#ilbound

In the end, it's never the mistakes that haunt sleepless nights that give people away. An open drawer, not paying taxes. A sliver of light underneath the doorframe. And alike, often it's luck that brings attention to those details.

Example: Izuku wasn't supposed to be in the office building at this hour. The official reason, if any of the workers is also there and gets too curious, is always the same and backed by logs: something in the server room broke, and he's here to fix it. The unofficial is more of a I can do whatever I want in my facility-signed note.

Either way, and what everyone knows for a fact, nobody handling the archive works night shifts. And so naturally, when the villain spots something as out of place as a strip of light and the door it's coming out of ajar, he investigates.

The door opens soundlessly once he pulls on the handle, the man thankful for regular maintenance that keeps the hinges oiled and in good shape. The building itself isn't old, and it would do without it, but you have to introduce good practice habits quickly—and so on. It allows Izuku a moment to take in the scene before him, even lean against the doorframe with arms crossed over his chest, before the intruder realizes she isn't alone anymore: back leaned over the desk and very much classified documents strewn all over.

One person shouldn't be a challenge, especially if—as the surroundings and circumstances suggest—they came to steal objects, not information, the man judges, and raises one hand to knock against the wall.

ft @ilbound

a mirror the little creature might have been, for impassive expression was met with impassive expression. the half-curse ( not quite half-human at such an early stage of development ) was not lacking of glee, yet that spectrum of emotions was fickle; a little thrum inside his heart he was incapable of deciphering completely. it he had a heart, did he not? more than her presence, perhaps selfishly, hearing brother prompted further stirring— further development of his emotions. family. sister. if he was brother, then she was sister, except . . he could not feel her nor could he read what was going on in her mind. chōsō had question upon question mounting in his mind, yet she was equally incapable of uncovering the newborn creature's thoughts. late? his gaze unfocused from her eyes and looked past her head to the brightly illuminated sky and the canopy of trees swaying gently with the entrance of a coo wind representative of incoming fall.

❛ no. . not late. i was walking and then, here you are and here i am. ❜

if he felt any discomfort, it was not displayed. he accepted his fate on the earth, even as ants crawled up his arm and a tiny worm began crawling along the shell of his ear. chōsō blinked slowly before refocusing his gaze on her face, though he faced difficulty actually focusing on her features due to their proximity. instead he focused on the stray hairs atop her head and how they too moved with the fall breeze.

❛ were you waiting for me? ❜

he didn't know what to say or what to do. it was easier with his other siblings; even now he heard them in his mind and could feel them floating in their depressing isolation chambers. he mirrored her actions. he mirrored her words. she was very human in that regard, and humans were. . interesting to watch from afar.

❛ . . . . are you human? ❜

the first sign of malice is the silence; the second? the missing baton.

hojo had advised against removing the muzzle, and now-- chrrk. a sickening grind, polished metal denting, giving under the brunt force of unbreakable ivories honed to bestial points; carving, digging, gnawing like the prized weapon is a simple chew-toy.

the rod heaves, spewing sparks that would deter any sane animal. but not her. no, she breathes it in, her skin soaking in the currents and expelling it a ripple-breath of electromagnetic sigh. learning, it seems, memorizing the power.

well. all in the name of science, right?

// @ilbound ( this was so funny to me, i am not sorry )

Paycheck wasn't producing any more gil yet big daddy ShinRa had the neve to produce monster after monster as if the world needed another freak show to scorch the earth. What was it that they said about lessons? People didn't make them . . people didn't learn them— something that definitely showed that Reno didn't learn any lessons of his own. He hardly played nice with the freaks in the SOLDIER program. Was he supposed to?! Whatever freak they shoved in his face now, he definitely was not going to play nice. That, of course, couldn't be the lesson. What did his attitude towards his own company and co-workers count towards the big picture? So, what could Reno learn from all of this? He needed his partner's wise words hitting his ear.

That spectacular baldy always knew the right thing to say, and had the man been around right now, he would certainly be using more than words to get a point across. Fists and those broad shoulders were needed to get between what was essentially a rabid cat and a rabid dog; Reno would take grave offense to being regarded as either. Rabid or no, animals acted on instinct. Reno was acting on pure dislike and self preservation, of course. What did they inject into these jenova-damned freaks?! Skill was skill. There was no debating it. Reno was about to show the sadist Hojo and his latest pet project what skill was all about. Skill and pizzazz and— stay fucking focused!

The Turk was basically foaming at the mouth; a sick and twisted mirror image of the sparks emanating from little miss freak. His electro magrod wasn't the grail of all weapons like Sephiroth's stick was, yet it was irksome and borderline vile how someone could so easily deflect . . rather absorb the shock of the blow and the electrical charge. Granted, Reno had not set his magrod to full voltage for fear ( of punishment ) he'd kill Hojo's newest pet, yet the voltage had been enough to knock out a person of Rude's height and weight. Shit. Fuck. He wasn't going to admit it, even to himself, that he should have listened to that shriveled sadist. Here's an idea, if something needed to be muzzled and leashed, it shouldn't fucking exist!

(  ❛  Too late to say down girl? ❜  )

The jest fell flat on lips which were stretched in a snarl. His arm jerked forward to grain control of his weapon and swing it backwards. A fleeting sense of control and power. He wanted to bash her head with it, but . . he refrained. Was he growing? Was he waiting for backup? What Reno was doing was reaching over to throw the muzzle at her damned face before jumping forward to land a kick straight at her sternum.

ㅤㅤㅤThere goes, the softening in his eyes practically glistening to life; the brilliance of such a gaze made palpable in light of Everene’s excitement. The warmth of their joy radiates through the air like a burst of starlight; it makes him want to smile too, & oh,ㅤhow the universe seems to hum around them, a sort of buzzing that he’s only now able to truly feel… A ripple of wonder stirs within Orion, one that he hasn’t feltㅤ[ or perhaps he never has felt ]ㅤin eons.ㅤElegant digits curl gently around theirs, like something to be treasured,ㅤ❛ Oh, a rare sight indeed... for a star to be seen by another so clearly…ㅤCan you really see me? I’ve never… had such an experience before… to share in the flicker & shimmer of existence. You’re, like me, aren’t you? You were born of light, of dreams woven through time & space. You understand me, ❜ㅤnotice the melodic hum of his voice; a soft thing, truly, carrying the weight of the very stars above them ( how he loves them, )

ㅤㅤㅤ[ Easy there, Prince of the Cosmos; patience is a virtue, as the saying goes, ]ㅤThe laugh that escapes him is rich & warm like honey as he bends closer, just ever so, sapphire orbs meeting theirs in a genuine smile,ㅤ❛ Best friends? Is that how that goes? ❜ㅤhe murmurs, voice an embrace,ㅤstarlight given form,ㅤ❛ I think that would be alright; the universe is vast, & yet here we are, two stars walking alongside the same shimmering thread of fate. It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to happen to me; I’ve lived a long time, you know, ❜ㅤhe winks after pretending to mull it over. Orion’s hands tenderly hold onto theirs just slightly firmer, as if hesitant to let go, his own glow faint against the light they cast,

ㅤㅤㅤFor the briefest of moments,ㅤOrion feels the weight of eternity slip away in the presence of another star…

I confess that as the final Sun of the year sets, so too do I fear that it will set on my time with this hobby ( now a malignant habit ). To you, my friend, I cannot leave in due conscience without offering a few words; spare me a moment, then. I remember our paths had crossed by sheer happenstance, and I think myself all the better since. You have given me nothing but joy; the stories we made, the once-in-awhile moments of company we shared— Either and all, they made my experience worthwhile. Thank you, my friend, thank you, from the bottom of this wither-weary heart. As the next year comes, should I not return to my lonely post, I shall still be here in spirit, pushing you on and hoping for nothing but the best in all you may do and create, for you are worthy of nothing less.

// here's a letter for you, beck! just a fun little thing i'm giving to people! feel free to do what you like with it

☆ It took me forever to get back to this. So, my apologies for taking so long on this.

Thank you so much for this. It means a lot that you have sent this to me!! I enjoy everything we have done together. From the interactions we have to the small plotting we have done. You have provided me with such joy and amazement, especially with everything we have created. You never failed to provided me with such amazing stories and HCs to see. Not only between our muses but just a general thing.

@ilbound

Do not tell me you've grown soft over the years. / cernunnos for oberon!

The dragon's hoard.

Soft is not the word he would use. Fairies were unchanging, and as the first one Oberon le Fae was a testimony to such fact. Whatever duality he holds doesn't affect his core, eternity can only be it as long as you're the one constant, after all. Centuries could pass, humanity be extinguished and come back; it was irrelevant, he lived in every second and every moment.

I ASKED AND I RECEIVED... / @ilbound

Even when their backs are turned to each other, Izuku is sure, the turn to his mouth somehow reaches its target. What's the fun without a little danger?

Dreary days come to close, and as the Sun sets on the last hours of another year-end, know that I’ve not forgotten you ( how could I ever? ). Friend, I say, brother to me in ways that have made these last most wretched months tolerable. Your presence returns a sense of comfort, a forgotten sanctity in the days that seem otherwise inconsequential; a light, yes, a nature of humor that never fails to startle me from my stupor and make me laugh, to make me feel real again. For that, I am grateful ( for you, too ). You have also helped me regain my spirit, my love for the story ( at least, helped in retaining it when I have begun to lose it entirely ). Meeting you during the summer was a wonderful memory, trust. And I know I have said this to others, but I mean it with no less sincerity: thank you, for all you have done for me, for all you have said, and for all the time you spared for us. It means more than you know, brother. And faithfully, I confess that I am nothing if not entirely indebted, that you may never rid of me.

// this is just a fun ooc bit i'm doing! feel free to do as you like with it

This is such a heartfelt thing I was reading over it so many times brother. Though of course, with my nature of humor I keep thinking. 'brother may i have oats' but I love you all the same. It was such a memory to finally meet you in person so you could put the face to the chaotic energy I exude in person and online. However, I always love talking lore with you and the love of the story because I find sometimes whenever I'm burnt out, it's reigniting the passion with someone else to keep building things to come back to, even if it's bit by bit. Most importantly, thank you for being my friend. I know we may not talk all the time due to you being in your semesters and I at my work or in the cosplay convention scene away from here. I'm glad we can just pick up where we left off and laugh like old friends again. I look forward to being your friend into 2025 and our muses develop even more so!