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 Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:22 pm
:: Coming Home :: Rivener had forgotten what the new house even looked like. He’d been in the hospital an entire month, and they’d only moved to this new house about a week before the accident. He’d been pretty out of it at the time anyway, and the only thing he clearly recalled about that house was that his bedroom had a skylight. It was like he saw the place for the very first time when he stepped out of Aphismet’s car that sunny Thursday afternoon. He was finally free again, and he was finally home, and he was finally happy again. He still had to wear the splint for two months to ensure his clavicle healed properly, but that didn’t dim the smile on his face, the glow from his eyes. There was only one thing missing, and that was Zul. He wouldn’t be inside, waiting for Riv to come home… But that was just for now. Someday, Riv would live somewhere by himself, his own place, and there he would be able to ask Zul to come live with him. For now, this was going to be the Delaran home, not the Rivener home. And as much as he was going to miss Zul, Riv found he didn’t mind being stuck in a house with the other Delarans.Aphismet came around to stand next to his ward, arms heavy with Riv’s things from the hospital stay. Mostly books, flowers, and gifts, not so much clothes, but it still made for heavy baggage. The chef smiled at Riv as he shifted the weight of everything, noticing how the Scorpion seemed better than he’d been in a long time. Both physically and emotionally. ”Pretty cool house, yeah?” he prompted. It was like he KNEW Riv hadn’t really looked at it before. Without waiting for an answer, the white-haired man started up the front steps, struggling to get his keys to the doorknob. ”I can help you with that, hold on,” Rivener called as he floated to his guardian, taking the keys and trying to unlock. The knob needed to be jiggled just right, Aphismet coached, watching Rivener struggle with the locked door for a moment. Eventually the pair made their way inside, Riv snickering at how hard such an action could be when a person only had one arm to use. While Aphismet moved inside with familiarity and certainty, heading up the stairs towards Riv’s room, the Sigel just floated by the front lobby tentatively, glancing around.
It really DID feel like a stranger’s home. He hadn’t taken the pains to get to know this place before. Well, no time like the present, Riv thought to himself with a faint grin. He began his slow, appraising examination of the house to the tune of Aphismet clanking about upstairs.
The walls were old wood, like their previous house’s. It made everything feel warm and homey. Their new living room furniture looked like antiques, and it was clear no one had hired a decorator for this place: everything was placed haphazardly around the tv set, with pictures and paintings hanging wherever someone had thought it looked too bland to leave unadorned. Riv grinned. This was definitely a house full of guys. Comfortable and clean, but not very stylish.
The kitchen was done up with more care, since this was probably once again the room where Aphismet would be spending most of his time. The windows on this side of the house caught more sunlight than the large bay in the living room, and so everything looked bright and cheerful. Riv chanced a glance in the fridge, making himself at home just by doing that one simple action. He grinned. Yep, there were all their usual things, even the carton of milk clearly labelled “ISIKORO”. The Scorpion closed the door and glanced at the dining room from where he stood, finding mostly bookshelves lined with cookbooks beside a long wooden dining table that looked much fancier than their old one, though still with an antique feel. Interior designer or not, Riv had to admit that Aphi and Isi had at least stuck to a theme throughout, so far.
The downstairs examinations finished with a quick look at the small bathroom and a peek into the stairwell that led to the dirt-cellar. Riv wasn’t really interested in either of those, though perhaps Eiry had made his new home in that basement? He’d check later if he couldn’t find sign of the minty Sigel anywhere else. For now, Riv was curious to see upstairs! His own room was on the third floor, the only room up there (more of a landing than an actual room, his door consisting only of a heavy curtain at the moment), so he didn’t rightly know what the second floor looked like, apart for the bathroom he’d sometimes hide in to cry. Riv cleared his throat at the memory, face flushing in embarrassment. He didn’t like to be reminded of what a damned pansy he’d been reduced to. Hopefully he could start to recover himself a little bit now, and wouldn’t need to hide in that bathroom anymore.
As he reached the upstairs, the bathroom was in fact the first door he entered. It was always so impressive: wood panelling and tiled floors, with steps leading up into a cubby-alcove-thing where a Jacuzzi tub had been inset. The tub was an old-style yellow color, again lacking in modern style but fitting with the rest of the house. And besides, who cared what color it was? It was a Jacuzzi tub! Rivener hadn’t given it a try yet, but he suddenly couldn’t wait! Later, he promised himself. Later today he’d take a bath in there and see how relaxing it could be. Hopefully it wouldn’t hurt his recovering shoulder if he kept it out of the bubbling water. The rest of the bathroom was of no particular interest: large and accommodating, with all the usual fixings. Riv was ready to move on.
There were four bedrooms on this floor, and it was clear to see which of the Delarans had claimed (or been assigned) each room. A larger room, the Master Bedroom by the looks of that big closet and alcove window, belonged to Aphismet. It was neat and organized, with a thick blue comforter on the mattress. Pictures of Aphi and Alex together littered the night table, and a picture of Alex alone was stuck on the corner of the mirror above the dresser. Rivener vaguely wondered how things were going between the two, now that they weren’t living together anymore. Aphi didn’t seem upset or lonely, so they must be seeing one another pretty often. The Scorpion shrugged and moved to the next room.
This one, across the hall from Aphi’s, most definitely belonged to Isi. There was no mistaking the clothes left lying around the hamper. The bed was made, but in a crooked fashion: Riv could almost see Isi getting frustrated with the task and just throwing the covers on however, huffing angrily, and just leaving it like that. With a chuckle, Rivener left to go visit the next room.
This one didn’t belong to anyone, and doubled as a guest room and an office. No one here needed an office, so Riv thought it might have been Aphismet’s reflex to make up a room like this just in case Alex needed to work late. A long desk with a computer on it, a short bookshelf currently empty of anything… Alex’s absence was clearly felt here. She should have filled that bookshelf with her binders and books, she should have covered that desk with paperwork and pens. But it was empty, kept clean just in case she’d show up any minute. The bed along the other side of the wall was simple and small, only a twin-sized so that a guest might have a place to sleep. The room looked colder, less welcoming than the rest of the house. Riv was more than ready to visit another room, suppressing a sigh of sympathy for Aphi.
The last room had clearly been intended as Eiry’s. There were books everywhere, some still boxed up and some still in book-shop bags from when Aphi had purchased them. He’d tried to replace everything the water had damaged, but books were expensive and Eiry’s collection wasn’t complete yet… The bed was made and looked like it hadn’t been slept in, but there were some hints that Eiry had been here (mostly in the form of strange contraptions and half-finished prank setups disposed all around the room) so Riv figured his brother must be at least a little bit happy with the place. No attic for Eiry to haunt, though. Too bad.
Finally was upstairs on the third floor, from where Aphismet finally descended. The chef informed his charge that he’d put all his things on his bed and unpacked as much as he could. Rivener gave a smile and a nod, then watched his guardian walk to the stairs heading down. Yeah, Aphismet looked like he was alright. Surely, if he was sad or lonely, Riv would notice. Reassured, the Sigel floated up the stairs to the third floor landing.
On one side was the Library. It was half empty now, but Eiry had started lining up his precious collection here, slowly getting used to the idea of not piling the tomes up on the floor somewhere. A few low chairs had been thrown around the small area under the sloping ceiling, so someone might sit and enjoy a good read without having to move the book downstairs. Did Eiry sit there and read sometimes, Riv wondered?
On the other side of the stairs was Rivener’s room. Honestly it was just the larger half of the landing, hidden around a wooden divide. One of Riv’s old room curtains had become his new “door”, hanging over the entrance to grant him some measure of privacy. He pushed the dark wine-red fabric aside and floated in, heaving a sigh of comfort.
The third floor was built high into the roof area, so much of the ceiling sloped down at an angle. Rivener’s bed had been placed right under that slope, a large pair of windows cutting into the ceiling and currently letting in all the bright sunlight of the day, keeping the room warm. At night all the stars could be seen through the glass, calming and beautiful, and all Riv needed to do was open one of the glass panes and he could eat his fill. It was the best of both worlds, both in the day and at night, and Rivener really realized how much he adored this room, finally. His new laptop sat on his new desk on the other side of the room, waiting for his return patiently. There were no closets, so a pair of dresser-closets had been pushed into the room with great effort, lined up side-by-side on the only wall that the ceiling didn’t cut through at an angle. Another dresser, shorter than the closets, had been put on the shortest wall. It was a little cramped with all these dressers taking up space, but Riv still loved it. That window made everything worthwhile. He really couldn’t wait to show Zul this room, if the demon ever agreed to visit.
Riv’s eyes sought out his precious Flower’s roses, finding them set up in their beautiful vase on his dresser. They were long since dried, but Rivener still thought they were gorgeous. He fingered one of the brittle petals gently, a smile pulling at his lips. He was home now. He was home, and he was happy… The only thing missing was Zul. But that could be fixed!
With a wide grin, Rivener took out the cellphone from his pocket, floated to his bed, flopped down on the sunshine-drenched spot, and dialled Zul’s number. He’d spoken to him already today, but surely the demon wouldn’t mind another call. Rivener wanted to hear his voice, like he’d done every day for the past month. ”Hello, is Zul there?” Riv asked with a wide grin, letting his eyes slip closed.
Home was going to be perfect.
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Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:24 pm
:: To the One That Matters :: Rivener dialed the number he'd already memorized by heart, the number to Zul's workplace. He didn't usually bother the demon at work, but today was special! Today deserved a call! The smile on his face grew wider and wider with each ring, and he fidgeted on the bed eagerly. As soon as someone picked up he spoke. "Hello! Is Zul there?"The glass beneath his fingers had just curled to a satisfying tip when Neil poked his head in, telling him he had a call. Zul was so unaccustomed to getting calls at work - and any of it being good - that he had to stop and stare at the contraption for a few heartbeats before he reached for it. Tucking the phone between his shoulder and his long ear, he spoke clearly into the receiver, " This is Zul." Rivener felt his heart leap into his throat with happiness at just hearing Zul's voice, still elated to realize they were on speaking terms again. One month of calling Zul every day from the hospital still hadn't dimmed Rivener's boundless joy. But as usual, he did his best not to sound as enthusiastic as he felt. He came off as Casually Happy, which was fine by him. "Hi Zul! It's Riv! Sorry to bug you at work, I just wanted to let you know the good news: I'm out of the hospital! Came home today!"The sound of the Scorpion's voice completely lit his face into unreserved joy, his polite smile widening into a grin. " Rivener," he purred the name with surprise palpable in his voice, " you're home now? That's great! How do you feel? Can I see you again soon?" With Zul's excitement came the inane bubbling words that he couldn't seem to get a grip on, wanting to see the elder Raevan and hug him again - to feel him whole and uninjured. Rivener chuckled, his entire self fizzing with happiness at his Flower’s clearly heard happiness. The Sigel could almost see that smoky smile spreading, lighting up Zul’s beautiful face. “I still feel a little banged up, can’t move my arm without wincing, but it’s a lot less than it used to be! I don’t have to take the pain pills anymore, and I am out of that dreadfully boring place. It’s SO GOOD to be out and feel the sun and the wind!” There, he’d pattered about enough that he didn’t seem over-eager now that he jumped onto the topic he’d REALLY wanted to answer. “I’d love to see you, Zul! We could go on a date! …If that’s okay? I’d like to take you out on a date.” Still wounded at being told he had kept Zul like a trophy bauble, Riv made damned sure he never demanded anything anymore. He asked, and let the other decide.A soft, smoky chuckle followed Rivener's exuberance for his freedom, sky-blue eyes unfocused as he imagined the Sigel animatedly speaking, his gaze fond. " I bet the sun and wind missed you too, Rivener," the demon smiled a little. " It doesn't shine so bright when you're away." At the agreement and proposal of a date, Zul extended his wings in his own brand of an excited motion, the rings against the bone tinkling in the background. " I would like that very much. We still need our vacation too." Flattery… Rivener flushed darkly at the praise, butterflies fluttering against his ribs. Zul could be so eloquent… The Vacation! He’d completely forgotten about that! Rivener gasped and held his breath, eyes widening in shame. HOW could he have forgotten!? A whole week of him and Zul, alone, comfortable, needing to share each other with no one else… The Scorpion let out a shaky, dreamy sigh. “Yeah, we definitely have to take that Vacation sometime soon. As soon as my arm’s healed, if that’s alright with you?” Again, asking instead of demanding. He’d been good so far since their reconciliation. ”But we can still go on a date, of course! What would you like to do? I’m up for ANYthing, as long as it gets me out and about.” The light intake of breath was not missed, a sort of silent amusement twisting his lips at the sweet sigh that followed. His Scorpion could be such a romantic! " Sounds perfect," Zul affirmed with another soft sound of mirth. But a date? Where could they go for a date...? " It may start to be cold out," he ventured to say, turning over possibilities in his mind, " so something indoors or busy...like a festival." The demon paused in thought before adding with a gentle honesty, " I'd be happy to sit on a couch with you and watch movies, my Rivener. Whatever you want to do. I want to celebrate your health." Rivener swooned. Sounds perfect, Zul said. The Scorpion was damned glad he wasn’t face-to-face with his beloved Flower right now, because there was no way he could have hidden the dumb, smitten smile that pulled his face up. Riv forced himself to pay attention, clearing his throat ever so slightly as he composed himself. ”Uh, hm. Cold, yeah, that kind of sucks for me.” He never liked winter, but as long as he wore a heavy coat and had Zul’s constant heat supply beside him, he’d be fine. Still, movies sounded nice too… Again Riv’s dumb-smitten smile appeared at the demon’s words. ”H-how about we do a bit of both? See a movie, but go somewhere indoors and busy? We could go see something in the movie theatre!” He’d recovered quickly enough from the swooning, if he said so himself.Another light chuckle followed the words, folding his arms against the counter the phone was perched upon and leaning against it lazily. " That would be very nice," Zul practically purred, sky-blue eyes lidding, " and we could almost make a day of it, hm? Just you and me, sharing time and warmth." The words were light and almost had a sultry edge, the Frei teasing his Sigel counterpart though he had every intention of holding true to his playful suggestion. Oh jeez, Rivener realized he was turning into a sissy girl. Why else would his stomach explode with fluttering the instant Zul ever used that voice?! Blushing up to his long, pointed ears and frowning at his girlish reactions (telling himself harshly to man the ******** up while he was at it), Riv cleared his throat and tried not to sound so bowled over with complete and utter adoration. He pretty much failed. ”That sounds-… a-amazing. I mean, it’d be cool, I guess. Fun. Would be nice. So, uhm, when are you available? And do you care what movie we watch?” For some reason, Riv got the impression Zul was going to whip out something incredibly flattering and butterfly-releasing again, something about only wanting to spend time with his Rivener…Rivener was getting rather adept at judging the demon's antics. " Whatever you want," he murmurs in a low, content tone of voice, " because my attention is likely to not be on the movie." Zul grinned then, a flash of teeth with a devious glint in his normally happy-go-lucky eyes, painting him as the darker creature of old that composed him. " I want to celebrate you, my Rivener. As long as I'm with you, what we do is second." It seemed that silver tongue his ex-tutor had been so worried about was beginning to take a rather solid hold on Zul, something he was eager to exploit. Rivener grinned in a knowing way, trying to hide his blushing and flattered awe under a veneer of smugness. He knew Zul would say that! Or something like it… Since when had Zul been so-… so smooth? Riv’s spine nearly turned to jelly as his mind hurried to populate with images that were wholly inappropriate, all fueled by the sultry smoke in that voice. ”…Silver-tongued Devil,” Riv accused playfully, chuckling. ”I can’t wait to see you, then. I miss your attention on me already. So when can we have our date?” Dark wings rustled with enthusiasm.Smoky laughter chased Rivener's accusation, as it wasn't the first time he'd been called that - nor would it be the last, he hoped! " Whenever you want. Neil thinks I should get out more anyway - he wouldn't mind giving me time off whenever you feel up for it." Pausing, Zul pushed himself off of the counter and peered around the door frame of the room he was in, eyes resting on the baffled looking Irishman in question. " Right?" Satisfied by the equally stupefied nod, he floated back into his little workroom, wings flexing behind himself again. " I look forward to seeing you too, my Rivener," he adds in a softer tone. Rivener preened, happy to hear that he wouldn’t need to wait long for their date. The coming weekend, maybe! He chuckled as Zul apparently checked in with his boss right then and there, getting the permission he needed. ”Then this Saturday, yeah? Can you meet me at the Lab’s front doors at 9am? That way we can have all day together, like you said.” He didn’t want Zul coming to the house to pick him up, because then Stars knew Rivener would never leave, he’d just pull Zul inside and they’d stay there all day. While that sounded nice, he still truly wanted to get out and see the world again after being cooped up so long. ”Is that okay?”Zul was grateful that Rivener didn't ask him to meet the Sigel at the new house. The less chances for him to run into Aphismet, especially on a day that was supposed to be for the Scorpion and himself, the better. " Saturday," he confirmed with a warm expression, " nine at the Lab. I'll be there." Rivener grinned and blushed again, keeping his voice carefully controlled so it wouldn’t betray how completely happy he was. His entire body tingled with the force of the butterflies in his stomach now. ”Alright. See you Saturday, then, my Flower. …Bye!” Reluctantly, he waited a moment and then hung up, clutching the phone to his chest and letting his eyes slip closed in bliss.
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Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:40 pm
[[prp=monster masquerade ball]]
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Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 3:29 pm
Rivener’s Diary It’s been a month since I’ve left the hospital. Just one more month to go with this damned splint, then I’ll be really free! Already I feel better though, it doesn’t hurt as much to tug on the shoulder, and getting dressed is easier now that I can move a little bit more. I have to be careful not to overstress the injury, but the doc said it was alright for me to move a bit. I haven’t yet gone back to work… And I haven’t yet decided if I’m really going to quit. Aphismet was so adamant about me quitting, and I don’t remember if I promised I would or not… But you don’t just up and quit the job. Felix wouldn’t stand for it. I’m pretty sure things would get a little, ah, screwy if I tried to leave. But if Aphismet checks up on me (and I dare say he might, he’s been awfully nosy lately), I can’t have him finding me working for the gang still. I’m kind of dreading finding out what Felix will say. Maybe I can ask him to re-assign me somewhere less obviously linked with him? Like a cover job! I could be a bouncer for one of the clubs or something, I’m sure that’d be less dangerous, and less likely to tip Aphismet off. And from time to time if I were to leave the club and escort Felix somewhere important, no one would notice, right? At least the chances of Aphi finding out would be slimmer. Not nil, damn it, but slimmer. And that’s something else. Lately, Aphismet’s been all over us. Eiry’s been hiding well enough, but Isi and myself are both getting pretty annoyed. Whenever he’s not at work, Aph just badgers us and hangs around, won’t leave us alone… I had to sit him down and state very clearly that he was NOT allowed on the top floor anymore, otherwise he’d just hover beyond my bead-curtain door and wait for me to so much as cough. Then he’d pop his head in and ask if I needed anything. It’s kind of pathetic really. …Actually, I feel bad saying that. He told me Alex and Zul weren’t going to be moving back in with us, of course, but I saw. It’d take a blind man not to see the pain when he said her name. They must have broken up, though I can’t figure out why. Just because of the living arrangements? At any rate, it’s because of the breakup that Aphi’s been like a runaway train without the rails. He’s just speeding everywhere and struggling to keep himself busy so he doesn’t have to focus on himself, and for some reason that means smothering Isi and me with his constant attention. I suppose I can admit that secretly, I’m enjoying it a little bit. Just a little!!! I mean, usually he doesn’t pay me much mind at all, just lets me handle my own things unless something bad happens. But now it feels like he’s actually seeing me. If only it wasn’t ALL the damned time, I might have been more thankful. Zul and I have been talking more than ever. I call him every day (or nearly every day, I skip a few sometimes so I don’t seem so needy and stuff) , and we chat about how his work went, about how I’m healing, about what we did during the day… I went on a few dates with him, too! We saw a couple movies, went for strolls, he came and visited my new room while everyone else was away. I went to his new place too, it’s nice! It kind of feels like we’re starting over from scratch. I mean, he still hugs me and isn’t shy about touching, but that’s just how Zul is, you know? I find myself much more aware of how far I take things. I’ve dared to kiss him a few times… REAL kisses, not the passing pecks Zul so easily gives me. Those are fair game. But REAL kisses… The ones that make my skin warm up, my spine shiver… After our stroll one night, he was warming me because I’d forgotten to wear a coat and it suddenly got pretty cold, and we kissed. It felt like time stopped. Like there was just me and him. And after we pulled away from one another, colors were brighter. I felt like I was floating. …I know I usually AM floating, but I FELT floaty. It’s different. Taking things slower like this is nice. I mean, I actually get to see him more than I used to when he lived with me. I talk to him more. I kiss him more, touch him more. I still call him my Flower when we’re alone, and he doesn’t seem to mind… Seems like he really forgave me for that time at the beach. Though I’m not sure the problem’s resolved, it’s at least better now between us. I think. Maybe one day this will all come up and bite me again, but until then I just want to be happy with him. That’s about all. I’ve been spending a little bit on gifts for Christmas already, but I’m trying to keep my money saved. When my arm’s better, Zul and I are going to go on a vacation. I’ve bookmarked a few places that sounded nice already, I’ll run them by him when the time comes. It’s good to have something to look forward to. It’s good to not feel like every breath is torture anymore. I’m finally, really, wholly alright again. I’m Rivener again.
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:23 am
:: Rivener's Christmas List :: Christmas. A time for giving. Rivener made a list of the people he knew best, the ones he thought would like a gift, and he'd gone out shopping. Braving a relentless crowd of shoppers with one arm in a splint was no easy feat, but Riv prevailed! For his brother Eiry, Rivener purchased an old Victrola and a few vinyl records, classical music that would go well with all the reading the minty Sigel often indulged in. For Vyn, his closest "kin", he bought a gift certificate for an online music store. Vyn should be able to pick and choose whatever music she wanted for her MP3 player. For Anastacia, Rivener's next-closest "kin", Rivener bought a spider-web patterned pendant. Even still, he's not sure if anything he chose would please the reserved Spider Queen. For Sevilin, a blue lava lamp. It was playful, edgy, and water-themed. The kind of silly thing Riv was sure Sev would enjoy! For Iorek, who Rivener hadn't seen in a long time, the Scorpion bought a small, simple trinket: a badge labeled "SUPERHERO". If the old adage "it's the thought that counts" held true, Iorek would know Rivener really believed his rocky friend would one day achieve the hero status he trained towards. For Melisande, a delicate black-and-white lace choker. It seemed appropriate for her. For Lucia, hoping it would help seal the rift between them that Riv himself still couldn't quite forget about, he bought a stylish leather hat. She said she still enjoyed leather and fashion, so he hoped she would enjoy this. For Cordelia, who by now must be miserable from the cold, Riv bought a "slytherin" colored scarf, whatever that was. It sounded snakey, it was in shades of gray and green... All things Dells liked! For Lazarus, Rivener bought a lovely silver set of drink shakers. Laz admitted an interest in drink mixing, so Riv wanted to encourage that. For Xiu, a fake chinese sword and its beautiful wooden stand. The sword was just gravy as far as he was concerned; he was only interested in the stand so Xiu would have somewhere to put his own REAL sword. For Lulu, a pretty glass-beaded tiara. A princess can never have too many tiaras, right? For Ripley, a static globe. Riv wasn't sure it would be an effective snack source for the Egyptian, but it was a good try, right? More dignified than sticking fingers into outlets or eating batteries. And finally, most importantly, for Zul... A single flower, though it was the message accompanying the flower that was the real gift. The contents would remain their little secret, but Rivener's lips hardly ever lost their smile throughout the holidays thanks to it.
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:24 am
:: Christmas, One Day Late :: Rivener must have misunderstood something. There's no way Aphismet would have forgotten about him on Christmas, right? Especially not with the way the chef had been lately, nearly smothering the Delaran family with his care and attention... And yet here Riv was, mid-afternoon on Boxing day, sitting in his room without a single gift from Aphi.
Christmas day had come and gone, and the family had acted as usual: Eiry sang Christmas Carols almost obsessively as far as Riv was concerned, Isikoro was grumpy and baking up a storm, Aphismet milled around the kitchen preparing turkey for... well, for pretty much every single person he knew. Rivener, as usual, plopped himself in front of the TV and just tried to stay out of everyone's way.
After dinner, they'd all gathered by the Christmas tree and doled out presents. Aphismet seemed pleased with the submersion-blender Riv got him, Isi liked the horror movie compilation DVDs, Eiry seemed to like his Victrola well enough. Riv's own presents from Eiry and Isi were wonderful, and he'd thanked them profusely. They'd continued on unwrapping things that came from other people, finding a few birds flitting about in boxes from the Lab... And then a few hours later as they sat on the sofa enjoying hot cocoa and watching a movie from Isi's collection, Rivener realized.
He hadn't gotten anything at all from Aphi.
Maybe it was just a mistake. He'd kept quiet about it, figuring later on in the evening Aphismet would show up and look sheepish, offer a wrapped package and say something like I'm sorry, I totally forgot where this had gone! Merry Christmas, Riv! But they'd all gone to bed without a word from the chef. The next morning Riv still waited, thinking it must be something Aphi had said he'd give him later, maybe?-... though he didn't recall hearing anything like that. When lunch time came and went, Rivener began to worry that he'd really been forgotten. He clung desperately to the mantra that there must be some mistake, he must have misunderstood. Aphi wouldn't forget him on Christmas, would he? Of course not. This was just... just a little mistake. The Sigel bit a thumb as he sat on his bed, worrying, wondering."Rivener?" It was ridiculous how fast Riv perked up at his guardian's voice calling from downstairs. "Yeah?" he answered back quickly, wincing at how hopeful and bright that had sounded. He didn't like seeming needy, and it happened way too often for his liking lately."C'mon, we're going for a drive!"This is it, this has to be it, Riv thought as he jumped off the bed and all but zoomed downstairs, meeting Aphi at the door and yanking his coat on as fast as he could manage with one arm. He dove into Aphi's car and buckled in. The white-haired chef laughed as he got into the driver's side. "Well, aren't you eager?""Meh," Riv answered with a forced shrug, unable to hide the flash of interested light from his eyes. "Where are we going, anyway?""You'll see when we get there."Oh this is definitely it!~~~ As it turned out, this was not quite it. The car pulled into the familiar setting of the Durem Hospital, and Rivener grimaced. "We're at the Hospital," he pointed out none too helpfully, glaring at the building. "The Doctor said you needed to come back for a check-up, remember?""Yurgh." Riv huffed. Last time, on the 15th of December, he'd expected the splint to come off... only for the Doctor to say that After looking at the X-Rays, it would be best if the splint stayed on a tiny bit longer. That was only ten days ago. Surely nothing had changed since, and Riv didn't really feel like being told he had to keep this damned thing another while. "Can't we reschedule to another day or something? It's Boxing Day, should this place even be open?""Oh, don't be like that!" Aphismet smiled encouragingly, patting the Scorpion's shoulder before he exited the car, waiting patiently for Riv to follow. The Sigel huffed again, rolling his eyes, but he still languidly unbuckled and got out of the car.
The Hospital was as busy as it always was, and the two Delaran men had to wait roughly an hour before the Doctor called them in. Riv sat across from the middle-aged man, letting him poke and prod and guide Riv into the room to take x-rays... The whole check-up took roughly an hour, time Riv felt he'd wasted. He always just sat there while other people worked machines or wrote things down... Obnoxiously boring. By the time they were once again sitting in the Doc's office, Riv frowned in annoyance. Aphismet tried to keep a smile on his face, but in all honesty the white-haired man's presence wasn't much of a comfort now. After all, he'd forgotten Riv on Christmas. The Scorpion wasn't keen on having the man around anymore today."Well, X-Rays are done," the Doctor announced as he looked up from his computer screen, a broad grin on his face. "Seems the last of the bone's bruising has cleared up! I think it's time to take off the splint." "What." He couldn't believe his ears. Had he just heard right? "T-take off-... I don't have to wear this stupid thing anymore?""Nope, you're all healed, my boy. Ah, ah, hold on, don't rush! Let me help you with that-..." The two humans had to physically restrain the elated Scorpion before he ripped the splint off himself. He fidgeted and squirmed in the seat as the doctor unlatched the thing properly, Aphismet's hand on his shoulder keeping Riv still enough considering. The moment that splint was off, Riv stood and stretched out his arm carefully, as far as it could go. "You'll have to undergo a bit of physical conditioning to get your arm back up to the strength it had before, but it's stuff you could do from home after a brief meeting with out resident expert. Be sure to exercise it a few times a day every day, and don't try to overdo things too quickly." "Riv, stop that!" Aphismet had to smack Riv's shoulder as the Scorpion already disobeyed the doctor's orders, trying to lift the chair with his bad arm only. Grinning, Riv turned flashing red eyes to the Doc. "Thanks! Thank you so much! This is the best Christmas gift ever!"
With a laugh, the doc waved them out of the office, handing Aphi a paper detailing their appointment with the physical conditioning coach, later that week. Rivener floated out through the Hospital grinning smugly, holding himself with the pride and self-assurance he hadn't felt in a LONG time. Now when people looked at him, he knew it wasn't because they wondered what happened to his arm; it was because people were interested by his looks or his lack of legs. Probably both. A surge of arrogance returned where it had been nearly drained dry before.
When they pulled out of the Hospital, Aphismet turned his car to the left instead of the right, heading the other way from home. Rivener frowned. "What are you doing? Where're we going?""...You thought I forgot your Christmas gift, didn't you," the chef said, smiling wryly. He didn't need to glance over: he probably knew the look Rivener wore. Surprise at being predicted so accurately, shame at believing something so unkind was even in Aphi's being. "...I thought you had stuff on your mind and forgot. Or maybe you were mad at me still, for getting shot in the first place.""That's long past, I'm not mad. Unless you're still working for them..." The dark brown eyes looked unusually shrewd as they flicked over, demanding the truth from Rivener. He shrugged. "I'm not working for anyone at all, now."A short moment of silence as Aphismet seemed to consider if he wanted to get into an argument about this today... Eventually he just sighed and dropped it. For now. "Well, at any rate, I didn't forget you. I was waiting until Boxing day. Your doctor told me last time that he was almost certain the splint could come off today... And since it's going to be sales everywhere, I figured you'd get a whole lot more out of your gift today."Rivener tentatively brightened, sitting up straighter in his chair. "...What did you get me, exaclty?""I'm going to give you a five hundred dollar shopping spree. Ack, not so loud- Hey, I'm driving!!!" He shoved at the Sigel trying to hug him sideways, whooping with glee in the car and being a dangerous distraction. Riv could see Aphi trying not to chuckle, and the Scorpion had half a mind to keep trying to hug his guardian just to make him laugh, but the car in the next lane honked at them when they swerved too close. That served to sober up the pair quick enough, though both grinned as they settled into their seats properly, Aphi offering an apologetic wave out the window. "...So just tell me which shops you want to go to, and I'll be your chauffeur. Where to, lord Rivener?" Already Rivener was planning his attack. He'd be going to make up for all the time he'd missed while in that splint! He was going to have a full, winter-fashionable wardrobe! A perfect way to celebrate his full recovery! He'll have to make sure to get something extra-stunning to wear, for when he next saw Zul. What a surprise that would be for the Demon! Rivener couldn't wait!
"To Durem-One Mall!" Riv declared, pointing towards their destination. Well, the first of many destinations today!
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:20 pm
:: The Return of the Prince - One ::
One message, over every other. No matter the phase of the moon, one sentence resounded. However Rivener tried to block it out, the Stars all but yelled it at him.
The Return of the Prince
The Return of the Prince
The REtuRN of The PRinCE
THE RETURN OF THE PRINCE
The Cold - The Ice - The End!
Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware Be-
Rivener slammed the windows shut and drew the curtains closed, something chilling him to the core. ...What did it all mean? Why was it so insistent?
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Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:07 pm
:: The Return of the Prince - Two :: The yelling from downstairs jarred Rivener out of sleep. He inhaled sharply and sat bolt upright before he was even fully awake, disoriented and feeling a block of lead settling in his stomach. It sounded like non-sense at first to the drowsy Sigel, but the screams soon coalesced into something from Rivener’s nightmares. Aphismet, yelling for him over and over, sounding so incredibly distraught that it instantly set the Scorpion on edge, eyes wild. He jumped out of bed, throwing the blankets half-way across the room, and didn’t even bother grabbing his clothes before he zoomed down the stairs at breakneck speeds, his belts clanking together softly. “Rivener! RIVENER!!!” Shrill from panic, Aphismet’s eyes snapped up the instant his Raevan burst into the kitchen. Rivener was dishevelled and wild-looking, wings flared and eyes flashing. The white-haired man was gripping his cell phone in one hand, and crumpling the living daylights out of the newspaper in the other. “What’s the matter? Oh my god, did someone die? Please tell me someone didn’t die! Where’s Isi? Eiry? What is it??” Riv held back from rushing up to shake the answers out of Aphismet simply because the chef looked on the verge of tears, already trembling more than enough on his own. Instead of answering, Aphismet shoved the newspaper at Rivener. The Sigel snatched the daily edition of Gambino Isle News and smoothed out the rumpled paper as much as he could, reading the headline…
The Lab? Encased in Ice? Rivener’s eyes snapped open and his lungs stopped working.“She won’t pick up,” Aphismet had begun mumbling, wringing the cell phone in his hands and drawing worrisome squeaking sounds from the fragile plastic casing. ”She won’t pick up, I called her cell and her house and the lab and the lines are down, I only get voicemail if I get through at all, she won’t pick up…”Aphismet must mean-… “Zul!” Rivener instantly breathed out the name, something cold and electric suddenly compressing his heart.
The clawed hands dropped the newspaper and Rivener launched himself on the nearest phone, dialing Zul’s number… It took some searching, but Neil did have the proper number and Rivener did manage to reach Zul. The moment that voice said his name, Rivener felt himself relax a slight bit, though learning that the Demon-Frei didn’t know the whereabouts of his Guardian put a giant damper on that relief… When Rivener hung up, he spun to find Aphismet staring at him hopefully, the cell phone smothered in his hands.“Is she okay?” His voice wavered so badly, his dark eyes glistened with tears, his face was pale as a sheet. Aphismet was worrying himself sick. “Was she with Zul?”Rivener felt like he was bringing an axe down on Aphismet’s prone neck when he replied: “She wasn’t with him. He doesn’t know where she is or if she’s okay.”Dark brown eyes slowly opened wider, almost bugging out of Aphismet’s head. He opened his mouth and tried to breathe, but he couldn’t. Limp fingers dropped the cell phone, a loud clatter breaking the silence a split second before Aphismet himself buckled at the knees, eyes rolling into his head. Rivener caught him before he fell to the floor, just barely. So clammy and cold… Rivener flapped his wings and shifted Aphi’s weight before his bad arm gave out and he dropped the chef. The Sigel carried his comatose Guardian into the living room, then called Isi and Eiry, wherever they were… Someone needed to take Aphi to a doctor or something!
Even as he kept himself busy, Rivener felt a wary tickle at the back of his mind… This had to have something to do with what the Stars had said. It had to! The Cold, the Ice, the End… What in the name of hell was going on?!
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Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:35 am
:: The Return of the Prince - Three ::[My Rivener] Roux comes to claim his One and Only! Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware Be-
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:07 pm
:: The Return of the Prince - Four ::[Icebreaker] Rivener, Lazarus, Melisande and Zul versus a crazed Ice King! Will the four of them be enough to bring down the powerful Roux?! Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware Beware Be-
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:08 pm
:: After the Ice Comes the Spring ::
An MSN RP with Chrystali Rivener wasn't sure he was doing a good thing. Meeting Zul at the airport right after the demon frei arrived from vacation? Without TELLING him he'd be there to boot? The Scorpion had thought it would be a nice surprise, he had thought Zul missed him as much as he'd missed Zul, but... as the plane arrived the doubts began seeping in. What if Rivener was assuming things again? Nervously he fussed with the paper wrapping the stems of the dozen red roses he'd bought. He'll be glad to see me, the Sigel coached himself almost desperately. He will smile. It had been much too long a wait since Roux's attack, with Rivener waking in the hospital alone. He called Zul right away, of course, but the Demon had already been gone with Alex on this trip. They'd talked on the phone almost every other day, but Rivener wanted to hold his beloved now, see if Roux had done any damage. As people began piling out of the throughway, Riv took a deep breath and steeled his eyes slightly, preparing himself for whatever expression Zul might wear upon seeing him. The plane had been thankfully running on time and this time, Alex hadn't had to forcefully insist that Zul not try to fly along side the giant metal bird. He had healed in many ways, though ironically, physically was not one of them. Zul had earned a new depth of clarity since his growth, a maturity he had to hand to the Sigel he'd killed in order to obtain it. Peaceful for the moment, he walked side-by-side with his Guardian, now a full head taller than she, putting her to his shoulder when he floated at his highest. The Sigel didn't immediately see the other over the sea of heads, speaking quietly with the Italian amicably, but he did see Rivener before he was through the tunnel. Blue eyes lifted to look forward and immediately picked out the red-and-black Scorpion, experiencing the most unusual experience of his Sigel life; his chest suddenly felt tight and heavy even as his heart insisted upon growing wings and beating against his throat. Surprise riddled his sharper features and gently extracting himself from Alex, he maneuvered between the passengers until he was free of the throngs of people, gazing at Rivener with barely restrained joy. The corners of his mouth ticked upwards slowly, his wings spreading, subconsciously imitating the posture Rivener had given him when the Scorpion had grew. " Rivener," he purred, his smoky voice now lower and laced with velvet, a rolling smoothness with warm undertones meant expressly for his boyfriend. " My love. I'm home." Whatever relief Rivener felt when he saw those bright blue eyes light up with happiness upon seeing him dimmed almost to nothing under the sheer SHOCK of everything else Zul now was. Those happy eyes were the same, yes, perhaps a little more mature of a glimmer in them, but that face! The horns, the wings that spread as though to show off, the squared shoulders, the body-! The hand Riv had been holding up, displaying the roses, fell limp at his side and the bouquet tumbled to the ground in a rustle of paper and petals. Riv's jaw hung limp, his eyes were wide, his cheeks flushed red with-... with happiness, surprise, pride, uncertainty, love, excitement, joy! That velvety voice... No wonder it had sounded a little different on the phone! "...Zul." He'd called Rivener "his love!" A thrilled shudder ran down the Scorpion's spine! Without even realizing, Rivener raised his hands and floated forward to cross the distance between them, clawed fingertips gently brushing across Zul's stomach, red eyes following the motion with a broad grin. "Oh, Zul, you're... You're-! Zul, my Flower, you're amazing!" Grinning brighter still, Riv's eyes flicked up to meet those cerulean blues. "You're gorgeous!" He floated a tad shorter than Zul now, Riv realized as he nudged himself up with a flap of his wings, pressing lips to his precious one's lips, his insides tight and roiling with emotion.He almost missed the flowers entirely, but it was an honest oversight with how Rivener was looking at him. The demon allowed a grin to form then, the lid of his eyes lending to a more devious expression than usual. Without preamble, his arms twine around the Scorpion's body with familiarity and yet a decided newness, uttering a low, throaty sound of pleasure at the pressure of Rivener's hands against his covered stomach and the feel of their bodies touching beyond his chest. Zul chuckles softly at the pouring of compliments, leaning in to kiss his Scorpion in turn both firmly and with a certain amount of possession behind it. He'd been reluctant to leave Rivener at all after the battle, but there was an undeniable thread of ownership now spun in him. Tightening his arms around the other, he rumbles against Rivener's lips in a pleased manner. " Not as gorgeous as you." Pressing into another kiss, he very lightly nips the Scorpion's bottom lip, careful to keep his smile from evolving into a smirk. " I missed you." Turning his bright eyes over Rivener's face, he very nearly beams. " It is...a most wonderous surprise to have you here, my Rivener." Rivener chuckled in reply at the smooth-talking compliment he himself received, the Scorpion rather used to his boyfriend's surprisingly silver tongue by now. The next kiss, however, turned that chuckle into a soft sound of stunned pleasure, Rivener dipping slightly at the nips on his lip. Had he owned knees, they would buckle. Since when was his Zul so-... so good at this? So different, just enough that it could be noticed? Some things HAD changed in the growth, and Zul was suddenly more... More! Rivener no longer needed to keep in mind that this was a Frei he was dating. And that brought to mind another, suddenly-urgent question. One he would ask as soon as he regained his voice, his wits. "I couldn't wait to see you. I hoped you wouldn't mind. Now I'm so damned thrilled I came! You never told me on the phone, when did this happen!? Why didn't you tell me? I-... You know what, it doesn't matter. What's important is that you're a Sigel now. You have a stomach now. Do you-... Do you feel it? For me? I-in here?" Hesitatingly, red eyes still gilttering with boundless admiration and love and excitement despite the fear now showing through, Rivener placed a hand squarely at Zul's abdomen where Riv himself felt the butterflies. This question had been a long time in coming, and though Zul had said he would love Rivener as much as he could in Frei form... Now in Sigel form, the true answer could be found. It was nerve-wracking and exhilarating at the same time.The Sigel smiled at the words, somewhat grateful that Rivener hadn't pressed for the time of his growth and instead let it slide. When the Scorpion poses a question he can answer, he loosens his grip on the other male and takes one of his hands, pressing it over the pulsing leather against his stomach, just above the curve of his golden embellishment. " When I saw you, it started here, but it moved," he slid Rivener's hand over the scaled center and against his newly formed skin, eyes lidding further at the sensation, " here. I felt like I'd fall beneath the weight of your absence but my heart, it grew wings and flew to you, my Rivener." Continuing to lift the clawed digits over his chest, the furred lining of his gorget and to his cheek, Zul tilted his head against the warm palm and lightly kissed his wrist. " Those silver-lined butterflies, they consume me in your presence." Rivener tried to pay attention, really he did, but it was so hard to keep from swooning. Zul had become dangerously silver-tongued in the short time they'd had apart, had become dangerously alluring, dangerously sexy! It took all of the Scorpion's willpower to keep his eyes fixated on those bright blue orbs instead of following the trail his hand was taking. Everything his fingers felt was heightened by the lack of visual input: the metal, the leather, then warm, delicious skin, higher and higher, soft fur and more leather, then a cheek and lips at Rivener's wrist... "Augh," Riv moaned, eyes slipping closed as a strong shiver took him over. His mouth, which had again fallen slack at the sensual attention, now curved up into an elated smile that quickly became dipped in his usual honeyed overtones. "So now there's nothing else to stand between us? Can I call us an Item? Will you be mine, Zul, as much as I've wanted to be yours?" He was playing cool, but the shallow breaths and increased heartbeat pounding against his ribs would give away how amazingly blown away he was. Rivener curled those fingers of his against Zul's cheek, caressing at the edges of that cream-and-fire hair.For the first time since learning the power of words, Zul was making an effort to sway. He was trying to show Rivener his sincerity, if not showing off a little, letting his bone-framed wings lower to curve around the Scorpion to lend to the force of his answer. " You belong with me," Zul murmured softly in return, touching his cheek to the other's and lightly rubbing them together, his goatee brushing against the dark skin. " You belong to me," there was a brief but unmistakably dark possession to those words, a claim to the world, " and I you. I want you as a whole, Rivener, just as I give you my all. Be mine." Even with the romantic notion behind Rivener's words, there was something more tight and binding in Zul's own, a promise -- an oath of ownership between them. He'd move mountains - literally - to affirm his claim on Rivener and the Scorpion's counter-claim on him. Rivener felt them, these words that pressed around him like a dark, oppressive, welcome blanket. He grinned and sighed at them, nuzzling back against the cheek that rubbed at his own, chuckling at the feel of stubble against his skin. Warmth and pinpricks of excitement made his skin feel electrified, he could feel every minute contact so sharply- the press of a bone wing against his side as it curled around him. The feel of Zul's spine-back as Riv's own wings spread out and wrapped in return around the Demon. The softness of the fur lining Zul's collar when the Scorpion raised his arms to loop around those shoulders. Ruby red eyes swirled with ultimate contentment and happiness when the Scopion pulled away to level his boyfriend- his Mate, his Beloved- a half-lidded, bedroomy, intense look, lips curled into a pleased smile. "I will never want anything more," he replied, his own voice dripping with warm syrupy tones. "I am gladly yours and more than happily take you as mine. We are each other's now." The smile momentarily brightened into a perfectly thrilled grin, Riv's hands migrating to Zul's hair, burying there. "I Love you, my Flower!" Eagerly bridging the gap first, Riv's lips met Zul's in a kiss much deeper than he'd ever dared take it before, pressing his own body flush against the other male's as he did so. Rivener's mind spun. This was perfect!!Likewise, he could feel the pressure of the Scorpion's wings around him, the lethal stingers well trusted and welcomed. With Rivener's arms against his shoulders, he could press their bodies tighter still, taking the moment to do so without hesitation or awareness of anyone else in the crowded airport, not even his woman who had stopped some short ways form them to watch with a troubled smile. " Then take all of me," Zul murmurs in turn, " and I will hold you dearly--" His words are silenced by the kiss, one he welcomes with parted lips and a hungry return, their bodies pressed so tight that it's hard to distinguish one from the other. The Sigel cared little for social protocol -- now that he was with the one he belonged to, who now belonged to him without question. He was home. When their kiss finally ended after more than few attempts on Rivener's part- all foiled by the Scorpion uttering a sound of defeat and longing that preluded his lips once again finding their mates- the dark Sigel let out a deeply sated sigh, smiling. The whole of the world was forgotten, but Rivener suddenly desired real privacy, a soft bed, warm blankets, and hopefully the entire night in Zul's arms without needing to go anywhere or pay attention to anything else. "Let's go to your house. ...Welcome home." Wrapped around Zul, Rivener sighed again and shifted so he could float at his precious one's side, the two of them heading towards the outside. Behind them, forgotten, the bouquet of roses lay on the floor. Zul's gift had been a much BETTER flower.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:47 am
:: Aphismet's Birthday ::
Lonely and quiet day at home To think. Last year, Aphismet’s birthday had been one of the most wonderful days of his life. Alex had come home early, and it had been just the two of them for a while, enjoying a nice meal she’d made for him and then watching a movie while eating cake. Later that evening Isi and Eiry had come back home, followed closely by Rivener, and they’d all had a big meal, he’d received gifts, they’d sat around the kitchen table and laughed for hours. The white-haired chef sighed deeply, eyebrows curving up on his forehead. This year’s birthday was a far sight different. Aphi and Alex were no longer together. Rivener was out working. Isi and Eiry were busy. Aphismet had taken the day off from work, but as he sat in the empty kitchen looking out the window, he began to think it might have been a giant mistake. …Come to think of it, hadn’t his “most wonderful birthday ever” started out this way? He’d been home alone most of the day? Maybe later, things would pick up? Latching onto this idea to keep himself from falling into depression, Aphismet forced a smile and hopped off the stool, clapping his hands together. ”Well, this cake isn’t going to make itself,” he declared to the Gwee sitting atop the fridge. Munchies just blinked at him lazily, yawned, and curled up as though she found it rather pathetic that the man was making his own birthday cake. Aphi just laughed and shrugged a shoulder, offering a rather lame explanation to the unconcerned Gwee: “W-well, just in case someone drops by, you know? There should be cake.” Munchies didn’t respond, didn’t even twitch. The chef sighed and rolled his eyes, brushing the moody Munchies out of his mind. As he measured and mixed all the ingredients, Aphismet’s mind wandered. Rivener had come back from the hospital, but he’d found himself a new job and was gone most of the time. Isi and Eiry were soon going to be busy with their gardening business, and they were out much of the time as well either meeting with potential clients and hashing out a schedule, or they were just out working at the Lab. With Alex gone, there was no one but the pets around the house to make it feel alive, and they fell quite short. The place was as silent as the grave, save for the loudly ticking grandfather clock they’d salvaged from the old house. Aphismet could feel his spirits dipping, and he grunted stubbornly, shaking flour off his hands and stomping to the living room to turn on the television. He set it to the music channel and raised the volume enough that he could hear it from the kitchen, then walked back with his forced smile in place. ”Much better,” he remarked to the sleeping Gwee. She didn’t move. Aphismet frowned. ”Why do I bother talking to you.” His loneliness must be making him batty. The cake was finished with only two more slight slips into depression, which the white-haired man combated by singing along to the television and reminding himself that things would probably pick up later in the day. After he’d decorated the cake as best he could -not a professional patissier’s level, but good enough for his own tastes- Aphismet set to washing the dishes he’d dirtied. He considered going to the mall or something for the afternoon, perhaps seeing a movie at the theatre… But what if someone came by while he was away? And besides, wasn’t it a little sad to go to the movies alone? Should he call someone to accompany him to the movies, then? Ah, but who’d be available? Ebony? Vivi? One of the girls from work? A slight frown marred his features and he flushed with embarrassment. He couldn’t ask them, not when every single option left him feeling guilty and unfaithful. He wasn’t WITH Alex anymore, he wouldn’t be cheating if he went on a friendly date with another woman, but… but it still felt like he’d be cheating. He didn’t feel like he’d broken up at all. He just missed her terribly and wished she’d come home. Anyway, Aphi realized he’d gotten way off track. With a shake of his head he returned to the original problem: what should to pass the time. He mulled it over and by the time he dried the whisk and put it away, the very last of his dirty dishes, he’d decided to just stay home. He wouldn’t want to be away when his family came back. Forcibly keeping his spirits up, the chef trotted to the living room and sank into the sofa, ready to channel-surf until someone, anyone, showed up. The hours passed and it was getting harder and harder for Aphi to keep from feeling depressed. Supper time came and went. He ate alone, talking out loud to keep himself company, trying to ignore the growing black pit in his stomach. He’d gotten a few calls during the day, of course, friends wishing him happy birthday, and those had been bright spots on the otherwise drab day, but as soon as he’d hung up his smile would dim. The highlight of his day had been the call from Alex. The highlight, and also the lowest point: he’d been bright as the sun while on the phone with her, elated to be talking to the vivacious Italian, and he’d tried to keep her on the line as long as possible. After the call, however, Aphismet huddled in the sofa on the verge of tears, refusing to let them fall and flicking channels without really watching. He missed her so very much. Sunset, and finally the front door opened. Isi, Eiry and Riv! Aphismet hurried to his feet and walked into the foyer, grinning with relief. Ah, they were carrying gifts! The chef let out a half hysterical laugh, crossing to the three and gathering them all into a hug. Who cared about gifts! What he’d wanted all day was right here! ”Whoa, hey, are you crying?” Rivener demanded, hugging back awkwardly and trying to peer at his guardian’s face. ”No, I’m not. But next year, I’d like all of you to spend the day with me, okay? No need for gifts.” Things picked up after that, just as predicted. Other friends soon dropped in for short visits, making Aphi forget all about the sadness he’d felt before. Surrounded by family and friends, Aphi finished his special day in a much better mood. Though this year still wouldn’t top the last. And unless Alex ever came back, Aphi wondered if any other year ever would.
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Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:17 am
:: Valentines :: Rivener brushed at his leather coat, then ran that same hand through his hair, smirking confidently over a shoulder at the human girls that walked by in the mall. They all stared at him with wide eyes, seemingly intimidated, though they all giggled behind their hands as they walked away. He snorted softly. Feather-heads. As if Rivener, or any Raevan, would be even remotely interested in them. At least Riv knew he was handsome enough that he COULD have bagged himself a human girl-or-boyfriend, had he lost his marbles and wanted one. There was only one person Rivener currently wanted to impress, and that person was nowhere near the mall today. Riv's sultry grins and hooded eyes at these humans was merely practice for when he'd meet Zul later on their date. Before the date, the Scorpion had the daunting task of picking The Gift. He wanted something that would make Zul smile, not that the Demon was a materialistic person... It was just that flowers were getting a little cliché. Riv always got flowers, and Zul always liked them, but it was becoming a run-of-the-mill event for them. Time to spice things up. Rivener wandered the shops in the mall, perusing at his leisure and only stopping once in a while to practice his flirting, sending this girl or that boy a sultry smirk over a shoulder. Their shock at seeing a floating half-man with spiny wings didn't seem to deter from his sensual allure, and Riv's vanity grew by the moment, pleased. Sometimes he caught them staring at him in the reflection of the windows once they'd moved on. He'd grin at them and they'd scurry off, then the Sigel's attention would turn to the window's true contents again. Clothing? Zul hardly wore anything, and he preferred things the opposite anyway- as naked as possible. Riv smirked, his cheeks flushing softly. HE liked that too, especially when Zul just looked so good without clothes on. Riv was sometimes tempted to ditch clothes permanently himself, due to the eloquent praise Zul tended to lavish whenever Riv disrobed. But no, that was only for Zul, not for the general populace. Flirty glances were one thing, meaningless and harmless, but floating around naked... No way. Shaking his head, Riv moved on. Jewelry? Rivener lingered here, staring at rings and necklaces and armlets, but what could he possibly buy that Zul would wear? He already had enough jewelery to fit his clothes- or LACK of clothes. Besides, Riv felt like buying more jewelery would lessen the meaning of the one trinket he HAD bought Zul. The one trinket Zul actually wore all the time, hidden under his neck-brace. No, the Scorpion decided with a fond smile and a shake of his head. He'd never buy Zul jewelery again, because that necklace was too important to compete with. Toys? Zul did enjoy his video games, though that was a terribly un-romantic gift in Riv's opinion. It WOULD be fun, though. ...Maybe this could be an option, if nothing else caught his eye. Which game, that was the bigger question. Zul liked what he liked, and nothing else met his interest. The things he DID like, he already owned. Rivener would have to find something new to get, something alike enough to the old games but not TOO alike, because then why bother? Frowning as he wandered the isles of game boxes, the Sigel shook his head. It was frustrating, but he didn't think he'd be able to pick something Zul would like for sure. It was a good gift idea, but for another time, not for Valentine's. With a final sultry smirk over the edge of the aisle to the store clerk, Rivener turned and left. He heard the man clear his throat uneasily behind him. Food? Chocolates were a traditional Valentine's gift, but Riv found them a bit tacky. If he was going to get Zul chocolates, which seemed the likely choice at this point, he was going to get him the most out-of-the-ordinary and special chocolates he could find. He angled away from the sweets stores and smirked as he spotted the place he was seeking: the Strangeness Store. They sold the oddest things here, like coin-bank statuettes of men on toilets who farted when you put a quarter in their hands, mechanically shoving the quarter into the toilet bowl between their legs. There were a million t-shirts with ridiculous sayings on sale, fake vampire teeth, oddly-shaped bongs, and a whole slew of things besides, and Rivener was SURE they'd sell some oddly-shaped chocolates for Valentine's. Something funny, or suggestive. That'd be a fun gift! As he searched the shop, that's when he found it. The Perfect Gift. He stopped dead in his tracks and gaped, staring at something on the wall of adult toys. Adult Toys. He'd never thought of it, they didn't have the parts for that yet (thank goodness), but among the really weird and disturbing plastic objects Rivener did his best not to stare at in disgust, there was a rack of fur-rimmed handcuffs in all kinds of ridiculous colors. One of which was bronze-gold and bright blue, just like the colors of Zul himself. Beside it, like it was meant to be paired, handcuffs in red and black fur. Grinning ear to ear, thoroughly amused and already wondering what Zul's face would be like when he saw these, Rivener snatched both sets from the wall and rushed to the counter attendant, winking at her fetchingly. "Wrap these up real nicely, would you? It's a Valentine's Day gift."
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Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 4:57 pm
:: How to Celebrate a Scorpion ::
Or ‘Ways to Piss Off Everyone At a Party’ 1. Call up every single person you know, invite them over on the day of your choice, preferably your actual birthday. (Apart for your work associates, on account of them being kept secret from your human Guardian-… they understand! They’ll throw you a giant booze-filled party tomorrow instead. Double the party! Score!!) 2. Convince your Guardian to take the whole damned day off so he can work like a slave in the kitchen to make everything that you wrote down on a list. There aren’t just Raevans coming to this party, after all. 3. Rope your little Brother into gathering up all the extra things needed, like food for specific Raevans. Fire, Ice, etc etc. He’ll be good at that. 4. Go to the store to pick up new clothes. Must look hot for the party. Try on everything in at least three different stores before you settle on one bad-a** new black shirt. 5. Consider getting a tattoo to commemorate the day. This will be your fifth birthday, after all. Seems important. BUT in the end, decide against it since they won’t let you just walk in without an appointment. 6. Go to a hairdresser to snazzy up your usual look. A snip here, a swath of color accent there, and instant hotness increase. 7. Return home with a few hours to spare before the party. Harass your Guardian in the kitchen by demanding why everything isn’t ready yet, then smirk as you watch him lose patience with you and yell for you to get out of his kitchen. Laugh all the way to your room. 8. Get dressed. Admire yourself in the mirror for roughly forty-five minutes, fussing over every little detail of your outfit. 9. Get downstairs with enough time to oversee the party preparations. Make sure everything is there for Raevan-specific diets. Do a quick tour of the house to make sure nothing embarrassing is left out in the open. Make sure games like guitar hero and rockband are ready for anyone to play. 10. Yell at your Brother to stop practicing that damned violin. 11. Receive your first guest! Answer the doorbell and look casual and dashing as the first people arrive. Accept all gifts graciously with many thanks and then guide guests into the party room. 12. Party! (note: Be social and don’t stay with one or two people most of the time. Flit between groups and say hello to /chat with everyone.) Enjoy food and games and movies with all your friends. 13. One hour into the party, get carried away talking to one guest in particular. Drag him into the closest closet and make out for a good twenty minutes. 14. Look angry when your Guardian discreetly busts you in that closet, reminding you to come back out here and look after your guests. Reluctantly drag yourself and your companion back to the party. 15. Endure about fifteen minutes of this before you drag your favorite guest up to your room, lock the door, and pounce. Ignore all knocks and calls from the hallway. You’re much more content to tumble around the bed with your date. 16. Go to sleep sometime around 5am after much kissing/touching/talking/snuggling. Realize that most of your guests must have left a long time ago and are probably mad at you. Don’t give much of a damn about it, but make a mental note to call people and apologize. 17. Wake up the next morning alone, your bed-mate gone. Sigh. Get up and face the displeased wrath of your Guardian. Apologize and help him clean up the house. 18. Call up everyone you know and apologize. Sound sincere, even though you are pretty damned pleased with how last night went. 19. Go to work that night and get completely drunk with your co-workers. Now THAT is a real five-year party! 20. Spend the next day recovering from the mild hangover, and make a mental note to do this again next year.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 7:25 pm
Rivener's Diary :: Aphismet's Birthday :: So last year was the first year Aphi spent his birthday without Alex around. By the time me and Eiry and Isi got back home after work and shopping for his gifts, he was sitting in the dark living room like a freaking Hobbit, nearly bawling his eyes out in loneliness, with a ******** cake he baked himself sitting uneaten in the kitchen. It even said "Happy Birthday Aphi" on it. How sad is that?! He made his own cake! He wished HIMSELF a happy birthday! And then he wallowed in the living room all damned day, doing nothing and probably being miserable! Why he didn't just go out and do something fun, I'll never know. But anyway, he asked us this year to just be home with him and to hell with gifts, so that's what he got from me. Eiry and Isi were around too, of course, but they actually got him gifts anyway, and that certainly made ME feel like a cheap good-for-nothing. I'll get him something later, but I still feel like a tool for not getting something already. Well, anyway, that's not the point. The point is, we spent the day with Aphismet. In the morning I'd intended to get up early and make breakfast for him, but that man gets up at the crack of dawn! It's impossible for me to EVER be awake before him, unless I just don't go to sleep at all- I have to stay up late for feeding. But thankfully, Isi's a crack-of-dawn kinda guy too, so HE managed to beat Aphi to the punch and make him breakfast. So when the man of the house was up, it already smelled like waffles and cupcakes and whatever else Isi made, along with coffee and bacon. I don't really know what they had, since by the time I woke, that smell was gone. I got up at like 10 or 10:30. The two guardians had been sitting in the kitchen talking this WHOLE time, and it sounded like I interrupted something pretty serious, because they both clammed up when I came in. Irritating, but what are you gonna do. Of course Aphi would talk about human things with another human, not with me. I just shrugged and gave him a smile, wished him a happy birthday, and he seemed quite glad of that. Things got better after. Eiry showed up too and all four of us went out. We took Aphismet to a bunch of his favorite places. We went to the Gardens, though this early in the year it's not particularly fancy yet. Eiry ate the death off some of the plants to make them green and pretty, and I think Aphi thought that was sweet. Pretty nice of Eiry, really. Then we went to the Aquarium and I flipped off the dolphins. They didn't understand what I was doing, but I thought it was funny. I only did it to make Aphi laugh anyway, and he did- that was in a book he'd been telling me about not long ago, and I think he was glad I'd remembered. He's happy about the weirdest, smallest things, that man. Next we had lunch at a corn-dog booth and walked along Durem's main street, window-shopping and just randomly chattin'. I learned Aphi was thinking of quitting the job at the Crystal Carafe someday and opening his own place! Though he said he hadn't saved up enough for anything like that yet. I think he means he hasn't saved up enough to pay for Isi's college, should he ever choose to go. Aphi's like that, he won't take a financial risk if it means the rest of us wouldn't be comfortable. I told him he should just quit and go for it: he's good, I'm sure he would be successful. But he just smiled at me and nodded, brushing me off. He wouldn't do it yet. I almost told him then, that I made enough money to keep the family stable while he took a chance on his dream, but then he'd know I'd gone back to Felix. I couldn't do that, not on his birthday. Later in the afternoon we went to the museum for a historical play they were having. It was pretty neat, rather big-budget for a museum, I think! Aphi enjoyed the hell out of that. Then there was the movies, a late matinee of some random action film. Aphi said it was alright, but I know he enjoyed it- he doesn't realize I saw him crying when the hero's mother was killed. He's such a sap. After that we went for a late supper at Durem Pastelli, the fanciest place we can get into without suits and ties. I had a pretty good alfredo, and Aphi looked like he enjoyed his seafood penne. I paid for that dinner myself, and it wasn't all that expensive for what we got! Think I'll go there again. In the evening we took Aphi out to a hockey game, but the stupid Durem Eagles lost. Sucks to be rooting for the team that gets its a** kicked 4-1. Well, Aphi had fun anyway, looked like. He was cheering and booing with the best of them and his grin was wide enough to crack his face. It was almost 10 at night when we got back home, and there were tons of messages on the phone from people wishing Aphi a happy birthday. His smile turned a little sad then, and I could almost hear what he was thinking when Alex's voice message came on. I wish she would have been there with us today. It's been what, two years? And he still loves her, it's so obvious. I feel so bad they're not together, but I got no say in the matter. Aphi finished listening to his messages and went up for a shower, looking a little depressed now, and I glanced over at Isi. He glanced back at me, and we both understood: we couldn't let the day end like THIS. So Isi called up everyone who'd called him. I went out to the liquor store and bought a s**t-ton of beer and mixed drinks: the guy tried to CARD me, and I just gave him a raised eyebrow until he decided he didn't need to see it. Then we came back home and put a bunch of ice in the kitchen sinks, stuffed it full of those bottles I'd bought, and whipped out all the bags of chips in the cupboard. By the time Aphi came down, the first people were showing up. By the end of the night, the party had gotten so awesome that the cops showed up and told us to keep it down. When Aphi went to bed that night, he was grinning like an idiot, laughing, and singing some weird song. Nikki Minaj I think. He was blasted out of his mind, but he was happy. I know: I'm the one who put him to bed. I know I don't usually do much for him the rest of the year, but he had a great day on his birthday, and that made me proud. I think I'll do it again next year.
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