#wyrmblight

book starters vol. 18 — after dark ( haruki murakami )

            “ Of course I do. ” A response delivered so quickly one might wonder if she already knew what the answer was going to be. Unfortunately for Estinien, Lycelle already had a mischievous glint in her eyes the moment she searched for him today. “ Where there is knowledge, I follow – no matter how mundane it might seem. ”

J.R.R TOLKIEN QUOTES    >    @wyrmblight

“ revenge? ah, yes. how befitting a preach when it comes from such a trusted source! we need not have met for your tale to have reached my ears, former azure dragoon. but tell me, do you not see plain the irony in your words? to speak to me of revenge in such a candid manner, surely you have forgotten what it was which spurred your own murderous lance. “

a finger nestled beneath his own chin in mocking thought, as if the conversation trouble him somehow, but all illusion to his misunderstandings were broken by the smile he could not help but allow. 

“ after you have bloodied yourself with your own desperate attempts at it, i should imagine revenge a sore and troublesome topic for you. in the end you did nigh achieve your twisted dream that had burned within your heart for many years. only at the crux between your mind’s own corruption and your body’s inevitable death did you finally sway, so forgive me for not following your words as that of an oracle’s. whatever you may assume about my intentions is besides the point; your revenge was worth so little and yet you nearly perished because of it. do not attempt to speak to me as if you and i have shared some selfsame burden. what i seek is nothing like your revenge. “

          no steps had faltered in his walking, continuing on as if he were no more than a stranger. ah, he thinks, perhaps it was simply his way of avoiding the inevitable topic of their last meeting, so to speak. lips tug into a mild smirk of amusement, having thought estinien knew him well enough to know such games wouldn’t work so easily. so he is swift to follow instead, not once calling out to him as he trails along through the light crowds to see how long he might hold onto his performance. at least until several minute elapse with no signs of wavering, him waiting for a corner before coming to a definitive halt to speak at long last.

          ❝ Estinien. ❞ stated plainly, he thinks it enough to garner the attention of the elezen in question. ❝ Never took you as the type to play the fool. Come, don’t tell me you think I would be so easily dissuaded of hounding you down 'til you relented in acknowledging me. ❞ grateful as m’nhuji was for the timely rescue, surely there would be no end to his stubbornness after their time apart, let alone the stern look of almost disapproval he gives at how swiftly the dragoon left before he could awake. one which can only read the least you could’ve done was waited to say goodbye.

the key to surviving immortality, he had always said, is to never stop having fun. so yes, officer, that’s why all the booze.

while some of his compatriots used alcohol to drown their sorrows and other such drab ideas, mukuro took to the substance in its myriad forms as a scholar of having a damned good time. it was far more easily enjoyable in this lifetime than it had been in the last, firewater and cactus wine replaced with about a thousand brightly-colored fruity and sugary concoctions-- at one point, he had half-jokingly asked for something that tasted like chocolate, and been offered an entire menu!

in true spirit of.. well, himself, mukuro was coming back to his assigned home deep into the night, having just guided a very cute girl, equally-intoxicated, safely to her own lodgings. he wavered up the stairs but ultimately made it to the correct floor with no major incidents, marking the correct floor by a stair-adjacent neighbor’s potted plant that he had hit his foot on more than once. a stray thought wandered to kyouya, and how it had been a bit since he’d bothered the dreadful skylark, perhaps he should? so he could be forgiven, enrapturing as those contemplations were, for making a wrong turn.

letting himself in and humming a cheerful tune, he offered an idle wave to the other person in the living room as he moved towards the kitchen. “evening, princess! i didn’t think you’d be up so late, or i might have brought you a drink. did you know they made chocolate liquor?” a bottle of water now stolen from the fridge, he turned around and faced the definitely-not-princess-actually. “...hm. this isn’t my condo.” he stated it as if he was bored by the information; it really had no effect on him.

Normally, he would check in: Who is this? Why do I recognize him? Which one of you played with this toy in your chest? Unfortunately, that was no longer an option, or at least not easily. He could have gone home, sequestered himself in his room, and dipped in to get a name and basic description, maybe, but then, what was to say he’d find the man again? So instead he watched the new arrival from afar intently, brows furrowed, until he laid his head down to rest it on his table and he saw the man through the red filter of his drink, and his eyes widened in recognition.

Well! He had no choice but to visit now!

Finally approaching the lost-looking elf, Byakuran greeted him with a perky “You're looking so much better!” unbefitting his previous somewhat intense stare. And then, after a beat, he caught himself-- “--good! You look good! Hi, you must be new here, you look good!”

Noted; he’ll be moved!

Taken off hiatus for you!