royal viola

roleplay blog!

[altusaveroigne]

dominique "domi" de sade

"I hate myself. I'm indecisive and pathetic. I can't stand myself, but even so, there's one thing I won't compromise on."

As the crimson moon rises, so does the frost of the House de Sade's formula dance.

info | guidelines

content warning for topics such as death, physical violence, depersonalization...and there will probably be more. posts will be tagged with #cw [topic]

Where snowflakes settle, the asterisques bloom.

I also write Luna and Francis upon request.

[altusaveroigne]

mini announcement! consider me on semi-hiatus for now, I've got a lot on my plate. I will get to all my replies, but don't expect anything quickly, sorry! also, since I do not have the ability to even think about maintaining another blog rn, all astolfo's stuff is hosted here now. I don't really expect anyone to be that interested, but if you want him, do ask! that's all for today~

[altusaveroigne]

Of all the odd assignments Dominique could have been given, they had to assign her to that amusement park.

It had to be some sort of punishment. Not that she didn’t deserve one, after all the trouble she caused, but this seemed unnecessarily cruel. That hadn’t been the worst evening of her life, but…it was close, and she wanted very little less than to be forced to relive it as she picked her way through the pieces left behind by that explosive battle.

Even she was surprised by the damage. The whole park was rubble, every bit of it. Even the stray automatons and buildings that had survived the initial fight had been smashed by the falling wheel or her own ice. How anyone was going to clean it up, Dominique didn’t know, but she was only meant to catalogue the damage today.

She tried not to recall the feeling of fear, the call of the void, as she slowly climbed through the beams of the wrecked wheel. Which one had she stood on top of, she wondered? It would surely be unrecognizable now, bent out of shape or snapped by the impact with the ice of the formula dance.

Irreparable, she noted to herself. Perhaps someone could repurpose it into the same, but fixing the wheel would require formula alteration. It couldn’t be done in the world of humans so easily. That was true of a lot of things.

She felt small remnants of the formula alteration lingering in the air as she moved closer towards the center of the wheel. Not enough for asterisques, but enough that she was sure she’d see her own signature in the formula if she tried to look. Around here would be where Noé clawed Misha’s face. Noé never spoke of it, but Dominique was sure he’d be beating himself up about it. Even she was pained to see it. It was…unfortunate.

Dominique banished the thought from her mind just a moment too late. Think the devil into existence, I guess. Inside the ruins of the wheel, there was no room to back out. She laid her hand instinctively on the pommel of her sword.

starter for @indeliblepromise

[altusaveroigne]

Dominique paced in front of Hotel Chouchou, wringing her hands together in front of her chest. Her loose scabbard hit her leg with every step—there was sure to be a bruise tomorrow as there often was.

She had been on edge lately. There was always something going on, higher and more pertinent stakes than the usual palace crap, and it was all Vanitas’s fault.

No, she corrected herself. It’s Vanitas’s fault that I care. Dominique had always been a follower, and Noé clung to Vanitas like a cat to its chosen, and she would always follow Noé. So here she was, waiting for either of them because she didn’t know what else to do with herself, no self-enrichment outside of the times they let her tag along. How humiliating.

She wondered what they’d be doing right now. Maybe Noé would be getting ready for an evening shift at that job he somehow managed to keep. Maybe Vanitas would be doing research. He seemed to know everything while seeming so frivolous at the same time. She wondered sometimes if that’s how she looked to people who didn’t know her well. A sideshow act of a person.

Forcing herself to stop her pacing, Dominique’s scabbard swung from her side as she stared at the door. If by some miracle what came out was an adventure and not a stranger who’d look at her sideways and wonder why she wasn’t still at the palace, she’d have to thank some higher power. If, again by some miracle, it wasn’t the sort of adventure that could get someone killed.

starter for @docteur-vanitas

[altusaveroigne]

I realize I've accidentally become dead in the water...so I'm putting out this starter call!

Comment the name of the muse of yours if you're a multimuse, or the name of the muse of mine if it matters to you, else like for a random starter (a short one since I'm not feeling great, ~250 words).

I'll do around five of these, but if you respond after five and before the end of the week I'll probably get to you, just less quickly.

[indeliblepromise]

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 drops; almost the very instant that Father pulled away. Death had always been a looming shadow on his life. He'd bore witness to Mother's friends getting hurt at work. The tortured screams and the laughter of mad scientists were near constant at the labs. Even those vague memories of everything hurting after Father died. The stench of iron and the lingering despair was always the SAME.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀He never thought anyone could be brought back from the DEAD. Neither Mother nor her friends ever got up again. There was simply no way a child like him could have ever fixed that. It was only when the Comte had come into his miserable life did he begin to see a way out. But with Father appearing again, maybe he didn't even NEED that pitiful excuse of a man anymore.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Or at least, that was what he THOUGHT.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤButㅤ—ㅤWE'RE a family ! It's all three of us ! You, me, and Brother ! That's how it always was !ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀There was no way this was happening, right ? NOㅤ—ㅤthere was no way he would let it happen ! There was no way that he would ever let Father go again !

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀If he didㅤ—ㅤwhat would he have LEFT ?

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤIs it because I'm not good at using the Book ? I PROMISE I'll get better ! I - I've been practicing really hard !ㅤ❜⠀

[altusaveroigne]

Luna couldn’t help but look. Misha’s voice, small but desperate, wasn’t ever something it could ignore. Not even on the day they met. It cracked its eyes open slightly, and wished it had the courage not to. Misha, its littlest child, the one who never got to live peacefully, of course he would cling on hard, but…

“I’m sorry. Please, don’t blame yourself.”

Luna didn’t actually know if Misha having more prowess with the Book would do any good. It was an alteration device, and in theory such a thing would be capable of nearly anything. Perhaps not bringing itself back from the complete dead, but stabilizing the little bit of itself still left seemed within reason. That said, despite being powered by an adequately sized tear stone, the size of its machinery and data was slimmed down in order to provide its portability. Maybe such a task would require something larger.

And regardless, mentioning such a thing to Misha would just put him in more danger.

Luna kneeled down, putting itself at eye level with its child. It wished it could give him a promise, something to offer to hold him through the storms, even like this. The book was a curse. Misha deserved a proper gift, Misha deserved all the worlds, but Luna had nothing left to give.

Maybe it would be okay. Maybe it would stay like this, half-dead but alive enough to speak. If Luna came by every night, maybe Misha would be happy. It wouldn’t be the same, it wouldn’t be enough, and it would hurt them both so much more when Luna inevitably ran out of energy, existing in the world like an invisible black dwarf. Lightless. Cold.

It drew in a breath, reaching out slowly to give him a hug. Its shadowy hands passed right through, and Luna winced. “I’m sorry.”

Above them, the blue moon sobbed lunar rays down upon the two, warded off by the stone ceiling of the church. Everything was silent except their breathing and the occasional crunch as some critter or other stepped on a dead leaf, the occasional nearly imperceptible echo as something tripped in the catacombs beneath. The world felt empty, waiting for something to breathe glorious life into it, a magical parade. Luna felt like it could hear the eerie music now, as someone’s true name was drenched in shadow.

Misha, his wide eyes the color of tear stone, fit right into the landscape of silence. Luna, its face slowly melting into dark shadow, a scar on the church’s floors. Suddenly, the idea of returning felt a little less perfect. This world wasn’t built for the dead. What would it do to the world's balance, for Luna to exist this way?

Though, if it was for its children, the world's balance didn't matter one bit.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Its deep voice rumbled through the stone beneath them at a frequency no one could hear. “I’d like to help you, if I can.” It was a selfish plea.

[indeliblepromise]

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑫𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. The truth wasㅤ—ㅤhe wasn't even sure how HE was alive. That terrible day was still a blur to him. All he could remember was that everything was COLD and everything HURT. Was that what death felt like ? Was that why Father felt cold ?

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Perhaps the both of them were tethering upon the edge of LIFE and DEATH; him more towards life and Father more towards death. But it didn't matter. It didn't matter at all. Father's sudden appearance meant that not all of it was hopeless. All of the struggles he endured all by himselfㅤ—ㅤit WASN'T all for nothing !

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Soㅤ—ㅤwhy did Father look so SAD ?

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤY - YES ! I'll be okay ! I'll be okay now that you're here ! EVERYTHING is going to be okay now !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀He could sense the world formulae shift; an odd feeling he was still trying to grow accustomed to and master. Butㅤ—ㅤif it really was just a matter of taming the world formulaeㅤ—ㅤthen bringing Father back to life should have been EASY ! Or at the very leastㅤ—ㅤsomething that could be accomplished with the Book of Vanitas.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Something that could be accomplished by HIM.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤW - we'll definitely figure something out TOGETHER ! And then we can find Brother and we can all be a FAMILY again !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

[altusaveroigne]

“No, I…” Luna choked on the cold truth. When had it become so hard to say anything to this child? Misha’s excitement felt like a bubble, hope-filled, beautiful. All Luna wished to do was to be warmer, warm enough to hold him and tell him they’d protect him, that there was nothing to be afraid of, that they could be happy.

Their eyelids felt heavy with crystalizing ice. Even if Luna could say that, they were still missing one, the one who wouldn’t even try to entertain hope. The world was the way it was, and no pair of vampire eyes could bring back the dead, nor bring a phantom from the in-between. And for the sake of both their children, Luna didn’t have any time to waste dreaming, no matter how much they wished otherwise.

Their figure ever so slowly peeled back from their hands, showing off the amorphous shadow that was their true appearance. Perhaps it was merely being witnessed by someone who remembered them that gave them the facsimile of their old body. Luna hid their hands behind their back. There was no reason for Misha to see that, as long as they could just bring themself to leave.

“I’m sorry. I can’t stay.”

Luna turned away, squeezing their eyes shut to avoid having to confront Misha’s pain. “You and your brother can be a family together. You’ll be okay without me now. You’ll be okay…” They caught themselves repeating again. Were these the same things they were thinking when they died? Luna found they didn’t remember.

[indeliblepromise]

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅; 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 as he rummaged through his tools and scrutinized every single one. Out came a screwdriver; not as cumbersome as those used in the Parisian airships nor as delicate as those used on tiny little pocketwatches. The drive tip was JUST RIGHT for that loose bolt on the automaton. ˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀He doesn't answer the automaton at first; focusing entirely on that little screw. Every move was made with intent; his sole goal being the automaton's repair. With a few mere twists of the screwdiver, the screw was set perfectly back in place without so much as a single hairline scratch on any surface. Just as if a MASTER CRAFTSMAN had performed the repair themself.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Lilac hues finally look back at the other; the anxiety still in his face. He still wasn't QUITE sure if he had done the right thing but . . .

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀It should be FIXED, sir ! Please tell me how that feelsㅤ—ㅤand if you need any adjustments or anything !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀As for the question that had seemingly flown past him at first; it was in fact, a difficult one to answer. It was NEVER good when guests asked for their employees names. Usually, something such as that would mean they would be seeing the manager soon. Of course, he was still required to ANSWER though . . .

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀My name is MISHA ! Misha Char Legwork to be exact. May I ask for your name, sir ? I apologize for not asking earlier !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

[altusaveroigne]

Francis led his automaton to flex the joint slightly, smiling with satisfaction as it moved fluidly. “Wonderful job, child. I’d love to know where you learned to be so precise. If there’s anything you desire in return for the favor, please let me know.” He only half meant that last part. The child was just doing his job, and there were only so many favors that someone with as many secrets as Francis could grant, but if the child asked for something interesting, he could certainly consider it.

He again contemplated leaving the automaton behind for the child to keep and tinker with—if Francis was granted the chance to see the result, that could certainly dispel a bit of boredom—but the doors to the parlor were wide open and he was getting along with Misha just fine without such a gesture, he thought. Francis would appreciate a nice stretch when he got home.

He reached out his robotic hand in an offer to shake. “Sir Francis Varney. I’m a member of the Queen’s council, but I’m sure you guessed, given the nature of the function. Most people call me the Marquis Machina.” He rattled off the introduction with a practiced indifference, focusing on the child’s face. 

Misha shared a nickname with that untouchable kin of Blue, but while not common, it wasn’t particularly noteworthy. His surname, though…that rang a bell. Francis wished not for the first time that he could look into his own memories, but that ship sailed long ago. “Legwork, you say? Who’s your kin?”

[altusaveroigne]

If you could tell your muses one thing, what would you tell them?

If you go to the right college you get free therapy

[altusaveroigne]

He plops down on Father's lap; as if clearly ready for another one of their stories. Today was different however. Instead, he has a blank notebook in his hands; one that Brother had definitely helped him buy. He holds it up to Father; practically beaming as he spoke. ' Merry Christmas, Father ! This is for you ! So you can write down all your stories ! ' ( from VNC Misha / pre Vanitas unaliving Luna )

Luna could hear the wind whirling the snow around outside, its color reflected in Mikhail's cloudy gray eyes. It was cold, even in here. It pulled Mikhail a little closer. "Merry Christmas to you too, Misha." It examined the notebook with interest. "Wow, this is really nice! So well-bound. Thank you." It took it from Mikhail's hand gently. "What stories do you think I should write down, then?"

It was truly so thoughtful. Luna wondered if ████ had helped him come up with it. It was a bit of a morbid idea for little Mikhail, but when it came to these children, Luna was often caught off guard.

If anything happened to it, then at least Mikhail would have its stories to read at night. That thought was the best part of this beautiful gift.

[indeliblepromise]

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒚. The figure before him wasㅤ—ㅤDIFFERENT; an unearthly mix of VAMPIRE and PHANTOM. Yet, there was no fear; only utter disbelief and absolute recognition. Those sorrowful azure hues; that gentle voice that used to sing lullabies against the silenceㅤ—ㅤthere was no way he could ever mistake it for anything else other than . . .

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀⠀—⠀FATHER ?⠀ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Was this a DREAM ? Perhaps even some sort of NIGHTMARE ? Noㅤ—ㅤit couldn't be. He refused to believe the possibility that this was a cruel trick conjured by a desperate mind and broken heart. The cold bit at his skin too much and Father's voice sounded too SAD.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Butㅤ—ㅤwhat was there to be sad about ? Father was here and that was ALL that mattered.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Too - thin legs scramble; nearly tripping as they run towards Father. His arms; mismatched but still yearning for the warmth he had been FIGHTING so long for reach out as he pulled Father into an embrace.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤFather you CAME BACK ! I missed you so much ! It was so terrible without you but now you're here !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

[altusaveroigne]

The depths of Misha’s emotion were visible in his eyes, weighing heavy on the both of them as his arms wrapped around Luna’s body. The sensation felt wrong, and Luna felt true fear for the first time in a while. This shouldn’t be possible. This is a boundary that shouldn’t have been crossed. Luna came too close to the flame, and there would be worldly consequences.

But drowning out the fear was Luna’s desire to see their child happy. His body was cold and yet he seemed so relieved. Luna didn’t have the heart to leave, just like that first time. It would have been kinder not to come, but they were here now, and so they crossed their own frozen arms on Misha’s back. “I’m sorry,” they repeated. Sorry for the cold, sorry for showing up in their state, sorry for showing up at all. Sorry for not being able to stay.

Luna felt Misha cooling under their skin and pulled their hands away, taking a slow step back. Their hands began to shake as the formulae pulled away without the contact, leaving the shadow of death visible. They let out a deep sigh. “You’ll be okay, won’t you?” 

They didn’t intend for it to be a question, but up close, Misha looked horrible. His limbs were thinner than Luna had seen since they first met. The bright cyan in his eyes, a reflection of their own, seemed suddenly disturbing. One of his arms was missing. Luna had thought it was just his hand. How did that happen? Why was nobody there to protect him? The concern manifested as another “I’m sorry”. Perhaps this repetition was why Luna was a ghost.

Not that a creature like them could ever move on anyway.

[indeliblepromise]

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅; 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚. Had he said something wrong ? Oh, he must have ! What was he even thinking ? ! Did he really think that he, a mere human boy could just approach a member of the vampire court; let alone even suggest that a broken part needed REPAIRS ?

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Butㅤ—ㅤBROKEN AND NEGLECTED MACHINERY always made him a little sad for some reason. The automatons must have had it much worse compared to ticking clocks through the hotel and the squeaking wheels of the luggage carts. That nagging feeling and that lingering guilt was what forced him to speak up.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Then, those mechanical wheels beneath the automaton's feet moved; allowing that glass pane to face the bellboy as the machine would speak. As the offer for help was accepted, the boy forced himself to stifle a sigh of relief. He couldn't look TOO nervous now ( ㅤ—ㅤeven if he was already failing spectacularly at that ).

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀Of course ! Please follow me !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀The bellhop led the automaton to a parlor void of any human or vampiric presence. In fact, the room hadn't looked like it had been used in a while. But still, the parlor was clean and retained an air of elegance fit for the NOBLE.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀One moment . . .⠀ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀He moved to a nearby closet; pulling out a wooden toolkit. The wood was worn with ageㅤ—ㅤand yet, it seemed to still be loved as polish still clung to its surface and perfectly filled the clock engraving on it. The tools inside had a few hairline scratches on their steel surfaceㅤ—ㅤbut they were definitely WELL looked after.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀U - umㅤ—ㅤjust TELL ME when you're ready, sir !⠀ㅤ❜⠀

[altusaveroigne]

The parlor the child led Francis into was well-maintained despite the sun-bleaching that made it feel disused. It was well-lit, orange lights casting a warm, cozy glow over the walls layered with velvet. It wasn’t the sort of place Francis would call homey, but surely many other people would. He watched in expectant silence as the child told him to wait as he opened a closet.

The tools the child pulled out were simple, but their wear gave Francis confidence. They were loved, and if it had been this child that loved them, there wouldn’t be anything to worry about, not with something as basic as a loose screw. At least, as far as he knew. This would be the first repair made on this automaton while he was in it.

“Go ahead then. Don’t tighten it too far, we don’t want to damage the screw or the plating.” Francis held as still as possible, hoping to avoid dislodging any alignment. “May I have your name, child?”

The answer to this question only said a lot about people in context, Francis had found. People like the Comte de Saint Germain or whatever he went by these days could never answer normally. Nobility tended to answer with their family name forward, their given becoming an afterthought in the buzz of expectations. Some people didn’t have a name, or their name had been forgotten in their youth. Some people answered simply with the name they were called, one that rang true to their identity without being a true name. But without context, people might just lie…and that would say less than any real name could. At any rate, all that really mattered was that the answer was interesting.

[jjevaudan]

She's so </3 (from memoire 32)

i can untag if you'd like, but i just remembered youre a marquis machina mun! @altusaveroigne

[altusaveroigne]

❞ You're worried about him, aren't you? But Noé didn't understand. It's not hard to guess, interpreting his words ·̲ ( To Dominique )

Dominique clucked her tongue and turned away. "I'm really just annoyed. He doesn't listen to anything! He just goes and...and does things! He puts himself in absolutely stupid amounts of danger with you and I couldn't care less about your life, and I don't know why he does!"

She got more and more heated as she spoke, spinning back around to face Vanitas, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You're the one letting him do all this nonsense with you. You should stop and let him be safe, what's he providing you anyway besides ridiculous amounts of cuteness and excuses to go on treasure hunts in human Paris?"

[altusaveroigne]

If your characters were an ice cream flavour, what flavour would they be?

domi would be vanilla fudge swirl, francis would be mint chocolate chip, luna would be this very specific flavor I've only seen in one place that's vanilla died blue with m&ms and sprinkles mixed in. no reasoning I just know.

[indeliblepromise]

꒰১ ✦* : ˚ʚ 【 @altusaveroigne ( Luna ) / STARTER CALL. 】 ɞ˚ : ꙳✦ ໒꒱

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 had long began to blend and bleed. Without Father, without his familyㅤ—ㅤit felt as if everything was a blur of that same, torturous routine. His existence was nothing more than a loop of SURVIVAL with the occasional dull chore from the Comte.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀Nearly all his life, he had no choice but to SURVIVE. Whether it be from Mother's workplace with the angry voices, the labs with all of the needles and cuts, or that very moment in the cold forests of Averogine, the one thing that weighed heavy on his mind was survival.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀But somehow, even this was different from Mother's work. Even this was different than the labs. Back then, even when everything was falling apart, he was never alone. He had MOTHER; even when the devil played tricks on her. He had BROTHER even when he didn't understand him. But now ? Now, he had no one. Nothing but mere scraps of warmth aside from Etoile. Just memories of bedtime stories and cuddles hat would never come again.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀That night was NO DIFFERENT. The stone floors of that church were COLD as he huddled against his metallic dog for warmth. The exhaustion, the isolation, it was ALL creeping in. He would have given anything to be in a soft, cozy bed while Father or Brother read to him.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀And thenㅤ—ㅤa SHADOW. A mere flicker of white and blue out of the corner of his eyes. He quickly jolts; standing back on his two feet as his azure hues dart about.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀ㅤ—ㅤWHO'S THERE ?⠀ㅤ❜⠀

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀The question reverberated across those ruined walls; only reminding him that he was alone. Yet somehow,ㅤ—ㅤthe shadows felt so ACHINGLY familiar.

[altusaveroigne]

Luna tended to avoid their children. As they were now, it would be safer to stay out of their adventures. But at the same time, the youngest needed a bit more support than they were getting, and Luna often couldn’t keep themself away. They kept wishing as hard as they could that their presence would be felt but not noticed, that their comfort would be received but not understood. It wasn’t what Misha wanted. But what Misha wanted was dangerous and shouldn’t be done. That was something Luna understood with every formula in their shade of a body.

Tonight was another one of those nights where love got the better of Luna. Another of those nights where Misha was alone and cold as he never deserved to be, another of those nights where, consciously or not, Luna was called. It pulled their heart towards that child like they were connected by a string. And indeed they were. Their own mark wrapped around Misha’s arm like a net.

Luna stood in the church’s doorway, their body a mere shimmer of color and faint light. They watched silently as they often did, as Misha’s warmth wrapped around that canine automaton. It was cold, it was lonely, it was terrible. Luna let out a soundless breath. That poor, poor child. If only he and ████ had stuck together.

Luna turned away. They couldn’t ever stay long. If Misha found out about their state…well, they didn’t want to see him break any more than they already had.

But tonight, it was too late. Misha’s voice rang through the church, piercing through Luna’s form like an explosion. To be noticed…Luna wasn’t able to stay incorporeal like this. Their form froze over in the world of formulae, ice breaking to create a body with no less draw than when alive. Their eyes that saw the world in temperature and color and sound became clear, and they looked into their child’s eyes for the first time since that day.

Luna took a step back. Maybe he would think he was dreaming. “I’m sorry,” they muttered in their low, resounding voice.

[indeliblepromise]

꒰১ ✦* : ˚ʚ 【 @altusaveroigne ( Francis ) / STARTER CALL ( VNC verse ). 】 ɞ˚ : ꙳✦ ໒꒱

‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋ⠀ㅤ𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒔. Little pocket watches with faded engravings, fancy music boxes that chimed lullabies, he could fix all of them.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀The bigger automatons made him just a bit UNEASY. Not because he was scared of themㅤ—ㅤbut because they were rather overwhelming for a child such as himself. He would have no idea where to even begin unlike his Grandpa.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀The Hotel Du Lovure was on edge that day as OBVIOUS members of the Crimson Vampire Senate scouted the lobby. Though the pressure was lingering, he tried his best to pay no mind as he simply dusted off some of the tables.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀There was something bothering him about the GIANT AUTOMATON with the Vampire Senate though . . .

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀He hesitates; only lingering at his reflection in the freshly polished wood before taking a STEP towards the looming automaton.

˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ⠀❛ㅤ⠀U - Umㅤ—ㅤI - I'm terribly sorry to interrupt butㅤ—ㅤone of the screws at your joints is LOOSE. I - I could fix that if you'd like ! I - I think it would only take a quick adjustment . . .⠀ㅤ❜⠀

[altusaveroigne]

Another boring day, another boring event. If the Queen had told Francis that it was going to be more mingling with stuck-up elites than actually doing things, he might have declined the council position. Might have.

His colleagues hunted the hôtel like hawks, eyes glinting with the cruelty exclusive to gentry. Francis thought he was nicer, but he was also sure they all thought that too. He didn’t have it in his small heart to care very much.

His attention was taken by the voice of a childish attendant, stuttering with what Francis assumed to be fear. For better or worse, his small heart still had room left to care for children. Especially interesting children with the audacity to suggest that he had the expertise to touch one of his machines. He furrowed his brow and took a closer look. Despite the over-apologizing, his eyes were bright, and something about him made Francis wish he could get out of the machine and examine him in person.

Now was most certainly not the time, however. What was a child even doing here at a time like this anyway? Going up to vampires like this, the predatory nobles around them would pick out the weakling immediately and give him such a terrible time, even as an employee. Maybe Francis should do something about it. Maybe that was the moral thing. But as was typical, all he felt was curiosity.

He rolled the automaton a foot back, rotating it on its base so the whole front faced the child. “Loose, you say?” His voice echoed and transformed as it exited his machine, sounding much more robotic than vampiric. “That’s definitely no good! I’ll accept your help. Let’s find a quieter place to work.”