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 Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 5:42 pm
<********, door!
The long hard thing that he'd nearly walked straight through while bullishly in his own head; dreads drangling behind in a rhythmic chime before skittering to a lingering wake past him in the aftermath of his full on halt. He had to remember those kinda things, doors - knocking - uhhhmm...something about...
Not protocol, no way.
He never followed that! Bur respect? Yeah! That made sense, *respect*; that was the thing which held him at the barest thread of bay from barging right the hell in on the heels of tent-thousand-and-one adrenaline fueled ideas. That plus a few sleepless nights and a bevy of energy drinks? It could only be a recipe for good times worth having; all at Aquas expense.
Expressly at Aquas expense, because in the midst of all his thinking? He realized he only knew of one person which he could ask -- oh -- more n half of the things sitting leaden atop his head. It was a hell of a thing, wearing the crown of his own musings, but maybe if he passed that off to a friend? No, if he took Aquas blunt n honest humms, his quick enough to cut words, then he could shear his ideas down into something simple enough to be managed.
Plus it'd been months, which felt like years, which felt like --
Oh lookit that, knocking! His fist could function independent of thought, could rap anxious over hardwood enough to echo down an empty hall.
"Aaaaaquaaa!! Its Albite. I brought goodies, n also? Gossip." singsong edged with exhaustion, the sort of tone that threatened 'I can and will wait for daaaysss outside your door.'
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Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2022 7:03 pm
Aquamarine shuffled about the office — his office, now that Jet, being a General-King, had one of his own. The room seemed larger now, without a second desk and all its various accouterments to take up space. It made Aquamarine antsy, like he’d gained some sort of additional prestige without asking for it, even though he could have had his own office years ago. He was used to sharing. He liked sharing. He didn’t like the thought that he might ever have to exist within the Negaverse alone.
The knock was welcome, then, or it would have been if it wasn’t joined by the grating cheer of Albite’s voice.
For some inexplicable reason, Aquamarine didn’t send him away.
“You can come in if it means you’ll stop that racket at my door,” he said.
Instead of turning to greet the annoyance, Aquamarine gathered a few files from his desk and sorted them into the appropriate cabinets. His office was in its usual state, well appointed and neatly kept, except for the papers and stacks of files that littered his desk. His cape and jacket hung from the back of his chair, leaving him in the trousers, boots, and sleeveless undershirt that made up the base of his uniform. Aquamarine paused briefly to scoop his hair out of his face and off his shoulders, tying it back into a messy tail.
“What do you want?” he asked, before Albite could start rambling, his focus not yet drawn away from his work, not even for the promise of goodies and gossip.
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Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2022 9:01 pm
"What no door prizes for remembering to knock! C'mon Aqua...." teasing while he made himself at home, and said nothing about the emptiness left in the wake of Jets absence; the frown that threatened to over-tip his smile got swallowed. The fact that last he'd been in Aquas office Jet'd been moving *out*; it felt like there were whole pieces of the place which needed filling, like he could see the outlines of where Jet's belongings used to be. All these new beginnings that'd happened outta nowhere and brought on a tide of change. N those were all good things! Except...All the ways he knew - personally - that the only way his General would be getting his own space was if there was a tunnel between their offices. Hell, a whole shared wall n a pair of double doors smacked dead center in the archway of them. He'd make people go through Faustite to get to him, but none of that was why he'd come -- not really. "That's fine, but I'm sad you can't imagine I just want to see you sometimes? Especially now. Gotta show off your boys good works at the helm, cause these bat wings didn't make themselves! Took two General Kings, and of course? Yours truly --" the click n shiff of solid door between them n the outside world followed up by a vain assertion n high praise. He couldn't help showing off, just a little bit, figured this brief moment of selfishness was earned after all the fast paced hellfire he'd trod himself through willingly,"--and you wouldn't be-lieve what Jet asked me afore he finished." baited his verbal hook generously, before finding a place absent Aquamarines endless work to set himself still on. If he left out the fact that taking Metallias energy via the conduit of Jet was like swallowing well aged liquor: all that ninety proof prestige, too smooth to burn going down right then, but the next day? The one after that? When the schnapps flavored buzz died off n left only the sobering reality of how dangerous their Sovereigns really were....n Aqua was with one.... And they'd captured a Princess months before?! Done it without that power!How dangerous were Senshi by comparison, if they ever really banded together with their Knights n really tried? How mad was he supposed to be at Sylvite? There was a rare splinter of guilt marring his world view and he didn't have the time to tweeze it out while mulling over every other little thing that would've lead right into the most stable sort of happiness he could envision. *Selfish, selfish, selfish..*
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2022 9:59 am
“Do I look like the sort of person who would reward someone for demonstrating basic manners?” Aquamarine asked, in the tone of voice that made it clear he wasn’t actually looking for an answer.
That Albite could learn and adapt to expectations didn’t warrant praise, it only proved he might be more useful than he’d seemed the first time Aquamarine was unfortunate enough to encounter him. Albite did well enough when they went to rescue Jet and capture the Princess. For that, Aquamarine would continue to tolerate Albite’s occasional need to remind him (loudly) of his existence.
And maybe, eventually, possibly under duress, Aquamarine would admit he didn’t always mind the company.
He turned to face Albite only when his hands were empty of files. If Aquamarine felt anything positive in regards to Albite’s promotion, he didn’t show it. His expression was flat at best. At worst, there might be an edge of disapproval. There certainly wasn’t so much as a hint of surprise. Jet didn’t keep all of his activities as a General-King a secret.
“Knowing Jet, I assume he wants to test your magic,” Aquamarine said, turning away to pick up several more files. He flipped through them, deemed them irrelevant to his work, and sorted them into cabinets accordingly. “That’s what he does. It helps to know how you can be best utilized in battle, should he need you for a mission. Besides that, I suspect he’d like to build up a tolerance to Senshi magic if he can, but he won’t admit to that because he’d have to admit to putting himself in danger to accomplish it. Moreover, understanding what you’re capable of would be a benefit to us should you decide to turn traitor. You Senshi don’t seem to change much, in my experience.”
Aquamarine let his attention return to Albite, gaze critical, face perpetually marred by a frown. “It’s a shame the extra power didn’t do much for your state of dress.” Far too much skin remained exposed, in Aquamarine’s opinion. “Or your behavior.”
Albite’s rambling ways often took time to filter through Aquamarine’s attempts at straightforward thinking. He focused on what seemed to be the important bits, and tried to ignore the rest, unless his brain caught on something after the fact which he couldn’t let slide.
Thus, after some delay, Aquamarine cringed with disgust and added, “And don’t call Jet my boy. He’s a grown man.”
Young still, sure, but he wasn’t anyone’s boy.
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 4:56 pm
He met Aquas placid wall of disparagement with utter joy, there was something about the way the blonds features ticked towards a frown; like the world couldn't' begin to end quickly enough, that made Albites huge heart *sing*! Cause if Aqua *really* hadn't wanted to see him? N maybe he couldn't snap his fingers n bounce him off with just a summons anymore ---- but? *But but but --* he'd watched the guy fend off a Princess, for ******** sake. The second he ended up on the business end of that sharper n s**t sword, maybe then he'd learn how to take a hint with some sort of sincerity. But until that day came? He couldn't even take the Generals continued work as dismissal, nah, instead he found himself envious of that level of multitasking -- watchful auburn eyes n bobbing head full of nods -- how Aqua was ever productive; seemed to keep track of Albites little run-ons even mid-read, over what he assumed was some pertinent piece of paperwork or another. " *Suchashame--* Oh! Just consider it tactical, yeah? Like, if it attracts? It distracts. You try n tell me that some of what most Senshi are outfitted with ain't meant to catch an eye or twelve...I'll tell you it totally serves a purpose. Just not the 'defensive kind', and maybe not even the 'offensive sort', either, but definitely a purpose!" ticking the distant points off, forefinger to thumb, an embossed black-bone n flame band ever more obvious on the fourth finger there; while he ran off bullshit. Cause he'd be damned if he knew how any Senshi magic actually worked. Coulda dubbed it all one of Metallias grand pranks: 'That one time Albite *almost* put on a shirt' - a likely title for every single one of his upgrades thusfar. He couldn't complain, really, would've taken less instead of the more he'd gotten threadcount-wise; though he had to admit that the boots were a real nice touch. Even if the hair was ever a weighty mess to wrangle. "As long as you're good with it," all that restless eagerness bled into relief, cause if Aqua knew? Like this were some sorta thing Jet did on the regular. He wouldn't've thought -- save for how the General'd offered way back in November during that orientee' training. It'd seemed so different though, more a broad spectrum offer from a man wanting his people prepared, n far less personal as this, but if he had Aquas approval? "the sparring thing. Seemed only right to ask, especially since he's -- ah, your..." The two of them were so cool--"Your man, then. Speaking of -- you two, are you like, I mean..... yannooo?" slow stumble over rocky terrain, before he simply hit go and sped his words off a cliff entirely. He was lost for asking, couldn't actually remember if Aqua'd mentioned it before, or if it was just his wild hunch since they were clearly together! "If you guys're married? Not that its any of my business! But.....I've got this -- huhm - it's *not* a dilemma? More a work in progress, and I know about as many married couples as I do mermaids in the sea-- sooo...." and if the thought that it seemed on the outside like Aqua n Jet had their s**t together? Like at their core they functioned in a way where it was all built on some good kinda foundation... Well, he'd just pour all his wild eyed hope and admiration into every long, loud, look he hedged Aquas way. Would morse out something like 'please' right alongside 'forgiveme'.
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Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 8:43 am
Aquamarine’s expression began to pucker as his brain sped to process several things at once. The first being Albite’s rambling speech — not always difficult to keep track of, but tedious. The second being the band that had not been on Albite’s finger before —- easy to explain away as an addition to his attire via promotion, except for the rather conspicuous placement of it. (Aquamarine would have retched at the thought that crossed his mind then, but he told himself it couldn’t be what it seemed. Surely not. The placement was a coincidence.) The third being Jet, and Ablite’s insistence on referring to him by a possessive rather than just by who he was.
Then the rambling continued onto a subject Aquamarine never discussed.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, expression sliding back into a disapproving frown. Then, despite all the rigid control he attempted to exert over himself, Aquamarine’s cheeks filled with the faintest hint of color.
He hoped he looked annoyed instead of embarrassed.
“We’re—”
The word stuck in his throat. Married. He hadn’t said it once since the day they signed that damned paper. There didn’t seem to be any reason to. He and Jet knew what they were to one another. There was no point in making a big to-do about it. They certainly did their best to keep their relationship professional within the Dark Kingdom, though perhaps they’d slipped once or twice more recently.
Aquamarine liked to think it wasn’t obvious, that he wasn’t obvious. That anyone could look at him and read the emotions off of his face was a discomforting thought.
Confronted about it now, he couldn’t just deny it. Jet was a General King. Any number of simpering underlings could decide they might like the prestige of earning his favor. Aquamarine couldn’t let anyone think they had a chance — not without a fight, anyway.
“Yes, we’re—”
Stuck in his throat again. Aquamarine tried to clear the clog, but it was a stubborn thing. The color in his cheeks darkened.
He glared at Albite for causing it.
“Are you asking for advice?” he finally asked, because caustic incredulity was better than a confession.
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Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 4:41 pm
The biggest puppy-brown eyes flashed gleefully Aqua's way, it was a whole ordeal to stay silent throughout, but he persevered! Held his breath so long he felt he might die; saw fuzzy spots that spelt his doom, but waited patiently. Nodded 'yes' enough to cause a skitter n jangle cacophony where various hair rings n spiked tips caught over floor n chair alike. Because Aqua had it spot on, as always. Knew what he was asking after, even before knew how to explain it. Not that Aqua looked super happy about knowing..Albite would, from that point on, declare the combination of facial features before him as Aquas 'Pooping Face'; some curiously brilliant mix between 'is that cat s**t I smell?' and 'constipation'. Oh! Or, or, orrr... maybe Aqua was just some brand new kind of angry? That. That would've been fascinating, if he'd managed to cause some freshly unheard of emotional unrest! Albite wanted it all diagramed, mapped, n detailed for his express use, if only so he could better navigate his nega-friends moods. All of Aquas complexity, n how he'd managed to get so far...kept it together... kept Jet alive...which seemed a ******** feat! Considering the poor guys penchant for falling into traps, prisons, and openly asking to spar randos at his own risk. Something Aqua knew well enough to have headed off an answer of 'why' at the pass. Which meant it could've been a common thing, Jet liking to ride the wilder side of life? Or it was that the biggest fish had the brightest targets on their backs. Something Albite didn't envy, for every time Eion'd come home injured, or one of his team mates, or.. "You're amazing, is what you are! And yes? I mean, okay - yes, advice, but also? I wanna float the idea Jet's way of letting Me n' Faustite use some room in the Citadel for the ceremony? There's all these big empty spaces...n the hospital party was a blast...." the tangent train rolled into the station and Albite tripped on the rails. Huffed a sigh and dragged his words back by some invisible main force. "That is! I want your advice on how to do a wedding, like, properly? We made each other rings, the vows'll happen when they do, but all the pomp n circumstance that comes before the 'I-do's'? It feels like something that should be easy to plan," it should've been. They could agree on food, attendees, a big space, plating arrangements, and the absence of legally binding documents, because <******** how? But also, he didn't care if there was a paper to sign their names onto -- if the taxes would be split or the couches cut in two -- just that everyone was happy -- that Eion was happy,"n suddenly aint..."
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2022 7:19 am
Aquamarine tried to maintain control. That was what he did, who he was, probably what he would always be. Ice cold. Bitchy. All work and no play. Where fun went to die. He said what he meant, meant what he said, and rarely had any slip ups (unless feelings happened to be the subject at hand, which he avoided at all costs). His time in the Negaverse had taught him that no one truly cared who he could have been so long as who he was served to their benefit, so he repressed the rest, kept it buried so far down it either no longer existed or seeped out so rarely any minor deviation in his behavior might seem uncharacteristic.
So he tried to keep a straight face, stood there rigid, motionless, back straight, feet firmly set against the ground, arms by his sides. Focus on one ridiculous thing at a time, he told himself.
It was supremely difficult. The first sign of failure came in a minor twitch by the corner of his mouth.
“You want me,” he began slowly, “to tell you,” he paused for a breath, “how to plan a wedding?”
What makes anyone think I know how to plan a wedding?
Was it the face? All that blond prettiness he inherited from his mother? Maybe it made him seem petty and superficial, like all those well-to-do assholes he grew up around, constantly striving to upstage one another at birthdays and weddings and holidays and whatever other excuse they could come up with to show off at a party. Was it the formal behavior? Had it backfired, made people think he thought ceremonial occasions worth all the trouble that went into planning them? Did he seem like the sort of person who cared about place settings and party favors and extravagant cakes?
“We didn’t have a—” he tried to explain, but found it difficult to say the word wedding twice. He and Jet weren’t the traditional wedding type. “We went to the courthouse. The justice of the peace said whatever he said. We signed the paper. Our witnesses were two random strangers who happened to be there at the same time. Jet barely combed his hair that morning. I wore ripped jeans and a shirt that said Pizza Slut.”
A single crack broke through Aquamarine’s stern demeanor. He snickered once, a quiet sound through his nose he might have been able to disguise as an aborted sneeze, if that one brief lapse wasn’t enough to break him entirely.
Aquamarine dissolved into laughter — not loud, but unrelenting, almost hysterical, the sort of laughter that when buried as long as he typically buried amusement could not be controlled once released.
He didn’t know what it was. The absurdity of it all, probably. Albite calling the castle a citadel like it wasn’t a monstrous shell of something long past its prime, like the city beyond wasn’t some decrepit hellscape with minimal function, like weddings belonged there. Albite coming to him for advice in the first place, much less advice on how to get married, as if Aquamarine would have any tips beyond sign a paper, don’t discuss it after. Albite marrying Faustite of all people. Faustite! Wasn’t he twelve? (Aquamarine knew very well he was not twelve.)
“F-Faustite…” Aquamarine tried to breathe somewhere within the laughter. “You want me... to tell you... how to plan a wedding... so you can get married... to Faustite!”
It was too much.Shiningamisgirl The last time he laughed so hard he was giggling with Jet about Axinite's snake.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:53 am
Oh, well, ********, now it was far beyond a want. Now? He absolutely, positively, completely and utterly N E E D E D Aqua to tell him, just, goddamned near everything he knew! Wanted the ice prince melted into a puddle of breathless giggles to help him pick table runners and centerpieces - could have his discerning opinion on call while him n Faustite figured out which color n shape of feral Youma they should have serving hors d'oeuvres from stone platters, or handing out tiny gift bags to guests; how many they'd need to have guarding the bar -- just in case. Which, theyd' need some tall gangly beasties, probably, but sometimes he wasn't sure how many legs were too many to be 'acceptable' at a wedding party? Plus? If anyone could get a good read on exactly how 'Open' their very necessary bar would have to be...Aqua was the man for it, obviously! Especially with how happy Aqua seemed just to be asked, he'd never seen the guy smile so much before! Even if the laugh took on a manic edge, put the sorta color in his cheeks that made him worry about the General passing out. It was probably fine. Albite laughed like that too, sometimes. Could totally relate to being overwhelmed with joy at the drop of a hat -- of many, many, ten pound hats at once, even. Albite was just - glee - hung on every word like the wedding the blond was detailing had been a hitch-free dream, complete with castle, singing animal servants, and a rocking honeymoon to follow. Albite had met Jet after all, had inklings about Aqua, n he was damn sure that the honeymoon was bed-breaking amounts of badass wound round good times! So he nodded.Waited for a pause -- knew he was going to get Faustite an oversized 'Sausage Slut' shirt the first chance he got. With extra condiment embroidery. For both comfort and accuracy. Maybe as a thermal sweater, since the guy was always so cold. Nodded and stood and -- "YES! -- Wait -- No. I don't want you to just tell me, Aqua. Oh-no, m'ah visual learner at best. Tactile -- kinesthesisz -- whatever. No, what I really want? Is for you to ' Help Me', plan My n Faustites wedding. It'll be even easier then yours was! No courts to involve, no papers to sign, we don't even have to wear clothes - technically - n a brush ain't running through this, so?" and now that he had Aquas undivided attention, had his ear, he couldn't have begun to hold still, motion on motion, hands and mouth. He had to stand at one point, just to point all his points out on his fingers while he paced. Had to make it very clear *why* he thought Aqua wasn't just a good idea, but the best damn idea he'd had that year, (besides putting a ring on Faustite, of course) but that went without saying. "S'just - a huge party - open bar, table runners, gift registry, etheopian food, lights, youma, everyone we can imagine inviting to attend! You guys've known Faustite how long now, yeh? Won't have to worry about venue, or even the more complicated things, but -- getting someone to help with the stressful bits of minutia that go into alluv this!" "I have so many ideas, n I can never make up my mind, and you've been married for more n a day, clearly, right --" all the ways he wanted to be a good husband, this was part of it, wasn't it? Adding some brief levity to all the things he knew his fireheart could be secretly stressing about, by making sure they were taken care of! "-- and you're super logical, but you've probably got questions!" zipped his lower lip briefly between a latch of teeth, because he could stop talking over Aquas laughter long enough to give him a chance to -- well, breathe! For one. N ask him whatever, for another. Cause it only made sense the guy'd wanna know -- things, maybe? Albite wanted to know things, that was for sure! Like, if Aqua still had that shirt -- if he'd wear it to Albite n Faustites wedding -- if Jet's heart curls were natural as his penchant for putting himself in danger? ********, while he was at it? Maybe he'd figure out if Aqua'd also have ideas for home goods, because furnishing a house south of the citadel was so damned taxing on every fiber of his being. Was there s**t couples' were supposed to ask for? He just didn't 'do' Interior design. Really hoped Faustite would wrangle the likes of Ren into furnishing the thing wholesale... Sunshine Alouette Aqua deserves a good laugh! Albite's never been happier~
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Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2022 4:44 pm
Aquamarine laughed until he couldn’t laugh anymore, until his face was hot and red, until his stomach hurt from it, until he could barely draw any air. He crossed his arms over his aching midsection like he could hold himself together, bent a bit like a change in position might encourage more air into his lungs. He tried to listen to Albite, knew a lot was said, but none of it eased the laughter. If anything, it encouraged him to laugh harder.
Eventually, he stopped — not because he managed to wrestle control over himself, but because his body could no longer sustain it. He choked off with a cough, then breathed deeply. Aquamarine snickered and almost fell to pieces again, but another cough cut him off before he could. He swallowed it down and fanned the heat from his face with the rapid flap of a hand. His eyes burned with tears of mirth he brushed aside before they could fall.
He looked at Albite with a sort of horrified disbelief, mixed with something that, from Aquamarine, passed for amusement.
“In the interest of fairness, I think you should know what you’d be getting yourself into,” Aquamarine said.
He hadn’t thought discussing his own marriage would be encouraging. He’d done it to dissuade him, to prove to Albite that he had no idea what went into a wedding beyond the most basic. They invited no friends. They made no grand announcement. There were no drinks, no decorations, no gifts. They simply went and did it, took a selfie to commemorate the occasion, then returned home and went about their day as usual. He couldn’t even remember what they ate that day. There was no music, no toasts or speeches. They never went on a honeymoon.
“I’m not a wedding planner. I work in retail. I have no interest in planning any parties for anyone, unless that planning involves making it the tackiest event on the planet out of spite. I don’t know anything about table runners or gift registries or Ethiopian food. If it was up to me, no one would be invited, because I happen to think weddings are a waste of time, especially a wedding that wouldn’t even result in any legal benefits. Your colors would be chartreuse and magenta. Your first dance would be to Girl on Fire. Maybe I could be convinced, out of the goodness of my heart, to have some bland, robotic tone voiceover the girl with boy, if the misgendering would be an issue, but that’s as far as my kindness extends.”
Aquamarine saw no point in pretending to be a better person than he was. Rarely did he care for anyone or anything that wasn’t Jet or himself.
“I don’t know anything about Faustite, other than that he’s been in the Negaverse for who knows how many years. He’s part youma. Once he said he wanted to burn my face off, or the youma part of him did, though I personally don’t see much of a distinction between the two, because he is distant, and I am distant, and that’s suited me fine. I don’t need to know him to work with him. I don’t know you. I don’t know who you are beneath all this,” he waved a careless hand toward Albite and his ridiculous Senshi attire, “and I generally don’t care to find out. Knowing either of you probably wouldn’t even change anything. I’d still make your wedding the ugliest thing I could possibly imagine.
“Surely there’s someone on your team who’d care enough to put more of an effort into making it what you want than I would,” Aquamarine concluded, which was about as considerate as he would ever be.
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Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 1:56 am
So Aqua admitted he had a heart and that there was goodness in it!! Albite was over the moon, a fond fool for the way he found Aquas’s breathlessness some-kinda beautiful; for all that the blond in blues looked like he was steps away from being deceased. It was still nice to see him genuinely happy for once! Waru wanted more, that stricken joy, the hitched wheeze n dawning horror of realization. His for the taking, like some small, private Win of Friendship! That Aqua didn't know Him or Eion from Adam? Easily fixed. “ I — am Waruhiu Aruallo Ushindi, and you? Should come shopping with me,” near enough a demand as Albite could manage with his palms flat on the table, and a switchblade grin; all sorts of semi-sweet-seriousness, "Cause first, I’mma convince the sovereigns of all the ‘ whys’ for this needing to happen — and then? We’re gonna glam the ******** out of every room in this dilapidated, yo-rat infested, dust choked, * Citadel* that I deem party necessary. From Ballrooms to Orgy-halls. What is ugly anyways? What fashion police exist around here to say <********>“ a gesture to himself, to the whole of the place, because clearly? Metallia - *<******** it*- probably even Cosmos herself! Were all in desperate and dire need of not only maids, but also costume designers. The range already veered from near-naked to full blown ball gowns and everything in between! Powered life, a rainbow washed acid trip, and their governing bodies had licked the spiked punch bowl dry. It was a glorious thing! He loved it. And truly? What did Albite actually care for ‘pretty’ or ‘ matching’; the most lovely of things - his husband to be - * their team* - people like Aqua. Their attendance was what mattered most. Their good time. Things like napkin patterns n seating arrangements were just secondary dressage, not necessities. Albite knew already there'd be no true dress code to fopaux, no standard 'bride n groom' attire to accidently outshine or undermine. Faustite wore whatever the ******** he wanted that was comfortable on the daily, n Albite wore nothing the ******** at all; when he could get away with it. Their color palette? A mad mashup. Their love? Absolute insanity! If the room reflected that, all the better, far as he was concerned; so long as everyone had a good time. Whatever the foundation for that needed to look like. “Y'gotta be kinder with yourself, Aqua, seriously," the sigh for this felt familiar, like the ones he saved for Faustite on his hungriest days. He'd never personally known Aqua to be some iced up mega b***h, and didn't need a paid expert anymore than he needed the guy to know them both down to their marrow. He'd still easily agree that 'Girl on Fire' was getting added to the play-list he was just now starting; cause he did spend a lot of time burning..… unless of course Aqua meant Faustite? In which case, ********, they'd karaoke that s**t. Youma DJ, mic's for all the very drunk songbirds; some backup tech inclined humans in case the youma got snackish about the amount of Senshi that'd be present, "S'far as I'm concerned? You are one of my friends, n you are so damn honest about everything. How could I not come to you n ask?!” Cause he would have other people to help with things, he was sure; could delegate and divi up areas appropriately across his team, find things him n Ei’s various friends could aid with easily, but only Aqua would tell him leopard print made his a** look fat, and to buy it and bulk, and maybe — * just maybe* — get him to change his mind and go with jet-black, or chartreuse? Cause chartreuse was a badass color! He’d have to put magenta on the list under ‘accent colors’, cause having it as a main thing? Meh…“N’less, are you genuinely saying 'No' to me? To picking out, on someone-elses dime, drinks for the open-bar event of the century!?” and there was some true hint of confusion buried deep under scrunched brows. Like he couldn't quite believe it even as the response fell out his mouth. Surely Aqua wasn't trying to word-walk his way outta this! Ridiculous. Crazy. He was just being - what - shy? Aloof? One-ah those words that defined people with modesty, that he couldn'tve possibly known with his inherent shamelessness. "Drinks, Aqua, think of all the free drinks! Just -- and couples dances ...and...all the fun you'll have....annnddd..." Did he need to go on!? Could. Could definitely. Wondered if he should set up shop in Jet's empty space; bed-less now, a shame - but! Meant a nice sleeping-bag could fit just as easily in the openness, n let him spend time explaining in deep-deep-deep detail -- why he valued Aquas -- well, his 'Aquaness'.
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 10:22 am
Aquamarine had a heart. Maybe it was small, and dark, steeped in Chaos like his starseed, but it was there. It beat with life, with his emotions, as much as he tried to mask them. He gave it to Jet, let Jet fill all the voids left by a life and a family that didn’t quite suit him anymore, let Jet claim it, like fingers wrapped around his soul.
It was a strength and a weakness, and, occasionally, out of his control.
He settled further, let a frown crawl back into place. He watched Albite, let all the ridiculous things he said percolate into his brain. Aquamarine didn’t care about any of it. Not really. Ballrooms. Orgy-halls? (He sneered in disgust.) Youma. Kindness. Friends. Vows. Dancing. (He never even danced with Jet, at least not any dance that didn’t involve the absence of clothes and whatever solid surface they could find.) Music was fine. He liked music. Alcohol was tolerable, because it made other people tolerable. (Maybe it would make dancing tolerable. Maybe it would make romance less disgusting.)
Albite, and Faustite — Aquamarine didn’t care about them either, not who they were, only what they were capable of, only what they could offer the Negaverse (but mostly Jet, who was the only thing that mattered).
But maybe he could, in his own way, find some sort of acceptance. Or resignation. Albite would not relent. Aquamarine knew that well enough, didn’t need to know him to learn his behavior from experience. Albite wanted his help for whatever ridiculous reason got lost in all his ridiculous words, and Aquamarine found himself… not touched... but just amused enough that he thought maybe he could. Maybe helping with this monstrosity of a wedding might be fun.
Very rarely did Aquamarine allow himself to have fun.
So he stared at Albite, tried to see whoever Waruhiu was beneath the glamor.
“I’m not saying ‘no,’” he said, all cold professionalism again. That was what he knew. That was where he found comfort here, when he wasn’t snarling at someone for their incompetence.
Aquamarine heaved a quiet sigh. “Fine. I’ll do it. You’ve been warned. If you’re fool enough to want my help anyway…”
Perhaps it was fitting. The chaos of it all.
“I doubt you’ll need to do much convincing with the Sovereigns. Lepidolite seems the type to like any excuse for a party, and Jet’s just soft-hearted enough to agree even if he wouldn’t understand the point of it all.”
Aquamarine paused, let himself consider things beyond Albite and Albite’s enthusiasm. “Does Faustite know you’re asking for my help?”
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 6:18 pm
It wasn't a no!!Albite was one overheated excitable emotion away from heaving himself over Aquas well maintained office desk and tackling the blond into the kind of hug that woulda surely ended with him stabbed, just a little, (gently even and in a possibly non-lethal spot!) and he decided it would've been fully ten-thousand-percent worth it! Because Aqua wasn't outright saying no! Warned, appreciative, and warmed by the fact that Aqua would put up with him at all! He felt more champion than fool in that moment. Felt his wild grin break into dawning realization all over his face, an easy shrug of well rounded shoulders, because what Faustite didn't know wouldn't hurt him. " N o p e - it's fine though! Not like I'm asking you to help me plan his bachelors party, or whatever that kinda bacchanal would look like for Faustite?" filled to the brim with men, for one, he was sure. Likely also full of Faustites favorite things; like enough alcohol, glitter and eyeshadow to coat an entire city in. Wait.....Maybe he should've been asking Aqua to plan the bachelors party? No -- no -- that was -- maybe someone elses duty? Maybe one bit of strenuous extra too much for his crackling braincells to process right then. That n he didn't wanna heap any other kinds of undue stress on toppa peoples too full plates. "Sides, you'll also technically be helping me fulfill the 'foundational superstition' part of my wedding plans. Yanno, the whole 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' bit. You're very much -- uhm -- many of those things, Aqua" bit lip, fingers drumming absently over lacquered wood, because clearly the cogs were sent turning upstairs. What if Aqua was saying Faustite should've known about his inclusion as 'helper extraordinaire', "but if you need him to know? He's a call away - hell - we can go see him, even, since I can teleport real good now! No more begging smooth rides from y'all. We could get him notified, then? I can take you swatch shopping, wine tasting," the list went on, even as he shook his head at the idea of taking any-kinda overt advantage of the others. Especially Jet. Jet needed, like, swaddling in a weighted blanket and a very long, knife free, no-work, all play vacation, "and we can be people together, for like, longer than five whole-a** minutes!" It was going to be amazing!Could axinite cake as well as he could cookie? Could Lepidolite cut a suspiciously large check without asking too many questions? Would Laurles attend with her New Alien friends!? He knew for damned sure Hess would hide whatever bodies accidently showed up in the making of 'wedding', just in case, always good to have back up plans for those sorts of occurrences.... A m a z i n g!
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2022 9:29 am
The longer this exchange went on, the more Aquamarine began to think he didn’t have the brain capacity for it. Or the capacity for… something. Kindness? Consideration? The part of him that understood politeness and social niceties was fairly certain Faustite should be made aware of his inclusion in what was sure to be an absolute monstrosity of a wedding, but the part him him that didn’t want to deal with people more than he had to thought it was Albite’s business to do the informing.
They were partners. Boyfriends. Future husbands. Whatever. The very idea of it all was enough to leave Aquamarine feeling vaguely unsettled. He wasn’t a social being. He had his Person, and his Person was enough for him.
“Be people...” Aquamarine said, like the concept was completely foreign to him.
People were tedious. More so than paperwork. Aquamarine would rather bury himself in plotting missions and writing reports than allow himself to be people with anyone. Being people meant introductions and conversations and interactions that he didn’t particularly care to engage in. It meant exposing himself to others, revealing a face he hadn’t shown anyone, except Jet, and the occasional medic (and Seraphinite, but Aquamarine didn’t often bother to include him until he had to).
But he couldn’t exactly help plan a wedding without, in some ways, being a person. It wasn’t as if the Dark Kingdom had bridal salons or a Party City, or… wherever people went to pick out swatches and décor.
Aquamarine flapped a hand around dismissively. “Just… tell me when you want to do all this. Not now,” he added with a deepening frown and a warning gleam to his eyes. “I’m not going to drop everything at a moment’s notice to deal with Faustite or… be people. Schedule something. I work Monday through Friday, but weekends are generally free, so… decide, and then tell me, and… we can go somewhere. Just us, or... with Jet and Faustite. It doesn't matter, I don't care. In the meantime, I can talk to Jet about using the castle, and he can put a good word in with the Queen, but convincing the rest is up to you.”
To dispel any perceived awkwardness, Aquamarine began to rifle through papers and files again, glancing down at a random folder that held information on… something. He didn’t read it, simply cast it aside before grabbing another one. He needed to seem busy. He needed to distract himself from… this.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2022 2:19 pm
"Ugghhh, fineeeeee --- I'll schedule something ******** normally, for once. Just for you," the way his face fell, mock groan for this new need, but already his mind was going. The smoke could be seen from space, the paramedics were on their way to resuscitate the tiny little mind workers that'd died in a synapse fire...It was joy that'd killed them. Sheer joy, and now? ********, now! He needed them alive enough to schedule something on a weekend. Maybe on a Sunday? Maybe a week from now...or two? Maybe he'd schedule in 'rain-checks' and 'in case the world ends call this' to his scheduled scheduling -- Cause s**t did dun damn well happen out in DC. N he'd give Aqua time to adjust to the idea without melting into a puddle, like those bags of sourpatchkids he'd forgotten in the back of his truck that one time. Poor sourbabies...resigned to the bottom of a vodka jar for taste now that their gummied existences had expired. "M'thinking a Sunday. We'll get it hashed out for times n places aforehand. I'll hit you up through the tablet, if you don't respond to the tablet? I'll find you. Oooh! Tell Jet to take a break, and Laurels she'd be hot in pants, and Aqua?" was that all one sentence? One breath of air? Albite smiled around the end of a run-on, found he had enough oxygen left burning about to breath a few more syllables into a smile that managed to be soft and warm as one of Axinites fresh ginger-cookies. A look that was all gratitude, despite the warnings he was gonna heed, despite the fact that he couldn't have everything he wanted right, then, there, 'now'. " Thank you." serious sincerity tagged onto the end of goodbyes and ' imma-tell-my-firebrand, brb's', before outright teleporting outta the room, because he could be merciful as well as kind, and because he couldn't leap Aquas desk when the guy was clearly getting into something that'd keep him busy till he vanished from same said space. But that was also fine. He'd get his hug one of these days! Maybe after enough wine that a tasting agency kicked them the ******** out, that s**t was always fun - being tipsy on some one else dime.
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