|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:41 am
Prompt Entire parts of town are trussed up in banners and stars to commemorate the holiday. You can find them dangling from lampposts, walls, trees--paper stars are everywhere. While this has become common in the past few days, what’s uncommon is how some of them seem to glow at night. While passing through town, more stars seem to light up, guiding you down some strange path. There is an unnatural pull to them, a lull deep in your chest that something just meant for you is waiting at the end. When the path of stars end, what do you find? Someone? Something you lost? The answer to some question you’ve been asking yourself for some time? The stars eventually lose their glow and do not light back up again; any examination yields that they seem to be normal paper.
Yes, he still did his work, filled his quota, but that job seemed even more miserable than it had before. There was nothing to look forward to, no reason to stay up powered longer than what was needed to drain some energy, grab a starseed, then head back home.
Normally, such things like companionship meant nothing to him. He was content to go about with the bare minimum and return home... Until he had made a friend.
And curse him for that friendship having formed into something deeper! It could have remained a crush, he could have kept it to himself instead of letting it come out into the open and admitting what he wanted! If he could have... Maybe he wouldn't be here now, slowly walking through an empty pathway covered in glowing ornaments.
Originally he promised that focus of his affection a week. A week was all he needed to recover from this. A week slipped into two.. Then three.. And the other had promised not to reach out until Mali was ready to be friends again but there just wasn't any way he could bring himself to.
He was better off alone. Perhaps they both were.
Even now as he wandered, unknowingly guided by the stars surrounding him, Mali found himself agreeing to that thought. No matter how much his heart wanted to see him... It was too late now, wasn't it? Too much time had passed for apologizes.
Fate was one of the last things he believed in. Fate meant nothing, no one could control him, or his actions, or where he went. But... Seeing him... Seeing Vitriol at the end of this tunnel of stars.. What else could it have been?
The very sight of him left him dazed.. Confused... Had his loneliness in missing his only friend led him to imagine him here in the darkness? No... That couldn't have been it, not when there was a clear signature standing right before him.
All he could do was stand there, staring for a long moment... No words or greetings came to mind, and part of him hoped that it was just some illusion... If it weren't... Well, the tears were already starting to sting his eyes..
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:17 am
Vitriol was patient. It had said it would not go see Landry at all until the other was ready. He needed time. The least Vitriol could do was give him time to address his feelings and if being around him any longer was even an option. Vitriol had considered this outcome. Over and over he would pause in the passing weeks thinking more and more that Landry's feelings had not subsided and that permanent distance would be the only way to keep him moving on and able to look at more promising directions for his feelings. What was most upsetting to Vitriol was that it in no way could do anything about it.
Landry's feelings were his own and Vitriol had in no way had any authority in them. It wasn't its fault for their creation and it had no power to stop them aside from being overly cruel to the point it lost its friend. It was helpless in all regards other then to wait and deal with whatever decision Landry came to in the end.
And as it was nearing a month now, it had started to accept that the silence was the decision.
It missed him. Worse even, it couldn't see Lori in fear it would cross some unspoken agreement to not get close to their home. It could send a text later but - it didn't want to being a wedge between the twins and cause problems. They had a family and their relationship was already rocky. Vitriol would just become another element of the Negaverse getting between them.
It didn't want that.
In the end, it gathered that Landry hated the Negaverse anyways and being one submersed and dedicated to the very thing the other dispised would probably just cause issues in the long road anyways. It was better this way.
Yeah.
Probably.
The holiday was an opportune time for everyone to gather energy and there was no short supply of officers coming and going. Hitching a teleport out was easy and it went and collected for the evening like it had the night before and the night before that. Work was the only thing it really had going for itself now. That and dabbling in glamour outings.
Walking alone, it had thought it would just wander back to be picked up but stopped when it spotted a figure. In the glow of stars and tied wishes floating on tree branches, it stared back down the long walkway to see Mali.
And it was stuck with a quick second of excitement before a hard, tightening reality squeezed it.
He didn't want to see it.
It stared for a while, did not move, but watched him.
Mali was patrolling. Maybe had been for some time. He wasn't avoiding the Negaverse. Just it. Probably might have found other people to patrol with. It was just luck and coincidence he was here now. If he had wanted to see him, he would have called.
Its ears sagged at the thought.
In the end, it just raised a claw slowly and waved, keeping itself in place. It hurt Landry enough. It didn't need to be selfish like it had with everyone else in the past.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:44 am
It wasn't until Vitriol waved at him that 'Mali seemed to unfreeze. That moment of just, complete awe of the person he wanted to see most right before him had stunned him, and now that he seemed to find himself back in reality once more, 'Mali was unsure of what to do.
His body seemed to know. Before he realized it he was walking straight towards the half-youma, stopping just a few feet away in that dim light of the trees.
What to say? His body hadn't given him time to allow his mind to catch up... So a moment of awkwardness passed before he managed a small smile.
"... Hello, Vitriol... I um.. I hadn't expected to see you out on your own... Are you doing well?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:59 am
He came over and Vitriol stayed out, waited, and stopped.
It was awkward. The quiet between them. The commradery they had before felt distant. It didn't know what to say anymore.
"I'm fine. Patrolling. The usual." Why else would it be doing? It had no other life or friends.
"Surprised to see you patrolling. Alone." It glanced to make sure. It didn't think Mali would care enough to patrol but he seemed fine to meet his quotas.
It wanted to know why it didn't have a text yet. It wanted to know what the state of everything even was anymore. It wanted to know if just being here was making things worse.
"Are you doing okay?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:02 pm
"Yeah, it's about the same for me... Not patrolling, per say, but gathering energy, meeting quota, toes to the line and all that..." He found no joy in the day-to-day Nega activities.
But Vitriol knew that, didn't he.
"I don't know who else I'd be with. 'Nubi has her friends and you..." There it was again, that pause. When had he become so hesitant in anything he did? "You were all I had."
What a weird thought... He had been fully content to remain alone in the beginning. Then Vitriol was gone and now it felt like he was even more alone in the world than when he started. Which wasn't entirely wrong, given the fact that 'Nubi was off doing her own thing with some random chick, and he had pushed his only friend away.
"... I'm sorry I haven't reached out to you... I said one week, but that passed and then another passed and I just... Felt like it was too late to say anything. I wish I could say I was okay, but I'm not. I missed you..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:31 pm
Vitriol visibly perked at the admission and smiled back despite himself.
"I missed you too."
"I just - didn't want to push you. I wanted to let you decide. I don't want you to hurt just being around me. I don't want to be a source of pain for you. So - I didn't send a text or anything." And it still wasn't sure if that was the case.
"Have - you decided?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:57 pm
”You did?” It came as a surprise to hear him admit such a thing. They had been close... And it was wrong to think that just because Vitriol felt differently than ‘Mali did, he wasn’t capable of feeling in any capacity. It took all that damned time he had kept his head in the ground to realize and understand that.
“I really thought that you didn’t want to see me since you didn’t reach out after a while.. I’m certainly happy that’s not the case.” Slowly, that weight on his shoulders and the guilt in his chest was disappearing.
A decision.. Yes, he owed Vitriol that much.
“I want to still be here for you. As your friend, as your lover... I don’t care, I just don’t want to lose you. And I finally realize that you don’t want me gone either, right? So if you still want to be close, I’d very, very much liked that...”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:13 pm
"I cause you enough trouble before. Acting without thinking. Just doing whatever I wanted. I wanted to respect that you needed this time. I was starting to think that this was a bit too much. That you decided it was better for yourself not to be around me. I haven't exactly been a great person around you." It admitted.
It shook his head. "I don't want you gone. I just don't want you to be around and hurting the entire time. I don't want to step on your feelings because I'm too stupid to know what I'm doing. But no. I don't want you to go either, but in the end, I want you to do what is best for you."
Vive. A name to bring happy memories. If leaving made Mali happier, then it served its purpose in that regard.
It wasn't sure what to do now. Everything felt like they were right back to the beginning somehow.
Not sure what was allowable, it held out it's hand. "Friends?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:36 am
"Not the best, but not the worst. I still cherish the time we've spent together." That weighty guilt that had plagued him melted away, leaving him so very relieved. A smile replaced that hurt expression he had before, caused by his own stupidity, and for a moment, all seemed right with the world.
He had his friend back, nothing was more important than that.
But instead of taking that hand that was offered and shaking it, he took a firm hold of Vitriol's arm and pulled him in close. It was the type of embrace he had dreamed about ever since they parted ways. Close, his hand on the back of Vitriol's head while the other held him firmly about his waist.
How long it would last, he didn't know... In this moment, he was happy, and it was all he could think about.
"I won't let myself hurt. And I know better now than to let my own heart get so out of control. We will be fine, Vivre. I won't stop loving you, and I hope that feeling just makes our friendship stronger."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:55 am
It's balance was thrown off as the half-youma was pulled in and soon was held in a tight hug. It wasn't expected but as it settled, Vive didn't oppose it. From here, Mali's words vibrated from the man's chest into his, the sound close to his ears.
Raising his claws, he rose to wrap his arms about the man's back and squeezed tightly back.
"And I'll try and be more aware of myself." He muttered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2019 10:00 am
"Mmm... Alright, I believe you." This was his only chance to be close.. Perhaps the last one he'd ever have, so 'Mali decided to milk it for all it was worth.
One hand loosened on Vivre, instead finding it's place on the smaller man's cheek. It was warm and soft... How could anyone think this wasn't human in anyway made absolutely no sense to 'Mali.
"I'll say it again, I love you. We'll do our best to move forward, and that's all we really can do. And I hope that perhaps one day... I can make you happy, in some way, shape, or form."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 8:21 am
His hand was warm and it stared back, tense.
I love you.
It came softly and with no other intent but upfront honesty. Mali didn't expect anything in response, he knew. Just that he knew this and kept this information in his head.
It should have been a warm thought, but too much in his last had made him feel guilt, sadness, and a slight panic. That this would hurt the other more then it could hurt Wolframite.
"I'd be happy if you didn't run off again."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 8:54 am
"Well, I can promise that bit atleast. I won't run. If you need me, I'm here. I will always be here." Landry withdrew his hand, and pulled away just a bit.
"Not always here, though, as I do need to go home every now and then. But I'm sure you know what I mean. Speaking of which, would you like to come over for a little while? Maybe have dinner or, I'm not sure, just spend some more time together?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 9:25 am
"Only if it doesn't bother you then yes." It had been a very long time since they walked.
Then, with a ripple, Winter stood. It was clear he didn't care to even second guess himself about patrolling anymore tonight.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 11:37 am
Just as Vivre melted away into Winter, 'Mali returned to Landry, powering down without another thought.
It'd only be for a few hours, but they were together again, and no one was going to break that apart.
As naturally as it had happened before, Landry slipped his hand into Winter's, lacing their fingers together and smiled down at him. "It won't bother me, I promise. I'm just happy to be with you again. We'll both be better this time, I swear it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
