#ghostcity

💋 How affectionate are they with their friends? Their family? Their romantic partner(s) (if they have any)? Are they more physical or emotional when it comes to displaying their affection? Why?

Gaura pretty much overflows with affection for her loved ones no matter the exact nature of her relationship with them (probably because her friends and lovers all feel like family to her not in a creepy way lmao). She's really touchy-feely but she's also careful with boundaries so whether she shares physical or emotional intimacy with someone usually depends on that someone.

🔥 Give us a general list of likes and dislikes, such as colours, textures, music, weather and other stuff.

Likes:

Colors: yellow, red and black.

Texture: the hair of those she loves, leather, parchment, metal, soft fur, wood with a fine layer of polish on it.

Music: any and all sorts of music with like one exception.

Weather: sunny or windy weather.

Dislikes:

Colors: pure red and hot pink.

Textures: sludge, mud, water if you put bath stuff in it (she doesn't like it if the water's natural texture changes, it weirds her out), ice. Music: Aedyran court music.

Weather: snowy, cold weather.

💛 In general how in control of their emotions is your OC? Do they have a good hold on them or their emotions control them, not the other way around? What do you think is the reason behind this and is your OC ever concerned about their lack of good control?

Gaura is very much in control in her emotions but mostly in regards of expressing those emotions. She is still influenced by her instincts and feelings in her decision-making. Sort of in a: get a gut-feeling about what should be done -> think it through -> come to the conclusion that either her feelings were 100% correct or that all her options are equally bad but in different ways, so she might as well go with it. I think this has most to do with how she was raised, the Living Lands doesn't really allow to sit around thinking through everything so listening to the first idea or saying what she was feeling was kind of a must.

💜 Music or silence? Swords or spells? Cities or nature?

Teagan returned to the inn, nodding to to the innkeeper as she walked in. She kicked the snow of her boots and glanced around to see if anyone else was around.

"Any change?"

"Doctor came by earlier to check on him but he's still asleep," he explained. "She said not too worry too much though. It's just exhaustion, from what she can tell."

"Right..." That's what she said last time... but it's been three days. Teagan sighed. "Thank you for telling me. I'll go see how he is."

She quietly made her way to the back of the inn, straight to the room Grøh was recovering in. He was still unconscious when she walked in. To be expected, I suppose. Sitting at his bedside, Teagan looked at the bandages across his chest, where she'd struck him down. The worry that that did more damage that intended flared in her mind again. Soul Calibur can purify... but also eradicate malfested. What if... no. She stopped herself going down that line of thoughts. Now was a time for her usual optimism! Yes, Grøh was asleep and had been for days at this point. That was concerning. But it was an improvement from what he was before. He wasn't missing, last seen falling from a cliff with a sword in his gut nor was he acting like the mindless animal, driven insane by the Cursed Sword's influence. He should be okay. I need to relax. He'll wake up in his own time. She leaned forward and took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently.

"Please wake up soon, Grøh…"

Another sigh escaped her as she stood up, took another look at Grøh and then returned to her own room for the night. She silently prayed that nightmares wouldn't plague her that night. She was tired and needed the rest.

-

Another day, another attempt to fill the time with something productive. Teagan considered contacting Aval, in case there was anything that needed to be done nearby. Or perhaps word of an Astral Fissure, if there was one in the area. She decided not to, though. The odds of them providing anything useful that she could actually act on was slim and she didn't necessarily want to alert them to the fact that Grøh was alive just yet. His outsider status put a target on him and she wanted to make it clear what that'd do to her alliance with them before making them aware. As it stood, only Natalie and Dion could know that. Anyone else would probably try to hunt him down, unaware that he was under Teagan's protection.

Walking through the small town, she wrapped her arms around herself. Even with the fur-lined uniform Dion gave her, Teagan was not accustomed to the cold. How she made it through a blizzard, she'll never know.

She caught sight of the small barracks for the guards. There weren't many, only four on active duty about town and a few at the barracks, training. I haven't practiced at all since I dragged Grøh here. Maybe that'd be a good plan. It’d keep me occupied at least... Distracted. And it’d warm me up. Teagan made her way to the training yard and coughed loudly to make her presence know.

"Ahem!" There were three men, two that had just halted swinging their swords at training dummies and one sat on a bench under some shelter, presumably taking a break. They looked at her when they noticed her. "By any chance, would I be permitted to use these grounds to train? I fear I haven't been able to and don't want to lose my touch in a fight."

The man that was resting stood and welcomed her in with open arms. "Of course! We couldn't turn you away. After all, you were the warrior that finally managed to slay the Black Demon!"

"...Right." Teagan smiled awkwardly but didn't correct him. Probably best they don't know Grøh was the Black Demon... not a victim of him. Or at least, not a victim in their perception of it. "Thank you."

She made her way to one of the dummies to the far side, away from the others. She wasn't feeling much like socialising. She was far to distracted to hold a conversation with strangers.

Drawing her sword, she took a swing and immediately needed to pause, and coming to her stomach. Right. Still healing. Gotta be careful. Teagan made a step backwards, putting some distance between herself and the dummy and took a deep breath, considering how to accommodate for her injury.

"You okay there?" A different guard this time.

"Yeah. Still recovering from the fight with the Demon," she explained. "Means I need to put a bit more thought into how I move. That's all."

The last guard spoke up. "Wait didn't you return with a sword in your gut? There's no way you've healed enough for that to not cause you problems. Training with a wound like that is insane!"

"Or just dedicated," Teagan said with a smirk. "I'll be fine."

"You sound confidant." He looked rather baffled. "Well, don't say I didn't tell you so if you make that injury worse."

-

"What did I tell you?"

"Don't be physically active whilst I’m still healing."

The doctor frowned at her as she took a clean set of bandages out from her bag. "And you went and ignored my advice. Why?"

"I feel too... on edge," Teagan said. "I can't do what I want to do because Grøh is still unconscious and I refuse to leave him here. I need to be able to tell him what's happened since he was lost. But there's nothing to do. I hate being cooped up, not being able to do anything. I need to be active."

"Surely you've had to rest to recover from injury before," she said as she started to wrap the bandages around Teagan's midsection. "You must have done, considering some of the scars you have."

"Injuries haven't been so... disruptive before," she explained. "And if I have rested, it's been because I've been physically exhausted. But I'm not. I have loads of energy and too many thoughts and no where to expend them. It's...angering."

The doctor sighed. "It sounds to me like you'll just have to deal with it." "But I don't want to..."

"I Wouldn't have imagined that you'd be so childish about something like this." A small laugh escaped Teagan, ignoring the pain in her abdomen as she did. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises..."

"Listen..." Another sigh, more frustrated this time. "When I'm done rebandaging this, go back to the inn and just rest! If you need something to do, read a book or something."

I already tried that...

-

Teagan returned to the inn, as instructed, a hand on her stomach. It was earlier in the day than it had been yesterday. Once again, she looked to the innkeeper as she arrived.

"Still no change," he said, sighing sadly.

She nodded. "Thanks for checking."

She walked to his room once again, stopping at the small bookcase to grab something to read before settling into the armchair beside his bed. She opened the book she had taken out, a book of poetry, and attempted to read for a bit.

Teagan let her eyes look at each word carefully, trying to give her full attention to them but found herself several pages in, unable to recall any of what she'd just read. Frustrated, she threw the book the the small table beside her and put her head in her hands. I can't fucking focus. I'm far too distracted. Looking up slightly, her gaze lingered on Grøh. Teagan let out a sigh and leaned back in her seat.

"I wish you'd wake up," she said. She knew he probably couldn't hear her but right now, that didn't matter. "I want to know you're okay. That you're you again. I want to tell Dion I saved you like I promised I would. I want to tell you what's happened, that you don't need to let Azwel dictate your life anymore. And neither do I."

Grøh didn't move at all. He was still asleep.

"I just... want things to get moving again," Teagan mumbled. "But you matter too much to me, Grøh… I can't just leave you."

She grasped his hand and pressed a small kiss to it.

"So for now, I'm going to stay here, with you," she said. "Because right now, you’re the only thing that matters."

-

Rays of sun could be seen coming through the curtains when Grøh finally opened his eyes. His whole body ached, making moving feel difficult. He thought to try and get out of bed, make sense of his surroundings, find out where he was as a small bout of panic began to bubble in the back of his mind. But then he turned his head to the side and saw Teagan, fast asleep in an armchair beside him and he suddenly felt at ease. 

He decided to stay put. If she was there, resting so peacefully, then they must've been okay. Whatever questions he had - where they were, what had happened since the battle in Athens - they could wait until she woke up. For now, he decided to enjoy what little peace they've somehow managed to find.