#fiaclown

|| 灯也 || :: “ suzaku ... is that your attempt to say hi ? if it was, then you totally suck at it. ” a small growl could be heard from the back of his throat, before those silver hues narrowed down at the certain BIRDBRAIN while crossing his arms, watching the male before releasing a long sigh.

              “ first --- you thought i was dead ... then thought i was a ghost when i appeared behind you ... now you’re blowing me a kiss ? did you hit your head ? ” despite the words from his lips, the tone he used was softer than usual. it was OBVIOUS that regardless of his scolding, he sure cared a lot about this firebird who just blew him a kiss. why did he even do that ?

              “ now get out from behind that tree and let’s go get lunch. i’ll treat you only if you promise not to blow me another kiss. the only time i’d tolerate that is if the place we’re going is couple-only. and no, i won’t hold your hand. ”

no other would be so daring as his meimei, the little egghead yipin with her tiny yet capable hands, hands that have sworn to only ever cherish and protect everything she holds dear. wukong may be difficult with grown mortals but he has never been cold nor cruel to children. surely, some younglings are particularly tricky with their pants wet and disgusting vocabulary centred around feces, yet some, like yipin, have nothing but flowers budding in their evolving souls.

even with those strong, strong hands squishing his cheeks, wukong keeps chewing. he smiles with his eyes. “ what, you want some buns too? ”

nagi takes her kids lambo & yipin out for trick-or-treating; it turns out to be the nicest halloween she’s had since her father died.

          sweet;  he was acutely aware that he tasted it, a bizarre-if-not-iconic mixture of chocolate and his usual self.  the latter, of course, was unavoidable, the simple reality that came with being him.  but the former, he claimed, was entirely on her.  it was she who had teased him with the last bite of cake, held out her fork with a smile only to pull it away just as quickly and claim the prize for herself with a pointedly satisfied grin.

          believe it or not, there was something even more maddening than the tease itself.  though often tested by his love of sweets, it was the quiet twinkle in her eye that pressed him forward this time.  and without warning or ceremony, he rose from where he sat, rounded the table and leaned in, kissing her deeply and forcing her lips apart with his tongue in order to take whatever he could of that last bite straight from her mouth.

          what happened next was inevitable.  and if it had not been made so by his mischievous actions alone, the smirk that he gave her as he pulled away from would have most certainly done him in.  she had allowed this, after all, allowed him to get the better of her then.  and so, it came as no surprise that she followed after him, away from the kitchen and into the bedroom where he had conveniently retreated, their all-too-familiar, playful exchanges set the mood for every move they made.  he claimed that she was cruel for teasing him so.  and she that he was rude for his petty theft.  he should have known better.  and she should never have let down her guard.  but soon enough, she had joined him, sitting at the foot of the bed.  and he had drawn himself close enough to kiss her again.

          he still tasted it, that chocolate cake.  but now, the fact was simply an extraneous detail.  his focus, naturally, had shifted elsewhere  this time, as they kissed, neither of them froze in surprise or made an attempt to pull away.  and neither of them held back.  the more he pressed, the more his mouth hunted for hers, his teeth nipping at her lips, the more she pressed back.  and soon enough, it was she who was leaning into him, leading their kisses.  his hands moved, came to rest on her shoulders, fingers twirling through a few, loose strands of her hair as she crept closer, painfully slow in her pace.

          his grip on her tightened just enough to make her pause.  and he pulled away with a smirk, shook his head, a few strands of hair moving to the side.  then, eyes scanning over her face, already flushed, he huffed a quiet laugh, uniquely his.

          “ it was nice of you to share.  i knew you would one way or another. ”  he told her, grinning, his eyes bright but dangerously narrow.  he drew a breath and then, his voice a whisper, lowered.

|| 灯也 || :: it had been a long time ever since the black dragon had set foot upon this realm. how many years had it been since he locked himself away from meeting anyone ? despite being offered a chance to be REBORN once more --- he didn’t think he could bear the thought of losing himself like that. to have his memories wiped away, to start anew. maybe it was the RIGHT beginning he needed, but it wasn’t what he wanted.

that was when he could SENSE a familiar presence. this very flame he used to be so terrified of, for it belonged to another protector --- it reminded him of how he didn’t have a PLACE with them ... yet ... for this one ... just this one protector who was blaming himself for being unable to HELP him when everything went down ... when he was branded a traitor ...

he was the only one he could call a friend ...

how long had it been ... ? years ... was it ? he couldn’t remember ... there was a sense of WARMTH inside the seiryuu’s heart --- this flame that was once used to heal him --- to prevent him from losing control.

it’s him ...

          wait.  day?  a tilt of her head toward the window corrects her.  eyes wide, she sees that it’s gotten dark;  it’s night.  a quick breath nearly throws her into a fit.  just how late was it?  she’d ordered dinner not too long ago.  i didn’t-  surely she hadn’t been that person, the one to place an order right before closing time.  her panic is fierce but brief.  it’s fine.  it’ll be fine.  she’ll make it up to him.  she can do that, can’t she?

          surely she can do something right.

          ding!  there it is again.  that noise...  and it draws her thoughts outward again.  it takes a moment for it to register, but soon enough she understands.  it’s the doorbell.  at the realization, she jumps up, nearly tripping over her own, bare feet as she rushes for the door.  she isn’t about to keep him waiting.  he always worked hard;  he’ll want to get home.  and what if someone’s waiting...

          with a deep breath to settle herself, to steady her breathing and heart-rate, she throws the thought away.  then, after a quick moment to brush her hair, she forces a smile onto her face.  and hand-shaking slightly  ---  no, it’s not nerves.  just lack of sleep  ---  she opens the door.

          “ y-yes? ”

          home;  he’s never had one.  not really.  at least not in the sense people mean.  he had a place to sleep, of course.  a home, some would say, technically.  but, the places of his childhood have long ago been destroyed, the remnants of that family burned away, all hunted down to the very last.  or so it was told.  and he’s hardly sad about that.  in fact, he’s relieved.  there are no good memories to be found there.  not one.  it’s a feat, really, that he’s even returned.  but, he had to come back, eventually.  there is one place he simply can’t forget.

          it wasn’t home, no.  but, perhaps, that’s why he’s can’t let it go.  it was an escape in those days, a taste of freedom.  and just maybe a taste of family, too.  he’s fond of it, he thinks.  is that the word?  but, he won’t be caught confessing that, not where anyone could hear.  for her, though, he could do it.  maybe.  at the very least, he’ll try.

          it’s been well over a decade since then.  how many years?  too long.  would she even recognize him, remember him, now?  he’s prepared for the worst, been ready to hear she’s dead and gone, to be turned away as a stranger.  yet, still, there’s something else, too, hidden under his coat, buried in his chest, at his center.  something he’s been very careful not to name.

          the gardens are as immaculate as ever.  beautiful, quiet, still.  and that in itself is enough.  he smiles, then.  and a moment later, a patch of red, bright like the afternoon sun, catches his eyes from across the expanse.  he freezes, brief.  is that ---  he takes a deep breath and humbles himself.  then, he slowly marches forward to see her.

 -- He has to wonder; does this feel different to others? Do they feel themselves on edge even as their lips touch another’s? He doesn’t relax. If anything, his senses heighten, his body tenses, and he has to consciously force himself to focus on her, just for the moment. He trusts in the tripwires around the grounds; not so much his own ability to protect her from whatever crossed them. The name Luce pulls at the edges of his thoughts. That was different; nobody could have stopped that. But, all the same. God have mercy on whoever threatened Evrae. He wouldn’t.