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 Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 6:16 pm
Quote: When Evil Takes Root (15) : Destiny City is always being expanded and renovated, so controlled forest fires and forest demolition are common enough. And yet, the forests seem bigger. Darker. There’s no logical explanation to it, but logic has nothing to do with it if you pay enough attention. Sometimes, the trees seem to move--more than just how the wind manipulates them. Sometimes, a particularly mangled tree with sharp bark and long, clawlike branches will stand out amongst the others. It isn’t always in the same place, and it isn’t always alone. They can look like normal trees–until they don’t. And by the time you notice, you’re too close to stop them. In the blink of an eye, they’re upon you. They don’t quite run as much as they do slither, and their branches are always longer than they appear. Especially when they are slashing at you or trying to squeeze you. Some of the trees have strangely human shapes molded into them, covered in dark bark. Hopefully it’s just your imagination but you really shouldn’t try to find out what happens if one of them manages to catch you. Any area with one of these trees will feel unnaturally heavy, and when they have congregated it feels exhausting, as if they are draining the energy right out of the air–and you. They fear only fire and seem to feel pain; if you hack at their branches or peel their bark, they bleed. If in too much danger, they will flee into the trees. Once you lose sight of them, it’s impossible to find them again–unless they want you to.
Note: If you choose to encounter these strange tree-like monsters, your character will recognize they are not youma. The trees either do not understand or do not care to listen to human words. It will always disappear back into the forest before it can be caught or killed, and if any bark or branches are broken off of it then these will quickly wither and petrify. Under close scrutiny they appear to be normal wood though they do not match anything Earth has seen and when dated may seem to be up to two hundred years old. This RP can be used as a battle requirement as long as there are two powered characters involved; you must be interacting with another player’s powered character. This does not count as the ‘one youma battle’ per stage for growth. This can only be used as a battle requirement once per character, but there is no limitation for how many times a player can use this prompt. Even if your character falls unconscious or becomes trapped by the tree, they must be rescued, either by someone else or a bystander. They may wake up somewhere else, away from the trees and with no explanation, but they will feel exhausted and will be nutrient deficient.
Space sucked, the city sucked, and to be honest, René wanted nothing more than to take a trip back out of the country but he knew he couldn’t. So the next best thing would be to see if he could convince his little blond to leave the city or maybe go for some sort of hike maybe. Anything to try and just get away from all the bullshit that had happened so far during this sort of Star themed festival. So when he closed up his shop for the weekend, he had a bag packed from his apartment with some small things that would be good for a hike. His normal and nice dress shoes were swapped out for a bit more fashionable yet functional hiking shoes. If anything he’d like to avoid breaking his ankle again, he was still getting over having a back full of glass and some acid burns on his skin. The drive over had him searching for little places to go where there were walking paths or more trees. It would be nice and maybe…. The little blanket he had packed would work as a nice thing to lay them down on and have some other fun in the woods. Anything could happen but he just wanted to avoid all the business in the city. Letting himself into their home, he set his bag down near the coat closet and kneeled down to take his shoes off. They didn’t come off as easily as his normal ones but that was because they had a lot more support and sturdiness to them. “Mon ange, I’m home. I have a surprise planned for you if you’re not busy tonight and maybe tomorrow?” Calling out as he looked around the living room, they weren’t napping on the couch this time so they might be in the kitchen or maybe laying in bed. He was used to them lazing around, and found it quite cute even in comparison to the battle-ready way he’d seen them up in space.
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 7:05 pm
Work was slow but took time, it wasn’t as intense as he might have liked, but he did get things done. He was able to work from home, or an office if he chose, and today he’d been working from home so once he’d finished work he’d decided to spend some time painting, and he got lost in it.
So lost in it that time had slipped by and Rene was calling out for him, he hadn’t even heard him arrive. “Up stairs in the studio.” The small room he used for painting, which housed many paintings of his, it was a somewhat cluttered room of canvases that were paint don and some blanks for himself to work on.
Sitting on a table, high enough he didn’t have to reach down, was a pitcher and a glass for him so he didn’t need to wander downstairs for a drink - he had it right here. “I finished work early so I decided to spend my time well.” Rather than taking a nap, which was tempting. Calling out, in the hopes they’d heard him. He was still sitting facing his painting whilst looking over his shoulder - waiting for Rene to arrive in the small room.
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 7:10 pm
Hearing a faint voice, he figured they were upstairs in the studio even if he couldn’t quite hear the words as clearly through the floor. Shuffling his jacket off and hanging it up, he headed upstairs and peeked into the studio. “Ah, working on something after work today?” Easing into the space, he wrapped his arms around them and hugged them while looking over the painting they were working on. Another floral still life, no people as usual but he was used to that and they style in which they painted.
“Not sure if you heard me mon ange but I had an idea for a night out if you don’t have work tomorrow?” Sometimes work came on the weekend for the blonde and he never knew exactly when things would pop up. It was a bit odd to have them working, something he had known would come up after they graduated but he’d gotten used to them having him over on the weekends and doing things.
“I wanted to maybe go on a hike, something a bit outside this city and craziness. If you want of course. I know you looked at me in horror when I brought up the topic in winter with you. Such wounding words from you, but it’s alright I love you still.” Teasing as he pecked at their cheek lightly, Rene couldn’t help but drift his hands over them slowly.
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 7:10 pm
“No work tomorrow.” Even when he did work on weekends he made sure Rene was over, it wasn’t like he worked the whole weekend and had no time for himself. Alexandre wouldn’t turn the other away even if that were the case, he’d just learn to work while sitting on the couch with Rene or similar. Leaning back in to the others arms, setting his paintbrush down, he took a moment to just savor the feeling.
The painting today was an evening piece with florals, as usual, and gave way to a forest of various dark green colors. “An idea for tomorrow…” Trailing off as Rene went on to explain his idea, a hike, he wasn’t too surprised. He knew his partner liked to go hiking and go for walks, not things he was fond of, the only walks he took were at night when patrolling. He ran every morning or evening, sometimes both, but a hike in the woods was not something he’d ever done.
Leaning into the little kiss he sighed softly. “I still don’t like the idea, walking about in nature, but you did survive space and that was a lot for you. I’ll go on a hike with you.” Because his partner had been good and had survived space, he still felt bad for pulling them along with him into space. If he hadn’t gone Rene wouldn’t have, because he knew if he was going Rene was going to join him. It was just how things went - if he went Rene went. “We’ll have to pack a fair amount of food incase anything happens though.” And drinks, because that made sense if they were going to be wandering about the woods. He was surprised the city, and all its dangerous wild magic, hadn’t decided to place a home in the woods made of sweets with a witch living inside and turned things into a real life Hansel and Grettle. Though he figured it was really just a matter of time before they got something like that as well, maybe this Halloween even.
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 7:19 pm
“That’s good, then we don’t have to hurry back.” It meant they could find a nice place to sit and maybe eat while on the hike, after he scouted out and stomped any spiders before the other saw them. He’d seen them pass out from seeing one and had brought them to Lorcan but now at least he knew how to sort of work them through it when he missed scooting one of the eight legged creatures back outside where they belonged.
“Thank you mon ange, I need a bit of a break from the weirdness and it’ll be nice going on a hike.” Just some peaceful time out on the trails beneath the trees with his little angel, it sounded great after all the chaos and sci-fi horror he’d seen up at that museum in space. “We can take sandwiches or something if you’d like? It might be nice to have a snack.”
Another peck to their cheek and he was heading back downstairs to raid the fridge for drinks and things to add to the bag he’d already packed for this. “I’ll start getting things ready, hurry down?”
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 7:43 pm
"No, we don't have to hurry back. I have, as of recent, considered getting a second cell phone - for work only. That way my days off I can turn my work phone off and focus on other things." It wans't like his job would be upset, they'd just grab someone else, if it was his day off it was his day off to do with as he pleased...and he was considering making sure that happened.
"Some soup and sandwiches would be good, we can pack a small dessert as well, since you do have a sweet tooth, no wine though. Not while we're off in the woods." Sighing he nodded hsi head slwoly and once Rene had left, after that little peck on his cheek, and he went to put his paints and supplies away before moving to his room so he could take a fast shower - get the paint off his hands and arm where he'd spattered some earlier.
It was a quick shower, far quicker than he normally took, and after drying off and changing he made his wayt down the stairs. He honestly wasn't sure he had any appropriate clothing...Rene would know better though. Would what he wore for his morning, and evening, runs work or did he need somrhing else? Leaning agains tthe entrence to the kitchen his head tilted as he watched Rene. "What shoudl i pack as fara s clothing goes....and what else do we need?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2024 9:33 am
It sounded like a good idea, one he might consider as well if things got a bit bigger with his shop. As it stood, his customers were patient on responses to emails or messages when it came to requests about items or scheduling pick ups.
The mention of no wine was a bit sad but he could understand their worry about things, plus if he really wanted some he had his hydro flask of wine in subspace still. So he went about pulling out things from the fridge so that the other could make soup as well as a few sandwiches. Reaching up into one of the taller cabinets, he grabbed a thermos that would work well for transporting soup. He had covered a large part of the counter with things by the time they came down.
"Comfortable clothing, long sleeves and pants so you can avoid burrs or ticks sticking to your skin. I have hiking boots for shoes and my crew socks but I don't think.... I saw anything similar in your wardrobe? So maybe just sneakers or something, the point is flexibility for you and for me not to roll my ankle again." It was a common enough occurrence back home that he'd made some conscious decisions to get better shoes for the future.
"I pulled some things out for you to make soup and sandwiches. I also grabbed the thermos, I have some things in my bag by the door as well I brought from my place for this adventure." He had been pretty certain he could convince his boyfriend to go outside after they'd pulled him to space and it was working out so far.
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Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2024 11:38 am
Watching Rene bring things down, which he'd normally have to climb the counter to get, the blond was happy someone else could reach such things with ease unlike himself. "Ticks...yeah..." He hadn't thought of that, wished he wasn't thinking about it now infact, it was a thought which had him cringing as he looked up at Rene.
"No, I don't have anything like that...if you want to help me go through my closet later - see if I have anything which would work." Thinking about what might work he did wonder if they shouldn't make a stop at a clothing store, or a sports store, before they left for this hiking trip. If this became a common occurance, or anything beyond this one time, than he was without a doubt going to do some shopping if he didn't fit it in now somehow.
"If I don't have things in my closet why don't you order some things online, Dicks Sporting goods nearby and we can pick some things up on the way. You know what sizes I wear." By now they both knew the others clothing sizes, and shoe sizes, and could figure how something would wear on the other. Honestly he didn't think he had proper clothing for Rene's plans, this was not something he typically did.
Having turned his attention to what Rene had pulled out, and had lining the counter top, he got to work on the soup first as it would take longer to make than the sandwiches.
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Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2024 3:14 pm
Pressing a kiss to the top of their head as he laughed, "you'll be ok mon ange, I can order some things for pick up just as you said. Your pants will be fine but shoes I need to get for you." Leaning against the kitchen island for a moment, he already had his phone out and ordered a pair of hiking shoes similar to his for them to pick up. Luckily it was on the way to the place he had in mind. Once things were ordered, Rene just enjoyed the smells wafting throughout the kitchen as the soup was being made. "I'm already excited about when we take a break and eat while on this little trip, you always make amazing food." It was easier to dance around the fact he couldn't cook because fo that, Alexandre enjoyed cooking so he could get away by letting them do it. Cutting ingredients though, was something he could help with from time to time, as long as he wasn't required to actually put things over a flame or on the stove himself. Anything to avoid him burning something or starting a fire on accident as he had many times in his apartment early into this time in the city.
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Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2024 8:13 pm
That was one thing he found comfort in, a small thing most would over look, the fact Rene knew his clothing sizes and could order things for him like just now. He could simply ask, or Rene see something for him, and the other was able to just order it without issue. It helped that Rene also had good sense in fashion and knew what he liked, and what he looked good in, it was such a simple thing but really it was nice. It was similar to when he'd decided on a corset laced vest under a suit for an event and Rene had laced it up for him, because there was no way he could do it himself, the help to get ready for an event was again - simple. But it was those little things which meant the most to him.
Glancing over as Rene placed the other, his head nodding. "What about a shirt/? Did you you need to order that or socks?" He questioned before focusing back on what he was making. "Also, did you want to stop by a bakery on the way? Some sort of pastry for you?" Since the other did have a sweet tooth, unlike himself. He was, as he worked, checking on the soup and taste testing it as he added things to it - veggies and such. "You should have told me this plan earlier, if you were thinking about a hike earlier, I'd have let a stock pot sit for a few hours on the stove so the soup would have better flavor." Maybe he should make stock and store it in the freezer for future use...especially in the fall and winter.
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Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2024 9:00 pm
"You have decent enough shirts and socks for this time but if we go out in winter you'd need something a bit warmer and sturdier. You might have a lot of sweaters but I doubt you want any of them to get snagged on branches and ruined a bit. Though there isssss that one I got a bit eager with that first time in my shop." Teasing as he leaned forward and watched the other as they cooked, it had been quite a start to things for them both even if the lines had been blurred from the beginning.
"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, you know me. I had the idea while at work after seeing that the weather was going to be nice. Next time we can plan ahead more if things work out well enough this time. I think I'll be good without a bakery stop this time but maybe in the morning? It's so late they probably don't have a good selection anyway." It would be just whatever was left before they closed compared to the feast of options that were available when they usually ordered first thing in the morning.
Looking up a few more things on his phone, he had a route figured out as well as a general idea of how long the weather would stay nice. "I think you'll like this, if not, I'm sure we can do something you enjoy after for indulging in my hobbies."
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Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2024 9:25 pm
"Let's see how this hike goes before I even think about winter time in the woods." He did not like the cold, his body did not like the cold, he did not have a lot of body heat and Rene knew it. Rene knew how he tolerated the cold - poorly. If all went well he might consider it, though that was still unlikely, but only if he got a hot soak and bed after it. He'd need to warm uo once home if he consented to a winter time hike in the forest. "You mean the one I've not worn since that incident?" He questioned, looking over shis shoulder and meeting the others eyes.
"I washed it...but I haven't worn it." It was something he wouldn't throw out...but it wasn't i nthe best of shape now...
"We can go out in the morning to the bakery then. Which means I'll take an evening run tomorrow rather than a morning run." So they could beat the rush to the bakery and get their stuff nice and hot, as it was being pulled from the ovens. It was always best when it was still warm and you could smell the heat of the ovens in the bakery...that warmth in there was nice. Turning back to the task at hand Alexandre wrapped the sandwiches up, turned to press a kiss to Rene's cheek, and than moved off to get the soup together as quickly as he could. He really was going to make a stock and freeze it for times like this, he was rushed and didn't like it. It wouldn't taste as good, even if it was goign to have veggies and some chicken in it, it was good that he always kept a full fridge so he had plenty of options. He was ready for something like this, even if he didn't like it, soup was supposed to take time.
"Mind going upstairs to my closet to get what you think I should bring."
Once Rene went off to do that, checking his closet for thigns, Alexandre took the time to finish packing up food, espresso, and get the essentials set by the front door. Rene was, thankfully, quick in packing for him what he'd need with the rest to be picked up on the way at the d**k's. Seeingas it was Rene's idea, and he knew where they were going, Alexandre was comfortable curling up in the passanger seat and letting Rene handle the driving, just nodding his head when someone brought their purchases to the car for them - curbside delivery was an amazing thing sometimes.
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Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2024 10:39 pm
"Of course, I wouldn't want my petit ange to freeze." It was pretty likely to happen even if he handled the cold better. Smiling that knowing smile he nodded. "Yes, that one from when you came to my store with paperwork and I thanked you so profusely." He was surprised they kept it, considering he'd been ready to replace it after tearing it at the seams a bit during that day and night he'd spent with them.
That done and everything packed, René tossed his bag on the back seat before loading up all the goodies Alexandre had made. The drive was easy, with that pitstop at d**k's before heading further towards the edge of the city. The GPS kept him on track in the unfamiliar area until he reached a place to park and leaned over to kiss the blond. "We're here, get your boots on, and then we can start wandering. I'm sure the fireflies will be out and we might see some nice sights in the woods." Even if they didn't it would be a nice peaceful change of pace after going to space because he was still a bit sore even if Lorcan had made sure to get all the glass out of his back.
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Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2024 11:03 pm
In the parking lot, there was a small parking lot so people could drive up here to go hiking in the woods, Alexandre took the time to get the boots out of the box and pull them on. Lacing them up slowly, bent over in his seat to do so, he turned his head to look at Rene. "Fireflies wouldn't be bad to see, I see some in my backyard but I don't see too many in the city honestly." He also didn't have the time to notice them either typically, always doing something or giving his attention to something else.
"I don't know what else we'll see though. Sitting back up, laces tied, and focusing on the woods ahead of them. "It looks rather dense in there...no doubt it'll be on the dark side." So he really wasn't sure what they'd manage to see, if anything, he knew that at least if there were fireflies they'd see them....but anything else...not liekly.
"At least you didn't decide we should try camping as well." That he didn't think he could handle, or would ever be able to handle, falling asleep in a place where spiders were and where they could get him. Nope, he was fairly certain he'd not be able to sleep a single wink. He wasn't even sure how he'd manage this, god help them both if he saw a single spider. He knew he would easily lose it, and potentially pass out, if an eight legged nightmare crossed his path, he was hoping it was dark enough he wouldn't see one...and none would make their way onto his person. He was already on edge, to be honest, and he rather hoped Rene didn't notice and figure out why. He hadn't taken Lorcan's advice of seeking help to handle his phobia of spiders...even though he really should. It was bad, he knew it, but he'd had it for so long and he knew it was stupid and yet couldn't shake it...so how could someone else help him do what he couldn't do on his own?
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Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2024 6:20 pm
"It'll be alright, just a nice quiet night." Something he really wanted after the excitement of space. Camping wasn't something he figured they would do, it was also something he wasn't sure he wanted to do in this country if he was being honest.
Pulling out a flashlight from his bag, he clicked it on and smiled. He'd keep it up high so that if any spiders were on the ground they wouldn't be seen by the other. He didn't need them passing out even if he could carry them back out without too much trouble.
Stepping into the tree line, something immediately felt a bit off and he took cautious steps as he looked to see if there was anything odd going on. At first glance everything looked normal though so he shrugged it off.
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