” he murmurs, eyes shifting down and away, as if the strength of Yone’s gaze is too much for him. Turning, Shen leads his way into the old temple, trusting Yone to close the door against the icy chill behind them. The halls are lit with the occasional lantern, though most of them are unlit to save resources. As they walk, Shen takes one from its hook to lead them further into the dark hallway, then into a room where a large pot of water sits over a pile of low-burning coals. Shen sets the lantern down as he prepares a pot of tea and two cups with the water, setting them all on a tray so he can carry them all in one arm, the lantern in the other. “It’s not far,” he promises as he leaves the kitchen again, padding down the wooden floors far more quietly than a man of his size should be capable of.

    When they come to his room, Shen slides the door open with care and lets himself into the sparse room, taking off his shoes at the entrance. It’s furnished similar to his room back in the Kinkou temple, with a low table and cushions to sit on, plus a few small shelves for documents and clothing, and little else. Whereas at the Kinkou temple he had a few paintings and ceramics, now he has only a small plant that sits in a bowl on a bed of rocks. Setting the lantern down nearby, Shen gestures for Yone to sit at one side of the table before settling down on the cushions at the opposite end. He sets a cup in front of Yone and pours him the tea before doing the same for himself. Only then does Shen unbuckle the armor on his forearms and set it down nearby, like he’s just got home from a long day at work. “If you are hungry I can provide something for you, but we are not as well stocked as we once were.” Finally, his eyes find Yone’s again, and there’s a sadness there as he shifts to unbuckle his other bracer. “But I would like to ensure you are comfortable during your stay.” And he doesn’t know how long Yone will be here, but Shen finds himself hoping it will be enough time. More, even. He has only just met Yone again and already the greed is overtaking him.

                         𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄     𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒     𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄     𝐎𝐅     𝐓𝐇𝐄     𝐖𝐀𝐘     𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓     Shen’s     eyes     flit     away     from     him,     the     way     that     he     turns     himself     inward     when     he     walks,     the     darkness     in     the     temple,     the     chill     of     the     hallway.     Everything     is     so     different     than     what     he     remembers     :     what     he     knows     to     be     true.     The     gap     in     his     memory     is     distinct     &     frightening.     Ten     years     gone     by     that     he     doesn’t     remember     .     .     .     Yone     wonders,     as     he     follows     Shen     into     the     Kinkou     monastery,     if     he     has     missed     anything     important.     Surely,     there     must     be     SOMETHING.     Judging     by     the     steely     posture     of     Shen’s     shoulders     &     the     high,     careful     poise     of     his     chin,     something     must     have     changed.     He     is     not     the     same.     But     then     again,     neither     of     them     are.

                         But     he     catches     his     smile,     too     —     fleeting,     momentary,     but     enough     for     Yone’s     lips     to     quirk     upwards     at     the     same     time,     enough     for     him     to     rush     to     follow     him     without     a     loss     of     pride.     He     is     not     ashamed     to     seek     solace     within     Shen’s     warmth.     He     might     not     remember     the     last     decade,     but     he     knows     that     the     pit     made     within     his     chest     is     one     that     felt     Shen     missing     from     his     life     for     so     long.     Yone’s     hands     stay     close     to     his     sides,     eyes     sweeping     the     details     of     the     kitchen,     then     the     hallway,     then     of     Shen’s     own     room.     There     is     barely     anything     present;     but     what     there     is,     Yone     can     distinctly     attribute     to     Shen.     An     old     robe     he     recognizes,     or     the     sight     of     his     handwriting;     it     is     all     enough     to     pull     Yone     back     into     a     summer     where     he     &     Shen     had     been     nearly     inseparable.     He     doesn’t     know     if     they     can     get     to     that     place     again,     but     he     sincerely     hopes     that     they     will.     If     it’s     up     to     him,     they     will.     

                         Shen’s     voice     pull     shim     from     his     thoughts,     &     Yone     looks     to     him,     eyes     bright     &     focused     as     they     glance     down     to     the     armor     he     has     discarded,     then     the     table     set     out     for     them.     He     sits,     slowly,     his     robe     &     wrappings     settling     delicately     around     him,     as     if     caught     in     a     breeze,     though     there     is     none.     His     gaze     trains     onto     Shen’s     intently,     &     it’s     only     when     he     brings     it     up     that     he     considers     food     at     all     —     by     all     logic,     Yone     should     be     ravenous.     Ten     years,     he     hasn’t     eaten     .     .     .     longer,     now     that     he’s     in     the     world.     Yet     his     stomach     is     painlessly     hollow,     nauseous     at     the     thought     of     eating     at     all.     Yone     smiles     thinly.     He’s     not     alive     anymore,     &     perhaps     they’d     both     forgotten.     His     legs     settle     into     a     careful     lotus     pose     before     Yone     finally     speaks,     voice     rough     with     lack     of     use.

@a-la-mort​   said   :    The smoke from the woman's pipe gathered between them, the half-dragon looking at the stranger rather unamused. ❝ You seek protection...? Well, I'm sure the council can provide that. Though it isn't to me you need to ask. I am not in charge of consular matters. ❞ Could she relay the message? Sure. But this was really none of her business. ❝ Now, is there anything else you want? ❞ - Feemere to Kaura.

                         𝐓𝐇𝐄     𝐕𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐀’𝐒     𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒     𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆     together     nervously     in     front     of     her     as     she     speaks     with     the     woman,     her     aura     &     stature     intimidating     alongside     her     importance.     Her     answer     to     Kaura’s     plea     is     a     positive     one,     which     makes     tawny     ears     twitch     upward     in     appreciation,     plush     lips     offer     a     nervous     smile,     despite     the     knit     of     her     eyebrows.     Yet     still,     she     can’t     help     but     feel     intensely     out     -     of     -     place.     But     perhaps     that     is     just     how     Kaura     feels     when     she     goes     anywhere     at     all.

i’m finding it hard to be here rn with all my blogs & school starting up, plus being low - muse for whoever is here. so yeah i’m going to delete a few that are collecting dust.

anonymous   said   :     Final question from your Secret Santa! We've discussed Nice muses, but do you perhaps think that amidst those that ended up on the Naughty list, is there any most likely to overcome their evilness and show up on the Nice list some years down the line? Perhaps a nice gift could be what puts them on the path to change.

. this is SO incredibly late santa, i’m sorry ! i still wanted to answer this to let u know that i appreciated your asks over the holidays and it was a lot of fun <33.

on my naughty list, i listed my oc tatsuo ! tatsuo is a bit naughty, but he’s not inherently evil. more, he’s annoying. he’s kind of the antihero type, and so if any of them in particular are closer to being ‘good’, it’s him.

otherwise . . . interesting point you bring up about putting them on the right path !! i never really thought about it. i suppose if zyra was given the opportunity to learn about her species and to settle down and reproduce she would be less angry at the world. a lot of her rage comes from loneliness and the near - extinction of her kind.

anonymous   said   :     Hello, it is ya boi Secret Santa (again). Even though I now know which muses go on the Nice list, I have accidentally mixed up some of their gifts. Which of your muses should receive the following gifts? 1) A selection of exotic teas, 2) a decorative ornate dagger, 3) A bundle of raunchy manga, 4) loads and loads of chocolate?

. hi again, santa !! sorry i didn’t get to this sooner . . . i love this ask so much LMFAO. i had to think very hard about this, but here’s what i came up with :

kaura or kennen. they both really love tea and also probably need to relax.

i think that nico would like this. he likes really extra, edgy stuff. plus, a son of hades can never have too many knives !

hides my face in my hands LOL thanatos ,

The confused stare was better than what he thought he’d receive. Generally, he expected the other’s ever nonchalant reactions, and for that, he sometimes wondered why he continued to stick around him, given Yone had a lukewarm demeanor at best. Still, he had grown almost fond of it, accustomed to his little gestures — or lack thereof. And, whenever he wasn’t an absolute statue… Oh, that… That was immensely satisfying.

So, with his hesitation to speak, and his subsequent dumbfounded response, the Marai man would only emphasize his smirk.  ❝ Is that it? Welp! Time to feast! ❞  He said as he promptly dragged him towards the more populated area, but stopped as soon as he concluded his statement. With a disappointed huff, he paused to think a bit more.  ❝ Well, then it isn’t whatever I want, is it? ❞  he said under his breath, looking at the other soon after with an overexaggerated frown,  ❝ If I can’t do THAT… killjoy… I guess I’ll have to think about something el- Oh! I know! Ever tasted Giant Squid meat? I hope they have it here. ❞  he said, lighting back up again, an almost sparkle in his eyes. It wasn’t what he was initially hoping for, but it was still a free meal.

He truly could get used to being spoiled like this.

                      𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄     𝐇𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐒     𝐀𝐒     𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐔     𝐒𝐄𝐈𝐙𝐄𝐒     his     wrist     &     begins     to     drag     him     toward     civilization.     His     eyebrows     furrow     under     his     mask,     in     somewhat     of     a     frown,     but     there     is     a     fondness     glittering     in     his     eyes     as     he     follows     the     other     (     with     very     little     resistance,     really     ).     His     eyes     roll     as     Nalu     chides     him     for     preventing     him     from     eating     people     —     he’s     ridiculous     sometimes.     You’d     think     he’d     understand     the     rules     by     now.     But     still     ;     he’s     not     opposed     to     much     else,     &     when     Nalu     suggests     Giant     Squid,     his     eyebrows     raise     slightly.

                        𝐈𝐓     𝐈𝐒     𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇     𝐀     𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐎𝐔𝐒     𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓     that     Yone     weaves     through     the     throngs     of     medics     to     find     Shen.     The     battlefield     has     him     weary     :     sweat     &     blood     coat     his     skin,     splattered     across     shining     shoulders     beneath     a     torn     cloak     &     long     -     shed     armors.     The     clash     with     Noxus     had     ceased     for     the     time     being,     &     for     that     Yone     is     grateful     —     if     Shen     had     been     injured     at     any     other     time,     the     fight     would     have     been     more     essential.     They     both     know     that,     but     Yone     is     thankful     that     it     hadn’t     come     down     to     it.     At     the     very     least,     he     can     find     him     now     :     give     him     a     presence     of     comfort,     &     hopefully,     get     him     back     on     his     feet     before     he     is     punished     for     being     down     at     all.

                         His     eyes     soften     when     he     spots     him     on     the     ground,     a     healer     already     crouched     over     his     abdomen,     which     seems     torn     enough     to     be     critical.     Yone’s     lips     thin     into     a     grimace,     but     he     pushes     it     off     of     his     face     before     Shen     spots     him.     Fear     wouldn’t     help     the     situation,     not     now.     A     few     soldiers     clear     out     of     Yone’s     path     as     he     approaches,     quiet     as     the     wind,     &     kneels     next     to     Shen     in     one     fluid     motion.     His     cloak     pools     next     to     him     like     a     comforting     breeze,     &     when     their     eyes     meet,     Yone     actually     smiles     at     him.                         ❛    𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔     𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅     𝒕𝒐     𝒚𝒐𝒖     𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔     𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆,     𝒉𝒖𝒉     ?     ❜                         His     voice     is     strained     with     concern,     but     light,     &     he’s     trying     not     to     stress     Shen     out     any     more.     He     is     here     to     help     :     distract     him     from     his     pain,     do     whatever     he     can     until     they     are     both     inevitably     torn     back     in     opposite     directions.     Yone     sighs     &     looks     elsewhere,     reaching     for     a     bowl     of     heated     water     &     cloth     to     wash     away     the     blood     coating     Shen’s     skin.                         ❛    𝒀𝒐𝒖     𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅     𝒎𝒆     𝒚𝒐𝒖     𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕     𝒈𝒆𝒕     𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒆𝒅.     𝒀𝒐𝒖     𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅     𝒕𝒐     𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌     𝒐𝒏     𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕.     ❜