#ethaeria

❀ ` `  INBOX  @ethaeria​ ❝ i won’t let them hurt you. ❞  - Nanami to Ino ! uncharted   (  accepting !  )

               tragedy  often  proceeds  carelessness..  a  behavior  the  younger  didn’t  often  fraternize  with,  despite  his  inherited  blithe  nature..  he  was  no  fool,  never  one  to  refuse  further  instruction  accompanied  by  experience.  taking  that  into  consideration,  there  were  occasional  accidents  that  made  themselves  prevalent  as  a  result  of  poor  foresight.

               it  was  never  wise  to  embark  on  these  jobs  alone..  of  course..  with  a  certain  proficiency,  that  might  not  seem  to  be  the  case..  but  in  reality,  who  was  to  say  what  was  waiting  on  the  other  side  of  cement  walls,  twisted  appendages  manifesting  from  pools  of  shadows  amidst  dark  corners.  sometimes,  unfortunately  timed  underestimations  happened..  and  you're  met  with  a  hot  spot  of  curses,  and  a  creature  who's  intellect  is  much  more  profound  than  you  first  discerned.

               skidding  across  frozen  flooring,  what  was  left  of  a  deserted  hospital,  the  building  itself  crumbling,  gaping  holes  littering  its  walls  and  exposing  it  to  the  harsh  elements  of  winter  months.  a  dilapidated  arm  extended  from  the  dark,  and  as  the  sorcerer  shifted  to  get  out  of  the  way,  his  foot  was  caught  on  a  puddle  of  ice  forcing  his  balance  to  shift  violently  under  the  movement..  the  placement  of  such  a  puddle  could  only  be  blamed  on  miserable  coincidence..  the  shock  of  such  a  slip  seemingly  slowing  time  down..  if  only  for  a  few  second  before..

               a  cloth  adorned  blade  is  thrust  in  interception,  once  offending  appendage  now  withdrawn,  an  otherworldly  hiss  escaping  the  shadows  as  it  disappeared  into  the  inky  blackness.  only  the  sounds  of  flustered  movements  now  leaving  it.

❛  i  won’t  let  them  hurt  you.  ❜

               lifting  a  hand,  ino  rubbed  his  head..  eyes  once  glazed  with  what  he  though  was  the  inevitable  now  sparkling  with  admiration..  relief  escaping  him  at  the  sight  of  his  teacher  in  the  form  of  a  sigh..  he  moved  to  pick  himself  up  with  a  wince.

❝  you  sure  know  how  to  make  one  helluva  entrance..  ❞

they’d been soaking for a long while before they had piqued their ears at the sound of kento’s voice.

       heat was never an issue for them.    water, though its shape had its possible role in grating their nerves, was suitable enough for them  -  the warmth that envelops their form is fleeting elsewhere, but permanent here. if they wished, they could sit in these baths for hours on end, never once suffering from cold, and they almost seem willing to fall into that trap.                                        kento is a distraction from those thoughts  -  a welcome one.

❝  . . .  not at all .  ❞  a request is a precious thing from the man.    they don’t seek to answer them all  -  but the urge, odd as they may call it, comes easily in regards to the sorcerer.     reliance. and a desire for it. it was explained to them once before, and while they still don’t understand it to its fullest, they held it in the back of their mind.

       ❝  if you’ll give me a moment .  ❞  there’s a second of hesitation  -  the chill as they stand out from the bath’s warmed waters is enough to draw a quiet breath from their lips, settled quickly as they wrap a towel ‘round their hips.    the sound of their footsteps, silently tapping against the tiles of the bathhouse as they come to where kento sits, is a rare thing  ;  proof of their technique, or perhaps, the lack thereof in that moment.     it only becomes more apparent as they out from over kento’s shoulder  --  grabbing the soap and a small washcloth left there for use.

❝  . . .  i didn’t consider that you’d ask this sort of thing of me, kento .  ❞  it’s an odd statement.   to be truthfully honest, they’re not quite sure why it is that they feel the need to say it.   all they know is that it slips past as they begin washing kento’s back  -  every bit of attention placed on their task.     old scars, healed wounds  ;  sinews of muscle beneath pale skin  ...  warmth, that they do not regard.  ❝  but it is  --  nice  ...  i believe that is the word .  ❞  it’s spoken in a whisper, at the edge of their lips.      like they’d sink if they’d fell any deeper down.                 their hands reach for pause  ---  and though they cover it with subjective ease, they know nanami is the critical sort.    they know they’ve long since finished with their task, when their palms sit there, idle,    and they feel their wrists recline, urging to return back to their sides.  good enough. anymore and they feel  ...  distracted, for lack of better word.  ❝  . . .  i’m done . you can wash off now, kento .  ❞  even beneath a stream of water, washing off the remaining suds from their fingers, that faint heat does not leave them.

                                      they’ll settle for drowning it out in the bath. as best they can.

It wasn’t an accident that he’d been injured in such a manner, but having to explain that to Petri the following day seemed to be trouble Darius the instant he opened his front door to find him standing there.

❀  ❛❛  Oh...I didn’t expect you to come by. It’s really not as bad as it sounded.  ❜❜ Darius greeted while standing with the help of his crutches.   

“Ah, what a bother,” the demon mutters, brushing dust & ash from his seared coat, sighing gently as he tries to clean up appearances. “You often get into fights like this or was this just a fun little spontaneous thing?” - from Calcifer !

      The weight of galaxies precariously balancing across broad shoulders, pressing down and tiring a mix of organic and synthetic muscle. A science experiment given a soul  ——  and yet, when in the right company,  relaxation  is second nature.  A welcoming warmth he collapses into ( sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally ) , coiling in the embrace.  He’s lowered subconsciously over their features, index finger resting atop their chin, thumb tracing over a cheek speckled with stardust.  White noise of the ship’s massive engine is clashed with their lips parting , the Admiral keeping his eyes closed and distance between them short.  

                       Making it last longer.