Roleplay After Dark

18+ rp blog. Do not follow without invitation.

[pathblazer]

Somehow, the fact that Phainon wasn't holding back thrilled Caelus. Though, he could still see restraint in the way his hand tensed on the handle of his sword. It was a little upsetting but that just meant he had to make Phainon see him to be just as worthy as Mydei to go all out with. Mydeimos had shown him how to adjust his hold on a weapon to avoid being disarmed, but with how heavy Phainon's weapon was when it hit- it got really hard to remember how.

"Come on partner! I'm not made of glass!"

In a slight fit of frustration, the Destruction's power within him flowed through his bat when it met Dawnmaker's blade. It was an accidental tap into that Path- one he hadn't noticed happened. Being one to use the Paths on a regular basis, their power became second nature to him. So of course he didn't clue in on the force suddenly behind his hit.

[aubadenocturne]

The moment their weapons met, Phainon felt the power surging from the other's bat - it was too strong a blow and he stumbled back a step, taken by surprise. He was quick to recover and chuckled.

"And yet you feel the need to cheat." It was bait, of course. If Caelus grew more frustrated, he was bound to make a mistake the other could take advantage of. And now he would be ready if the power of Destruction came into play again.

He readied Dawnmaker and struck back.

[pathblazer]

"If you say so, partner."

Since coming to Amphoreus, Caelus had felt his strength improve by leaps and bounds. He wouldn't be knocked back or disarmed by Phainon again like when they first met. Though, it was a fond memory to look back on. Being awed by the other man's strength- even if frustration and an inkling of fear had been on the surface at the time.

Even now he was awed by him. More so since he knew him and experienced what he'd been through via memories. So, in respect to him, he would give it his all... Minus tapping into the Path's power. If they both did that-- someone was sure to scold them harshly afterwards. So, when he pushed off to lunge at Phainon and his bat swung, the strength behind his weapon was that of his body, not Destruction.

[aubadenocturne]

Phainon countered Caelus' first strike with ease, although it wasn't because the Trailblazer wasn't strong - he could feel how he had benefited from those months of training in Castrum Kremnos.

The Chrysos Heir simply was a good fighter, proud of his abilities, and sometimes he did like to show off his skills. Especially when he could do so without much restraint. It would come as no surprise then, how he did not give Caelus a chance like Mydei had done before. He parried the bat, searched for weak spots, attacked at every opportunity, striking as if trying to disarm Caelus (a safer way to win). The girls in the gallery could see he was serious, however not as intense as when fighting Mydei ; it seemed like the swordsmaster was still trying to be careful not to hurt his sparring partner.

[pathblazer]

"What do you take me for?"

Caelus sounded almost offended, but in a playful sort of way. He put on the smile he was known for and chased after Phainon. Though, not before giving Mydei- who'd turned to look at him- a nod to say he was okay. Episodes of zoning out had been few and far between after the second month, even less after the fourth. So this... Had concerned the both of them. Especially since he had acted during it instead of just staring into space. Still, he had a distraction in sparring, which helped him get his thoughts back in order.

"Full out or are we holding back?"

His bat materializes in his hand with a swing of his arm. It was hard getting back into using a weapon- he'd refused to against Mydei. It wasn't that he thought himself stronger, he just feared what he might do when tapping into a Path. But with Phainon- he trusted he could be restrained in the fullest extent if something went wrong. Just like how he trusted he could restrain Phainon if he needed to.

[aubadenocturne]

With a smirk, Phainon summoned Dawnmaker, its blade glowing golden.

He really wished to say no holding back ; he had spent months training with humans, people who were strong and wise and brave, but still only humans. However, he had to think about them - Caelus who'd just experienced an episode, a loss of control, and himself, who certainly did not need to tap into the Coreflames' powers for a mere spar. Also, summoning meteors inside of Okhema would likely get him killed by Aglaea later during the day.

"Let's hold back this time."

With this he raised his sword into a defensive stance, ready to offer Caelus the first move.

[pathblazer]

"But-"

Caelus wanted to ensure Phainon wouldn't simply push through his discomfort or hide it behind that mask of his. It was worrisome and while he'd come to figure out some of the tells he had- thanks to Mydei's whole 'look at his eyes' thing- he didn't know if he'd gotten better at hiding them or not.

Fingers absentmindedly brushed the skin beneath his partner's choker before finally pulling his hand away. A heavy sigh escaped him. He hadn't meant to sour the mood, which his blanking out most likely had, so he felt guilt pulling down on him. Still, he managed a little smile.

"So- uh- o-our turn?"

Golden eyes shift towards the sparring area, then turn back to Phainon- a little hopeful.

[aubadenocturne]

Phainon straightened his posture once Caelus let go of his choker - breathing a little better, and he wouldn't say whether it was because his necklace wasn't squeezing his neck anymore or because the other man had agreed to drop the subject.

"Of course. Think you can beat me, partner?"

He made his way to the middle of the area, expecting Caelus to follow. He only turned to look at their friends and throw an apologetic smile their way ; Castorice responded with a similar expression, but Hyacine still had something in her eyes. It... was to be expected after their morning conversation.

[pathblazer]

When Caelus' head turned just enough to look towards Mydeimos, the Kremnoan took it as a sign and turned his back to the pair- shifting over to hide them from the girls. With his arms crossed, Mydei looked like some sort of immovable bodyguard. But to Castorice and Hyacine he offered a reassuring nod.

"I think so? I just- we were looking at some comic and talking-"

The Trailblazer almost looked guilty when his hand slid away from his face. The grip he had on the choker hadn't loosened in the slightest, in fact it tightened instinctually.

"I think I said something about still wanting to spar you but the second I got close to you and Mydei I thought back to that comic and my mind went blank-"

Brows knit into a firm frown but then relax as gold eyes widen and focus on the other man. He'd nearly forgotten that he'd once pushed himself onto Phainon and what it had done-- Lygus or not, it was still his body that had done it.

"Forget me- are you okay?! I didn't mean to f--force that- on you-"

[aubadenocturne]

He didn't miss the glance between Caelus and an overall unsurprised Mydei ; it confirmed his suspicion the Kremnoan knew their friend could... blank out like this.

"I see," he answered to Caelus' explanations, looking thoughtful. And once the Trailblazer turned his worries towards him, the Chrysos Heir ruffled Caelus' grey hair with a thin smile.

"I said it's fine, haven't I? We can talk about it later."

[pathblazer]

Caelus sighs through his nose when he feels the return of his affection, as brief as it had been. His gold eyes were slightly glazed over, as they had when he'd fought Lygus before. The hand on his hip served to anchor him to this moment even with his mind seemingly elsewhere.

"Is that really the first thing you say to your partner when he gives you something so intimate?"

Mydeimos snorted at the sight of the girls' flustered faces. He could tell it hadn't yet hit Caelus what he'd done so it had to be an act of impulse. Similar things had happened before during their training but never had it lasted longer than a moment or two. Usually he'd just stared off into space randomly. It was also strange, seeing as his eyes were clear just a moment ago.

But if he was right, then Caelus should be snapping out of it right... About...

"Ph-Phainon!?"

Now.

Caelus felt his face burn almost instantly. Shame and embarrassment settling onto his features as his free hand flew up to hide his face. Just what had possessed him to so boldly walk up to his partner and-- in public--

"I-I'm sorry- I shouldn't have- y-you don't even-"

He still had his finger looped in Phainon's choker.

[aubadenocturne]

"I - "

What was he supposed to say? To feel, even? Something felt wrong, but he was in no position to ask for answers. So he should - play his role for now. He quietly shut down his feeling to focus on Caelus'. Mydei didn't seem affected by the scene, which could mean he knew the Trailblazer could react this way. Hyacine however, looked like she was keeping herself occupied with Little Ica not to do something else, her shoulders tense. He put a hand over the one that was still pulling on his choker.

"It's fine. I simply want to know if you're okay."

[pathblazer]

"My fall? I prefer to think of it as... Stumbling so that a friend may stand taller."

Mydeimos knew he was likely being hypocritical, he's had friends who he pushed instead of 'stumbling' for. Even so, the memories of those many, many cycles were strangely distant. He could be 'soft' for the one who helped move their world out of its endless cycles.

"There goes your birthday present."

Another shrug of his shoulders is followed by yet another chuckle. The Heir of Strife goes to speak again, but footsteps catch his attention. Face flushed, Caelus hurried over to the two- the girls seemingly shocked by something. For a moment Mydeimos goes rigid, thinking something is wrong. Yet when he sees the clarity of the Trailblazer's eyes, he relaxes slightly.

Caelus says nothing. He simply marches up to Phainon and lifts his hand, finger hooking in the Deliverer's choker before using it as leverage and harshly pulling the white haired man into a kiss.

Mydeimos whistles, then turns his head away. He didn't see anything.

[aubadenocturne]

Before he could add anything, their conversation got interrupted by footsteps coming their way - Mydei's attention shifted to the Trailblazer and Phainon followed suit.

And suddenly he's pulled into a kiss. Literally pulled, so one hand ends up on Caelus' hip to steady himself. Blue eyes blown wide, cheeks burning - there's people watching, friends, close friends who do not know about the status of his relationship with the Trailblazer. He reciprocates, because it makes his partner upset when he doesn't, and when they break off the kiss he's still very much red.

"... Did something happen?" he asks, worried, and behind Caelus both girls are also looking away ; Castorice is as red as he must be, hand covering her cheek, while Hyacine is petting Ica who's just happy to get her attention.

[pathblazer]

"What bothers me is, that it's been a while since the last one and coincidentally one haunts him today? After being..."

Mydeimos' hand clenches into a fist. Their friend deserved better than to suffer this way. He'd helped to save their world, their home. None who fought so bravely deserved to fall to a coward's blade. Yet, the look on his fellow Heir's face brought Mydeimos back to a calmer state- even pulled a chuckle out of him.

"I wouldn't say it was a thrown fight. He earned it, even if he didn't actually overpower me. Hearing you all brought that fire back, who was I to dash his hopes?"

A nonchalant shrug is offered with a slight smile of his own. He then turned to look towards the trio, watching Ica rest on the Trailblazer's head as they all watched something on his screen.

"He's not going to be here forever, so we might as well let him enjoy himself while he's here. If that means fumbling a match or two... I'll do it. But not with you, Deliverer. You still have to overpower me to win."

[aubadenocturne]

"It's no coincidence."

If Caelus' "symptoms" were back now, the reason behind it was clear. The attack in the streets brought back memories he'd likely managed to deal with while living in Castrum Kremnos. ... A step backward in his healing process.

Hearing Mydei laugh was comforting, even if it was likely at his own expense.

"I never thought I'd see the day the great Mydeimos would plan his own fall, that's all."

Millions of cycles in which the man had never faltered, no matter if his opponent was a friend or Death itself, yet in this new dawn now he grew soft - for one soul only. The Trailblazer really was someone special.

Phainon's gaze grew incredulous for a second. Not going to be here forever... Caelus was thinking about his future and what he grew to see as his home. For now, he was still a member of the Astral Express. He might feel more comfortable in the sky bound train, especially after everything he experienced on Amphoreus. But hadn't he told Mydei he was considering his options? Or perhaps he had made his choice.

"I would be terribly vexed if you ever let me win, Mydei. And quite concerned about your mental state."

[pathblazer]

Thankfully, Caelus was engrossed in his conversation with the girls so Mydeimos straightened his back. He sighs, offering Phainon a little smile with a slight shake of his head.

"Caelus is our companion, our Outlander Deliverer. You don't need to be thanking me for helping him. He was a handful for sure, but it was nothing I couldn't handle."

A casual shrug of his shoulders follows. Besides- wrestling Caelus down during a panic attack, or reassuring him where he was was real wasn't that hard. It was just time consuming. Seeing this result wasn't unexpected, but...

"I doubt he told you, but sometimes he still sees mirages of that Theoros. I think that's what happened today. That look in his eye was pure fear. When he fell, he looked like a soldier who knew they were going to die and gave up."

Mydeimos growls as his jaw tightens. The lasting damage wouldn't be easily undone or bandaged over to heal, it seemed. The Kremnoan then elbows his fellow Heir in the rib.

"That reminds me, he wanted to cross swords with you. I told him only the winner of our match could go against you."

[aubadenocturne]

Mydei was once again proving to be a better man than Phainon was. He was speaking as if what he had done was nothing and yet.

"... Lygus has left many scars. I'll keep an eye out for signs of those mirages, as you say." There would be little he could do to fight the Theoros when he was but a ghost of the past, but he could at least try to make his appearances more sparse.

Caelus wanted to spar with him? An awkward smile made its way to his lips.

"That's why you threw the fight," he guessed, voice soft enough not to reach their other friends.

[pathblazer]

Caelus got back first, his hands finding Phainon's forearms and holding on as he bounced in excitement.

"Did you see that?!"

The Trailblazer vibrated with excitement as he turned to Hyacine and Castorice. His excited chattering continued even as Mydeimos joined them. Throwing a glance at Phainon, the Kremnoan snorted, smiling. From the look, it was obvious that Mydeimos had let Caelus win. While he'd done no such thing for others, for their Outlander Deliverer it was no skin off his nose. Mydeimos motions aside with his head, gesturing for Phainon to follow, then moved just far enough away that the others couldn't hear them. Arms folded over his chest, the Heir of Strife leans his head towards his friend.

"He had an episode. A small one considering, but enough to shake him. I saw it the second we got in the arena. It's a good thing you called out to him when he gave up."

[aubadenocturne]

Caelus' excitement was contagious, making the Chrysos Heirs smile with pride for their friend.

"Great job Partner," answered Phainon, words sincere - the Trailblazer had given his everything in that fight and showed the result of his training with Mydei.

Little Ica was flying around Caelus as soon as he turned his attention towards the two girls, who were quick to give him their own words of congratulations. Phainon quietly followed Mydei. ... An episode.

"Yes, we could see it from here."

Truth be told, Caelus had been standing on shaky ground since morning. The night hadn't been easy either. Phainon did not know exactly what Mydei meant when he spoke of episodes - if it was worst than what the white-haired man was getting used to - but the signs were there.

"I wanted to thank you, by the way. For taking care of him back then, and even now."

[pathblazer]

Mydeimos had been about to approach Caelus when the Deliverer's voice rang out from the sidelines. A slight smile came to the Kremoan's face, especially when the Outlander started to move. At first, Caelus simply sat up, then he looked towards the other Heirs. A shift of his shoulders in defeat only made Mydeimos reach down, grab Caelus's forearm, and yank him to his feet.

"Up you get, Outlander. Show him that his faith isn't misplaced."

Caelus's eyes widen just a little, then he nods. It's a firm gesture, one with resolve that showed in the slight tightening of his jaw. If there was one person he didn't want to disappoint, it was his partner. So he dusted himself off and shook his head to rid himself of the afterimage of Lygus. Only when he settled down again did he signal to Mydeimos that he was good to go.

While initially unsteady, he managed to gain some ground on Mydei which resulted in a more balanced spar- if Mydeimos going easy on him counted as making it 'fair'. The Heir of Strife was poised to win, it was obvious to anyone watching. Yet, in the end, Caelus was the 'victor'. With disbelief on his face, he glanced back at the others, then grinned while walking back with Mydei.

[aubadenocturne]

The encouragements coming from their friends only grew louder the moment Caelus got back to his feet, slowly softening as they went back to their spar - they needed concentration to fight.

It was clear Mydei was going to emerge victorious, and yet Caelus managed to win in the end. The Kremnoan was giving him a chance, or so it seemed ; a surprising sight, as the Heirs had never seen him go easy on anyone before. Still they were proud of the spar their friends had done, congrutaling the both of them on their skills as they made their way back to the group of onlookers.

[pathblazer]

The Kremnoan's brow rises at Phainon's question. If that look had been a provocation then Mydeimos would choose to ignore it.

"That would be me and our Outlander, since Hyacine is sitting out."

Mydeimos then pats Castorice's shoulder and makes his way towards the 'ring,' knowing Caelus will follow soon enough. Each shoulder is rolled twice as he walks, making sure the limbs are limber.

Caelus nods to Phainon and flashes a little grin. Though, there's a moment of hesitation when he glances across the arena. For a moment he freezes, then shakes his head and rubs at an eye. Looking again he seems to calm as he follows after Mydei, but internally he's shaken. He'd had mirages of Lygus flash in front of his eyes before during the daylight hours, but he was certain they'd stopped after the first month training with Mydei. He was probably just nervous- that's what it was- it had to be.

"You've got that look again. You sure you're up for this?"

"Yeah- yeah."

While Mydeimos didn't look convinced, he let Caelus get ready. The Kremnoan had a feeling Caelus was going to be distracted, and was right. The moment their spar started the Outlander misstepped- if Mydeimos hadn't expected it then he knew he'd have hurt him. Instead of stopping, though- he simply took it slower, like how Phainon and Castorice had started out. Clumsy on Caelus's side, more controlled on Mydeimos's. Caelus grew more bold, but ultimately ended up on his back with a disappointed look on his face.

[aubadenocturne]

Phainon looked at Hyacine at Mydei's mention of her; she only smiled back. The three bystanders waited for Caelus and Mydei to be ready - they were too far to be able to hear what they said, but the Traiblazer's visible hesitation did not escape them. As such, the result of their spar came as no surprise. There was a wince and then :

"Come on, partner! Stand up!" Phainon punched up into the air.

Hyacine laughed a little before following suit :

"You can do it Caelus!" "Doot dooot!" added Little Ica.

As for Castorice, she clapped for their friends in encouragement.

[pathblazer]

Caelus could barely sit still during the spar between Phainon and Castorice. He hopped up and down, cheering for both of them even with a few side-eye glances from Mydeimos. He knew the Kremnoan wasn't actually annoyed like he wanted others to think- he was keeping an eye on Caelus as well as inwardly chuckling at the energy he displayed.

"Nice hit Sunshine!"

The sound of the pet name made Mydeimos throw Phainon a look that bordered on amusement. No doubt he'd be teasing him about it later on. For now, however, he merely took it upon himself to check on Castorice as Caelus hurried to Phainon.

"You guys were great! Are you hurting anywhere?"

Not that Caelus was a healer, but he had to ask.

[aubadenocturne]

Phainon wore a proud smirk as they made their way back to the others, Castorice following behind with a smile of her own. They were evidently satisfied with their spar and its outcome and, besides a thin sheen of sweat covering them both, they came out of it unharmed.

"I'm perfectly fine," answered the white-haired man. "As I am," added Castorice while Mydei was checking for wounds.

At that, Little Ica mirrored Hyacine's relief with a happy "doot doot!".

"Whose turn is it now?" As he said this, Phainon threw Mydei a quick glance - no way the Kremnoan would sit on the bench two times in a row, right?

[pathblazer]

"I'm still guessing, actually. Even with the time together, he still wouldn't talk about a lot of what was bothering him. But wanting to be around others instead of hiding away is a positive sign if there is one."

Mydeimos lowered his voice, trying to save even a little of the Outlander's dignity. Caelus was still pretty sensitive when it came to others knowing about what happened. Even the Kremnoan didn't believe he knew all of what set the Outlander Deliverer onto a crash course with self-destruction.

"I kinda wanted to spar Phainon."

Caelus sighs once said Heir was out of earshot, only to be elbowed in the arm by Mydeimos.

"You have to beat me to win the right to choose who you go against."

The Trailblazer stared for a moment, dumbstruck- a blaze then starting in his starlight eyes. Mydeimos knew right away that something clicked back into place for Caelus. That energetic look from before was a sign of hope for their friend and his recovery. It was amusing even as he hopped around cheering for both Castorice and Phainon... Even as he had to be ushered to a place to sit down on the sidelines.

[aubadenocturne]

Hyacine simply nodded, understanding Mydei's intentions as he lowered his voice. It was likely no one would ever learn just how much Caelus was struggling against, but to see him try to be with them was indeed a relief.

The two Heirs standing in the middle of the training grounds finished their preparations ; it looked like they chose to keep their real weapons for this, most likely because they couldn't find a fake scythe among the wooden weapons. Phainon made the first move. Their spar was... clumsy wasn't the word. It was two dancers trying to find a common rhythm. It was Phainon on a careful offensive, probing in search of holes in Castorice's defenses. It was Castorice keeping her scythe close to herself, using clean strikes to deviate her opponent's blows instead of facing the brunt force of it. The purple-haired woman was still used to her deathly touch - her fighting style forcing others into a range where she could touch them if she so wanted. Soon enough, wariness left and their blows became a bit more vicious. It was Phainon who won in the end, by disarming Castorice with a strike she failed to defend against. He smirked. They shook hands, sharing pleasantries before walking back to the sidelines, weapons disappearing into thin air.

[pathblazer]

@aubadenocturne

Caelus is pushing Phainon to a blanket nest he's just finished making so he can inspect it.

[aubadenocturne]

"What are you - oh, is this what you were busy doing?"

One hand rests on a blanket that has been used as a side for the "nest", while blue eyes turn Caelus' way.

[pathblazer]

"Did he? I'll take that as a good sign."

Mydeimos nods sagely. It was a good thing that the Outlander seemed to be comfortable around a greater number of people. Then again, Castorice and Hyacine were two of the more calm Chrysos Heirs so their presence was probably something of a balm to Caelus' inner turmoil. A slight smile curves the Kremnoan's lips, a quick shake of his shoulders accompanying a snort when Ica inhales the snack sent along with the chubby pegasus.

"As for the spar... I'm quite looking forward to seeing it."

Caelus wandered back after sending off another quick message. Mydeimos noticed the more relaxed posture the Outlander returned with and offered him a quick nod. Something that said 'you're doing good'. The Trailblazer seemed rather pleased with himself, managing a bright smile.

"Are we drawing straws to see who faces who after Cas and Phainon go?"

[aubadenocturne]

"That's right. You're the one who spent the most time with Caelus in the past months, so you must have a better understanding of how his mind works," mused Hyacine aloud. It was Mydei, more than anyone here, who had learned about Caelus' demons and how to deal with them. If this was the case and the Kremnoan was right, then the healer was glad she could be a part of their friend's recovery process.

The moment Mydei said he was looking forward to their spar, Castorice shyly glanced down - she hardly believed her time on the training grounds would be worth a glance. Her eyes went to Phainon, where she found him looking... distracted. He must have sensed her attention however, because a heartbeat later, he was looking back at her with a reassuring smile.

Little Ica flew back to Hyacine as she spoke :

"No sparring for me today, but I'll patch you guys up if you need it. Do we even have straws here?"

Phainon quietly invited the violet-haired girl to the battleground, where they prepared for the first spar of the day.

[pathblazer]

"Hey you two- don't start fighting-"

Caelus glances between Mydei and Phainon with his hands raised. Arguing didn't get anyone anywhere, and knowing Mydeimos might get baited into something... And with the look on the Kremnoan's face- Caelus felt he was right. Thankfully the fire that had blazed in his eyes faded into a frustrated ember.

"So you've resorted to trash talking in order to try to look good in front of your Outlander, huh Deliverer?"

A palm meets Caelus's face as he looses a groan. He wasn't sure how to deal with these two on a regular day... One at a time? Sure, by all means- but both? At the same time??

"Oh, that's right. Here."

Mydeimos produces the Trailblazer's teleslate which he promptly grabs with a large smile and a thanks. The Kremnoan cracks a grin when Caelus starts messing with the item, surely letting his fellow Express Crew members know he was alright. While he was busy with that, his attention turned to his fellow Heirs.

"Did you think bringing them with you would give you some sort of boon, Deliverer?"

[aubadenocturne]

It was satisfying seeing Mydei's heated glare turned Phainon's way - in some perverse way perhaps, because that meant normal, that meant a spar, a brawl, something delightfully destructive that was only allowed with a few.

An itch begging to be scratched.

It was a shame Caelus' interposition worked, then. Even more of a shame when Mydei's words missed their target. One silver eyebrow raised as if to say really? because... because there was a lot to unpack there. Phainon had ways of showing off without having to bring others down; Caelus didn't seem like a man who would love that kind of aggressive display; why was Mydei so intent on calling Caelus Phainon's?

By the time the Traiblazer had left with his teleslate, pride had turned into confusion.

Once Mydei turned his attention to the girls, Castorice waved at him while Hyacine sent Ica flying his way with a treat in its mouth - whether it would arrive safely in the Kremnoan's hands was anyone's guess. It was Hyacine who answered him :

"Actually, Caelus asked us to join you guys." "It has been some time since we last enjoyed each other's company. Ah, and forgive my impertinence, Mydeimos, I have asked Phainon for his first spar."

It had indeed been something they talked about during their short walk to the arena. How could Phainon had said no? Millions of cycles where Castorice was denied a normal life ; now, all she wanted was to experience what she had missed.