#litpyres

@litpyres

Zarina scoffed dramatically at the words used by her beloved.

"A friend? Is that really all you can call us?"

The Phoenix, the Azure Empyrea, the signet of Vicissitude, the teacher, the survivor, the Beloved. Fu Hua was called by many titles, but in the eyes of ichor she was the fire, the light, the Sun. She could be the bright side of the Moon shining down, she could be anything and Sokolova would accept it if Hua enjoyed being compared to any poetic expressions Zarina loved to bring up. It seemed people from the northern land had a poetic tongue; both Elysia and Zarina were always ones to not shy away from poetry when it came to expressing their attraction to those they adore. Well, Zarina hoped she was more restrained compared to the pink-haired leader. 

Not that she expected Fu Hua to remember her... the hope of the previous era, the very one who brought them all together and who gave others a reason to smile. However, Zarina was glad. She was glad that despite the memories being erased, they were still here. Fifty thousand years passed, and their bond would be reinforced over and over and over again. Golden gaze softened at the sight of Fu Hua's eyes on her, finding herself melting beneath that light. She loved her; she loved her far and beyond. If she asked to bring her the stars, Zarina would do her best to do it. Hyperion existed, and technology existed. Give her time, and she'll bring a star to the one she loved so much, for thousands of years. 

"I thought we were soulmates by choice," she continues, bringing in the faux pout as she crosses her hands loosely under her chest. It's an act, especially seeing as she strides closer to the other. Hua is beautiful, always. Power surges within her and she stands tall and proud after years of fighting. They both bear scars, but they handle them with pride and stubbornness that only they - the Pioneers - can do. The Phoenix can see the way Zarina's corners of her lips twitch as she tries to hold back a smile as she bumps into her akin to a cat. Don't they say a cat bumping into you is a sign of affection? It seems that Zarina wants to adopt that love language just for a second. "I thought I was your wife, bound to you by fifty thousand years of pining and battles that we went through."

She continued to speak, and now her smile was unhidden as she would bring out the teasing tone into her spoken declarations. Dramatic much, wasn't she? Then again, they both deserved rest. They both deserved to laugh and tease and be happy. Fu Hua would know Zarina knew what she meant; there was no doubt. Perception and observation were her strongest skills; such wording wouldn't fool her. But on this morning, she felt just a bit mischievous as the light would shine in their apartment and in their kitchen. 

"You are the light that brings me back home, the star to show me a way back no matter where I am," Zarina's voice changes then, adopting a softer and more tender note. There is tenderness in her expression as she looks at her beloved. Those eyes of blue are too beautiful to look away from and the way daylight reflections in them only adds such vibrancy. It's even harder to hold back from kissing her. With that desire in mind, she bends down just a bit with an inquiry on the tip of her tongue: "Can I kiss you, Hua?" 

PROMPTS FROM HITMAN: WORLD OF ASSASSINATION. | @litpyres

PERHAPS SHE'S CORRECT. as much as he would like to be able to pride himself on his ability to create a safe, free world for belobog's people, his worldview itself had been called into question following ( or perhaps, during ) his journey to the underworld. if the cost of closing off passage between their worlds & recalling the silvermane guards had been this clear, would he have questioned his orders sooner ? the thought alone does naught to ease the twinge of guilt in his chest, ever-present when he walks these streets. he cannot fault the underworld's people for any resentment they may bear against him. he only hopes that with time he can prove himself an ally to them, and make up for some semblance of what they have endured.

his brows furrow into a contemplative scowl, armored fingers curling at his jaw. it's true that he has spent much time reflecting upon ' what if's ' ⸻ and that time could be spent in the present. already the people of both worlds are beginning to converge; something that, not so long ago, he could hardly imagine happening within his lifetime. truly, this unified world that the new supreme guardian hopes to see bloom is one ripe with possibility. he nods to himself, subtly.

❝ ... forgive me. your words reminded me of someone i admire.  ❞ she, too, would not allow regulation & orderliness to command her sense of justice and her drive for good. some part of him envies her greatly for such a thing. quietly clearing his throat, gepard allows his arm to settle back at his side and turns his attention back to the doctor. ❝ the people of the underworld hold you in their highest regard. your attitude towards the world that we live in is one that inspires hope when people perhaps feel void of it.  ❞ when they need it most.

PROMPTS FROM HITMAN: WORLD OF ASSASSINATION. | @litpyres

DEFINES HIM / SEPARATES THEM ⸻ though dan heng lives with the consequence of his past nestled in the back of his skull, it is something that he has otherwise been capable of outrunning. ( ... that is, up until now. ) a ghost that haunts his skeleton & makes him feel in a body not his own, the feeling of this new old body both freeing and constraining in comparison. a shackle to that old self, and the sins he committed. all this time running, and those long years ebb away so that only yesterday remains when the stellaron hunter stands before him. those nights full of monsters where he'd wake with a silent scream in a cold sweat had foretold of their meeting, but could not have prepared him for this ...

this suffocating, inexplicable pain; one he cannot find the words to explain. like his life is a jigsaw puzzle and the core piece missing. one that, should he find it, the picture of his memory would begin to fall into place little by little. he still feels the ghost sensation of the blade piercing his chest; of the moment his prospects for the future begun to shed away, revealing the visceral truth he had so desperately tried to outrun. all that ties him to this place / to that person he deems someone other than himself / to that 'sin' and to the man who would see countless ships and their innocents demolished to exact his vengeance... and for what ? this fervor is unlike that of the people that exiled him.

it is something far more ravenous. he cannot begin to understand it.

❝ ... i don't doubt you. i only fail to understand the breadth of what you speak.  ❞ what it is that drives him, and why it is so hyperfocused on enacting vengeance against him ⸻ or, rather, that person. dan heng maintains distance as best he can, lips pressed into a firm line & destruction searing his fingertips lest he need retaliate. it is an unwelcome familiarity that flows through him. almost so much so as the presence of the person before him. an itch that can't be scratched, persisting in the deepest depths of his soul. he wrestles between desire for clarity and ignorance, wishing to run but knowing better than to turn his back.

❝ whoever you seek... is gone. you can decide what defines you; something other than vengeance. ❞

perhaps it's hopeful of him ( ... or perhaps, only foolish ) to try reasoning with one who wishes him a fate worse than death. one who seems to know facets of himself that even he would see erased from his memory. he steps back with a slow delicacy he hopes unobservable, the sound of waves doing naught to ease his turbulent mind. that fate would guide him here is a cruel reminder of the inevitability of this moment. was exile truly not sufficient enough a price to pay ?

he would be lying to claim he knew the answer.

@litpyres

come back of zarina's atrocious drawing skills 2k23. ( 10/10 )

@litpyres

The voices of the dead linger; they float around and yearn to be heard. Are these cries for the living or for those who regretted something upon of their miserable existence? Now, they were free. They were free of this torment, this cruelty, this world. Why did she not hear the voices of her family when they passed? Did the depart before she awakened? It must've been it. It must've been. Her prayers were never heard, but she would hear these prayers in the hope of witnessing a death so magnificent it will not leave her so unsatisfied. That's why the stubborn heart remains, never-changing and not willing to change.

The Romanesque Hall suddenly becomes much louder. The woman who returns is one of color and brightness, a survival who did not let death embrace her. She is a soul that lives brightly without any regrets, following the path ahead with energy and regretless endeavor. What a beautiful life she lives. Maybe, Bai Yi will be the person who will bring her a beautiful death. A death that wasn't all cries for help, pain, and suffocation. Will there be death where she will hear something else? Something different? Something new? How morbid Oak Casket's words are whenever she speaks of her interests, her work, and her presence. She is the informant, she is the one who becomes the hidden trove of knowledge, she is the guide to the afterlife in Syndicate.

The opposite of the one brimming with life, Oak muses softly. Abyssal whispers were not disturbing their conversation as Bai Yi's voice and presence were far greater than those of the deceased. The Romanesque Hall is so loud, louder than it even when Dudu comes over to play her instrument. K.K. and Che did not come down here, it was too dark and too cold, but it seemed like the Whitestone Industries' boss was far more intrigued and excited to come here. How interesting.

Oak Casket nods at her words, letting the fellow Sinner speak her mind. Her laid-back and almost lazy nature seems to be the reason why so many avoid this place. Does she attract only such brightly colored individuals like Dudu and Bai Yi? It's a good change of scenery. It makes the silence more bearable.

"You are a welcome yet rare company, Bai Yi," she begins, continuing the stroll with the other. Her steps are slow, calm, with the intention of reaching a destination. Her hands remain locked together and resting on her stomach with her posture straight. "You and Dudu are the only ones who enjoy this humble company of mine. Must it be because you two share such brightness within you?"

Dudu would always smile in her company, such a treasured person with her songs and her bright smile. Bai Yi gives her the same sensation: of warmth, of mystery, of survival, of life. As death is salvation, for them, living is what matters the most. Someday, she wishes to prepare a place for Bai Yi's afterlife as well. A casket, an urn, anything.

@litpyres

“It’s better this way,” Zarina nods at Idia’s words, hands loosely crossed under her chest as she looks him over. Such behavior is something she would not engage in, knowing that she did not have the luxury to really play games and be sitting inside her room like Shroud, but she knew he was a gifted individual. Anyone who has talent will be weird in some way or another. “I prefer people who speak their mind, actually.”

She smiles brightly, almost beaming at Shroud. It’s natural that he would be uncomfortable in the presence of those like her, judging by how he was acting around more extroverted people. It speaks for his life preferences as well, studying him was not that hard whenever she saw how sometimes he would speak through an electronical device instead of facing another. In her eyes, as someone who survives, it did look pathetic but she also could not judge his story without knowing it. She could judge the approach but speaking it out loud or showing it on her face? Absolutely not. 

“You can imagine how much Vil and I hear every day when it comes to sugarcoating and lies, Idia,” Zarina decides to bring it up as a realistic approach. He likes video games, correct? She voiced several characters in some games before, but she didn’t know if Idia had ever played them (he probably had). Based on that, she decided to lead the conversation towards a topic more knowledgeable and comfortable to him. It’s how she made some people comfortable speaking with her: by speaking their language. “Let’s say that if this was a video game, to get my positive relationship meter up, you need to choose responses that are more honest! To avoid a bad end, as an example.”

She hums then, tapping her cheek with her gloved index finger to think how to explain it better or how to leave it on a better note.

@litpyres

varying kisses prompt. ( accepting. )

Even if life was now more peaceful, the training and the old habits surely died hard. Though, Zarina would finally give herself a moment of rest by deciding to stay in bed for a bit longer tonight. It was a wonderful time to relax, close her eyes, and breathe out. Though, she was awakened by the movement right next to her. As a light sleeper, it was too easy to notice when her wife was leaving the bed. It immediately made her grumble, forcing her eyes to open to look at Hua getting ready for the new day. Her body positively ached after their night spent together; all bites and hickeys had already healed overnight.

Hua was far more passionate than anyone would ever think of her. Zarina couldn't help but listen to her words, her orders here and there, and sometimes wishing to remain on top to continue to worship her heavenly bird's existence, body, and soul. The way her blue eyes shined, the way her voice said her name, the way her lips were so ready to leave their traces on each part of her skin. What a pleasant memory, what a magical time, what a well-deserved reward for thousands of years of pining and waiting.

Golden eyes remained misty as sleep was still threatening to take over, but she did not tense when seeing Fu Hua getting up. In this moment, in this time, in this new life... She would not disappear. Her beloved Phoenix and her sweetest Firebird will remain by her side. Zarina pressed her lips together in a slight pout over her sweetheart having to get up so much earlier. Training of spirit and body continues; she remembered Hua dropping something along those lines during their meal. Zarina didn't really say anything against it, but maybe she should have to keep her wife in bed for a bit longer. Her eyes would close for a moment only to open when she felt Hua approach the bed again, now fully dressed, and the scent of her shampoo made Sokolova feels warm and safe.

"Are you... going out?" She croaked, immediately clearing her throat to not sound even deeper in her tonality than usual. The depth of her voice surprised even herself. Fu Hua's soft chuckle and her smile were so pretty, the silverette thought as she reached her hand to the other. Her wife took it immediately, holding it and bringing it to her lips. Zarina was mesmerized; her heart swelled at the sight of such knightly behavior from Hua. It almost made her laugh, if not for the softness of those azure eyes.

—I will be back tomorrow evening, Zarina. It's a long road.

Her voice was pleasant but golden eyes were still rolled, and an unhappy expression crossed her feminine features. Even in her sleepy state with her bed hair, there was sass in her actions. Well, not just sass, but a childish wish for Hua to stay here. Only in actions. In words, Zarina would only grumble that she understands and she'll miss her. Another kiss on her knuckles before Hua leans forward to place a kiss on Sokolova's forehead; it makes the receiver of such affection smile softly.

"Love you, Hua," she utters, booping her wife's nose with her index finger. "Maybe I should sleep through these two days..."

The look Hua gives her immediately makes Zarina add:

"I'm kidding. I'll get up in ten minutes."

" .. that obvious, huh ? " in spite of her friendly smile, there was an obvious exhaustion that rest in her voice as she places a cup of tea down before her former teacher. the orphanage's children had since been dismissed after lucas's lessons. since bourreau's death, things had felt lighter, and things had become easier in some aspects .. yet she still couldn't help but have her own reservations. there were many questions that went unanswered, and they still weighed heavily upon her mind .. however, it wasn't that which she was thinking of.

" you speak with the children with such ease .. " she leaves out the fact that she envies him for such a talent. of course, this was something that she did understand. lucas, after all, had always been good with fostering attention and interest in his students. she could count how many times he had taught her on one hand, but each had left an impression and she remembered the lessons well. she could recall them if she was so requested.