KILL THIS DESTINY.

❛ IT WAS COMING, HE KNEW, HIS FATE. THE WORLD SUBMITTING TO ITS TRANSFORMATION. HE MADE HIS MOVE: IT WOULD COME. WHAT WOULD COME.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤ 𝟎𝟎𝟏.ㅤ musesㅤ 𝟎𝟎𝟐.ㅤ memesㅤ 𝟎𝟎𝟑.ㅤ rules

although ... there was one problem: it looked like there was only one motorbike for use &. it was the one that @fortuniis had ridden in on. aalto stares at the motorbike for a long second, jaw clenched tightly, before turning to the doctor, brows drawn together &. giving his best encore-style puppy-dog eyes.

❝ can i ride in my own bike, please? ❞ he tries to not let desperation bleed into his query, like he was a step away from kneeling &. clutching luuk's legs to show how badly he wanted to ride a motorbike.

aalto had his pride as a blackshores consultant &. a man, dammit! no way he was going to sit at the back of a bike, arms wrapped around someone as they drive him to places, if anything, it should be the other way around!

@fortuniis ╱ birthday ask!

planning for this special day had been difficult what exactly can you do for a man that can have it all ? at the snap of fingers, he can do anything, be anything, see anything, have anything ⸻ or so he understands it. not that everything they do has been sullied by such gratification. they still go out for dates, talk walks, drives, and do anything like normal people would. and he's grateful, so grateful that he's been able to win the heart of an ordinary man. excusing himself for the bathroom in the dead of night, he pulled himself away from the clutches of his top hero turned cuddle bug. such sad and pitiful whines come from the bed, a man probably still well wrapped up in slumber's embrace, at the very least. with iridescent flashes, he started to work in the living room, eager to set up a happy birthday banner, some streamers, and balloons. some flair was created by him, other things merely needed tools to help him fasten them into place. the things any mundane birthday would at home. this of course would not be the only gift to his boyfriend this day but waking up to this should be nice enough ! the real gift, wrapped in a box waiting atop the kitchen counter contains a little bunny sculpture. not made by a trust value given ability, but rather his own hands. all the imperfections were purposely left, small divots in the hardened clay meant to mimic aspects of x. he loves him too much not to think about him in everything. ❝ mmm, babe … you can't leave the bed without me, ❞ he murmurs, pressing sloppy kisses to x's face. he misses lips but then finds them in the sluggish start. ❝ we can start celebrating your birthday in here, y'know ? hehe ~ ❞

X DOES NOT STIR WHEN NINE LEAVES THE BED, too wrapped up in their blankets &. warmth. although, he does instinctively whine when his boyfriend wriggles out of his embrace, soothed when the paragon of heroism feels his other half return to the circle of his arms.

the next time x wakes, it's from the tickle of kisses upon his face, sluggish &. sloppy, missing its mark until the end. with monumental effort, he opens his eyes to a half-lid, blinking slowly at nine - attempting to boot his brain up enough to reciprocate properly.

when the nameless hero laughs, it's rough &. husky from sleep. ❝ it's not like i got anywhere to be ... ❞ x trails off, murmuring upon nine's skin, ❝ honestly, i forgot it was my birthday. just felt like another day. ❞

he gives a loud yawn, stretching like a cat before cuddling closer to nine, limbs tangled together until they were like one being. by now, x is far more away, smiling a little wickedly, as his lips brush over nine's sharp jawline - pressing against nine's lips &. nipping his bottom lip with a growl.

with a shift, x straddles nine's hips, pressing their lips once more, attempting to coax his boyfriend to place - fiddling with the buttons of his nightshirt, leaving it gaping open for nine's viewing pleasure. he rolls their hips together, reminiscent of that fateful night at the warehouse, but far more cognizant, far more practiced.

easthies' reasoning for why they become a knight is so interesting to me because it absolutely highlights luluci's assessment when eas went on their rampage in the previous chapter.

there is a fear in easthies that comes from allowing any deviation from the pact, that NO exception may be made because once they allow for an exception, then that would snowball into allowing for more exceptions and then boom, anarchy / wanton destruction just like the pre - pact ways.

and it does make me wonder as to what event they've experienced that caused for such overt adherence to the principles to the point where easthies was willing to attack their captain, other witches, even other knights.

furthermore, the final statement they say to utowin: "that is my duty, now and forever... there is no alternative." is so indicative that they're willing to die to uphold the principles.

WHICH leads me towards another thing that caught my attention, and that's the lack of importance that eas regards personal needs such as sleep, food, personal appearance, etc.

there are probably more examples of this, but it's evident enough that easthies neglects their personal health in favour of work to the point where their squad is aware of their terrible habits and does attempt to curtail it.

but that does lend a lot of insight as to how easthies regards themself in terms of personhood. to them, the duties of a knight, being a knight, supersedes everything else, and as long as they're still alive and still able to commit to their responsibilities, who cares if they just eat rations, barely sleep, barely care for themselves.