#icarus.threads

it seemed like no matter where ari went? atlas was there. at least in some capacity. his company was well-advertised and even when they worked it was brought up. and now here he was, at the interviews. not that icarus really expected him to be anywhere else...more like hoped he'd be anywhere else.

it was already shaping up to be a rough night, and if they were being honest? the last conversation the two had was still fresh in their mind. words could cut deep and atlas had a talent for making sure his cut very deep.

"don't worry. i was getting a drink and leaving, you can go back to fawning over your date in peace." they turn to the date in question, brows furrowed. "you could do so much better, by the way. you don't happen to run a business, do you?" he clicks his tongue. "might want to be careful with it around this one."

"when i chose to come here i certainly could not have predicted this outcome." arms fold across ari's chest, the fae leaning against a wall of the grand hall, staring at the ground. it wasn't too long ago that the same spot was stained in poisoned wine, a rather interesting turn of events.

"i suppose mortals know how to keep things interesting." as if being called from all corner of the continent to discuss the looming nocturnlae threat was not interesting enough - why not throw an assassination attempt into the mix? "makes you wonder why no seer foresaw such an event, doesn't it?"

it was a party. at the capitol. ari shouldn't have been surprised to see atlas there. they had certainly ran into each other at parties before tonight -- and then made every attempt to avoid each other. but what is surprising is that unmistakable red mark of a soon-to-be bruise across his chest. and while ari would love nothing more to continue their oh-so-fun 'cat and mouse if the cat and the mouse were on opposite sides of an island' game, he's -- admittedly -- a little tipsy and far too curious. which is why they slide up right next to atlas, a hand pointing to the growing mark. "red was never your color, my dear. but don't worry, it will change soon enough and you look much better in purple. now who--" the word is drawn out with a flicker of barely concealed amusement. "--did you piss off? i've been standing over here trying to figure it out but, well, the potential list is far too long."

icarus hadn't stepped foot in transvania for - well, they aren't even sure how long it has been. a century? maybe more? even with their little side business, they had little reason to visit the kingdom. hells, even now they had little reason - it was only at the request of their family that they even entertained the idea. they had started to regret it once the queen dropped presumably dead.

seeing atlas just further made them regret their choices. "...damn it..." they huff, turning as if there were a chance that atlas hadn't seen them, focusing instead on the wine in their hand - sipping it with not so much as a worry. "it's a little late for you, is it not? the sun will rise before too long. don't you have a crypt to creep back to?"

there's a slight grimace on their face as they pace throughout their manor, a hand holding their shoulder, feeling the bandages under their shirt-bandages that went down their arm, across their chest—bandages that itched and irritated with every movement. but ari kept from complaining too much—after seeing the destruction left in the wake of the rebellion? he knew things could have been much worse for him. even his home had missed the worst of it, thankfully. he just had the bad luck to have been on his way home from work when the attack happened—ari just got caught in the crossfire.

their tablet is in their hand, but they aren't working, instead firing off a message to izzy, letting him know they were okay when the knock on their door makes them pause, brows furrowed. it's late—later than he would have expected for guests. biting down on the inside of his cheek, the tablet is tucked under his arm as he moves to look through the peephole and sighing loudly. don't answer it. leave him out there just go to BED. a moment passes, another knock before ari mentally swears and opens the door—only slightly, looking atlas over for a moment before leaning against the doorframe, flinching slightly as he makes contact with the wooden frame. "...what do you want, atlas?"

well...this certainly wasn't how ari was expecting the night to go. when it came to the plans of the rebellion? ari was often left out of the loop when it came to matters he wasn't directly involved with. so when that footage flickered up on the screens? they stared at it with the same wide-eyed horror as every other capitolite. it helped his cover, he supposed. but it had him head straight for the bar as soon as he was able, trying to wipe the memory of those three victors from his mind.

or at least their deaths.

by the time he found kaleb? he was delightfully tipsy, moving to rest an arm across the other's shoulders and fully prepared to tease him for one reason or another. only to stop when he catches sight of kaleb's face. "oh...so, are we going to cut the bullshit and save you the time and effort of lying to me and saying how fine you are? or would you rather go through that song and dance and i can pretend it is working?"

"max..." ari frowns, drawing the name out as he moves to lean against a wall, looking his friend over. "i thought we had an agreement. if one of us decides to go absolutely unhinged, we tell the other so we can either talk them out of it or film it depending on the situation. don't tell me you forgot. i'm fairly certain it was your idea after i lit a certain someone's stuff on fire that one time...or two times, i forget."

their tone is light and playful, but there's genuine concern in their eyes as they look max over, and it doesn't take long for that amusement to slip away.

"do i need to take you to a medic? did the other person at least deserve it?"