Lukas

TOA Affiliated RP Blog || Unaffiliated Faculty

[aimlessarchery]

when you pet your cat and they are MYSTERIOUSLY WET

mission: infamous | sleepwalking prompt

[aimlessarchery]

With the strength behind that swing, Python counts himself lucky that he’s still both conscious and on his feet. His face doesn’t feel too blessed, though—pain radiates across his cheek and crawls behind his eye socket. A palm presses against the point of impact, leaving another smear of blood across his skin. (At least he’s fairly sure he hasn’t added his own to the mix. The ache is settling in enough to signal that Lukas was kind enough to miss the bridge of his nose.)

“Well good morning to you, too.” He croaks, regarding Lukas with his good eye. “Don’t mind me, just tryin’ to do my job…”

It seems unwise to touch his friend again, at least until he gets a better sign that he’s lucid. It also seems unwise to linger out in public with a man covered in bloodstains. A glance toward the street and another toward the manor he’s meant to guard confirm that they have the relative privacy of a late night for now. As a bonus, it confirms that moving his face around is going to hurt for a while.

“Could almost feel sorry for the stuck-up bastard you walloped back in the Deliverance,” he grumbles. Almost.

[deliverred]

His fist connects with someone, and in the following disengagement where distance is bought with several staggering steps backwards, Lukas has the chance to breathe. Awareness of his surroundings trickles in slowly -- outside, dark -- and then with more clarity the more he's able to take things in.

He squints, letting his arm drop from where it had been held out to create distance between him and--

"...Python?" His voice is still rough with sleep, but he's beginning to piece some things together. "What is...," he starts, pausing to take a steady breath and bring his thumb and forefinger up to the bridge of his nose. "Forgive me, I'm trying to...understand. Did I strike you...?" It had happened before -- though it had been quite some time since an incident like this had occurred.

It's only when he pulls his hand back from his face that he realizes that tacky sensation has not gone away, and that it isn't just his clothes. It's darker in the dim light offered by the torches, but he knows blood when he sees it. His gaze flicks up to Python once more -- sees where his blow must have landed, the smear of blood there, but no other wounds to make sense of why there's so much blood.

He runs a thumb over the palm of his hand, feels no break, no injury; begins to check over himself fully.

"Python, am I the only person you've seen since you've been on watch? Any other activity at all?"

[deliverred]

A Bird in the Hand

Excavation +1 Bow

[grxstnnefealltoir]

“Do you suppose we’ll get a reward for returning with the most birds?" Other than bragging rights, he can't quite imagine what he would want that wouldn't itself be a task to get. There always will be the simple satisfaction of a job well done regardless of the church presenting them with anything.

Darios waits patiently as Lukas remounts and they set forth. "I believe too many would object to them suddenly all being kept in one place." Moreover... he's pretty sure some of the dogs and cats already do present people with 'gifts' of fish and worms if they receive enough love.

There's a comment he wishes to make but the bird call that sounds out above them is ripe for the taking.

Lukas beats him to the punch on the draw, but just in case, he draws his bow back and purses his lips together.  While Lukas’ shot distresses them and some birds grow wise, an unlucky one is tracked by the tip of Darios’ arrow and he looses just in time enough to catch it in the heart. 

At the very least, this time was quicker.

He turns to Lukas and lowers his bow. “Honestly, hunting this way is so… leisurely. Certainly a neccesity, but when it’s so often associated with gathering meant more for talking and showing off about quality rather than quantity… it is quite hard to return to the more survival aspect of it…” 

Dismounting once more, the plummage of the birds at least serves as a nice trail to follow. “Are you holding your breath before shooting?”

[deliverred]

Lukas chuckles at that. "I believe a proper meal will be your reward, should we all do well on our hunts, of course." This was not a task done for a reward, after all; it was to avoid hungry mouths at the monastery with the oncoming winter. "But I'm sure more than a few are taking this challenge on with a similar competitive seriousness. Perhaps even some bets have been made."

With how they'd been doing so far, however, he doesn't have as optimistic thoughts on their odds as he did before. Even with how ridiculously stupid these birds seemed to be.

Where he had missed yet again, Darios has better luck than his first shot, and another bird is added to their small tally. Or, really, Darios' tally at this point.

He makes a soft noise of acknowledgement at that. "There are those that find it as such. I confess, I never much enjoyed it for the sport, but there is a beauty in the nature of it -- cruel as it may be." The landscape was at least something he could agree in taking relaxed enjoyment in, even with the cold. "The hunting we did back home was rarely for such small game. My father preferred hunting par force, so the spear was what I was taught more so than the bow."

There was surely a greater disconnect on horseback with a bow. If you shot well, you did not have to see the desperation and death in the beast's eyes.

"Would that our days be so peaceful as to only need it for the sport, and not to survive."

That question makes Lukas pause, and he follows Darios' movements as he considers his failed shots. "I am likely not. Does that actually help with your aim?"

[deliverred]

That's Sick. No, really, Go to the Doctor.

(x)

[dcggersedge]

Though she stares at it blankly at first, Yunaka does take the arm that he offers her. Mostly because it would feel even more embarrassing to fall over in front of him after all of her already failed attempts at preserving her dignity, but also because a very small, very tiny part of her does appreciate the gesture.

She does still grumble incoherently about it though. She doesn't have the energy right now to explain the obvious; that showing weakness like this where she grew up was the same as just begging people to take advantage of you. You had to learn to take care of yourself or go into hiding whenever there was something that put you at a disadvantage, that was it.

It's not the same now, but...well, old habits and all.

Her pout grows and she grumbles more as he has the audacity to bring up the idea of friends too. That's different! Obviously! Things that applied to good and shiny people who deserved only the best did not necessarily apply to her! But that's another can of worms she's too tired to crack open right now, so she waves it all off wordlessly.

The march to her bedroom feels like it takes forever, but at the same time, it feels like she blinks and they're already there. Yunaka blinks stupidly at the sight of her door before realizing oh, right, she's gotta be the one to open that and starts to fumble for her keys. When she finds them, it takes a few tries before she's able to get the door unlocked, but soon enough it's cracked open and waiting for her.

Yunaka untangles herself from Lukas and moves to lean against the doorframe while keeping the door as closed as possible behind her. She's not a take a look at my room on the first date kinda girl, after all. Though she still feels like pouting and sulking and does think it's so stupid that she couldn't just suck it up and power through...it is nice that there was someone who came to look after her. Just a little.

"Thanks, Lukas." She manages the slightest of smiles before nodding back the way they came. "You don't gotta worry, I'll be fine. Should probably go get some sleep, actually..."

[deliverred]

His offer is taken with no small amount of grumbling, but it's accepted and that is what matters in the long run. There is little exchanged between them as they make the slow walk back to Yunaka's room, though she continues to grumble like a gut-sick old dog. Blessedly, though, they go unbothered by the few that cross their path. Be it out of quiet understanding, or simply having their own tasks to put themselves to.

Though she doesn't speak on it, Lukas can hazard a guess as to at least some of the reasoning behind her resistance. They had not shared the same hardships by far in life, and though his had its troubles, it was still comfortable compared to many.

There is a pause once they do finally reach her door, but there is no rush and Lukas simply waits until Yunaka fumbles out her key and extricates herself from his support. He stays exactly where he's stopped when it becomes clear that her space is her own; his gaze doesn't leave her just in case, but he makes a point to not look beyond her frame.

She was more than worthy of the same care she gave to others, even if she'd rather pass out on the job than admit to it.

Lukas inclines his head. "Of course. I'm sure you'll take your due rest, if only to avoid the travesty that is being seen and cared for." He turns to leave, but stops to add on with a smile, "Are you sure you don't want to cash in that offer of a tuck into bed?"

[deliverred]

Not Just a One Trick Pony

Anniversary 2025 +1 Riding

[grxstnnefealltoir]

"I do wonder if they aren't riling one another up on this. With so many from different regions and accustomed to different diets, when they talk amongst one another surely they brag about such things." It's the same for people, a particular way of preparing the same base ingredients can make all of the difference and a lack of additional ones common to another area can easily rob a dish of what makes it so special to begin with.

And then the horse speaks.

He can't help but chuckle. "My apologies on the monastery's behalf then, madam," because playing along with this truly is the quickest way to the other side of it all.

"If it was something like food from another region or just... more fruits mixed in, would that be acceptable? It's a little more difficult to negotiate such things when traveling, we certainly wouldn't want to overload your backs lest they come to ache even more than your stomachs, but within the monastery's walls there is certainly something to be done." Maybe it's just a horse whisperer casting some illusion or maybe there is such a potion or spell that grants the common tongue to even those without the normal kind of voice to speak it.

When he turns to see Lukas staring at the horse, it feels especially like the latter. "Come now, you know what they say about looking a horse in the mouth."

[deliverred]

Darios' words would be comical if the entire situation that had spawned them in the first place wasn't so ludicrous. Horses talking and bragging to one another, honestly...

Lukas could, at least, concede that perhaps the animals that were not native to these lands were lacking in what was familiar to their diets back home. Though he couldn't imagine there was that much variety for what a horse could or should consume, had he not also been homesick for certain dishes when he first came to Fodlan?

The mare shakes her head, lips pulling back to reveal broad teeth. He genuinely couldn't tell if this was displeasure or a bizarre attempt at the animal to smile.

"Polite young man. It's only taken the entire morning," she huffs, though she seems pleased enough now. "We are war horses, of course, we know that some things must be forgone when in the line of duty. But even simple choice now and then would go a long way here in the stables!"

"I suppose that's...reasonable. The mess hall offers choices in what we can eat on any given day, after all," Lukas concedes, though he doesn't look comfortable doing so. He doesn't take his eyes off the horse for long to shoot a brief, blank look at Darios. "Gift horse. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth as it's an insult to the gift giver, not the horse."

The horse certainly disagrees, pawing at the ground.

"Oh, and you'd like to have someone's fingers in your mouth, poking around without a how do you do?" she squeals, high pitched and irritated. "Humans don't discipline their young like they should, clearly. I'd rather negotiate with the polite one, thank you."

Lukas' expression completely deadens, and he turns to Darios with a blunt, "The mass delusion just called me rude. I'm beginning to think maybe we should offer the wyverns a fresh horse meal instead--"

"Don't you dare--!"

[deliverred]

Turns Out Pugs Aren't The Worst Thing We Did To Dogs

Pearlescent +1 Riding

[moriddyn]

“Certainly,” Relief colors his voice- glad that he does not have to argue further with the faculty, at the very least. After all, the longer they spent doing so, the more likely it was that they were to be discovered, or similarly, that they may otherwise miss a window of opportunity. “I haven't been able to catch her entire path- that would require me to enter the maze- but at the very least, it seems her movement isn't memorized- she has some way to determine which way to go."

Likely a map, but there had been no indication on where she had kept it, or, if it were encoded- how to read it.

"But I don't think we can access whatever it is she uses without a different attempt of our own. I don't have the experience to claim I can pickpocket anything, much less something as likely important as that."

So, they were going in blind, unless the Professor had a trick of his own. Elffin waits a moment, to grant him time to offer any intel of his own, before continuing.

"Our best bet is to enter right after she leaves- perhaps then, there will be a chance that she's left a trace of her path, and there would be no chance of her coming across us in the maze itself. What do you say?"

[deliverred]

Not a full path to follow, but at least they had some idea as to where to begin. It was, if only minimally, heartening to know that even the Lady herself possibly needed some form of guide to this hidden area of hers. It meant that she was not so incredibly cunning or well-versed in these deeds that something couldn't slip through the cracks without her notice.

"You've a skill for this, I see," Lukas comments, letting the shared information settle in his mind. "My information is much more lacking, I'm afraid. Many of her staff were tight-lipped, though I noticed that hardly any of them ever did any work out on the grounds -- which at least means that their eyes likely have been dissuaded from straying into the maze, which works in our favor."

What Elffin had to share of Lady Duval's schedule backed up something else he'd noticed about the estate: the semi-frequent deliveries from the market.

A house would always need a steady stream of supplies to remain running smoothly, of course, but this place was used more as a get away than a permanent residence. It wouldn't be difficult to plan for a stay, extended or otherwise, so having deliveries made this often was a little strange. Especially when said deliveries never set foot inside the main house, only ever going through the back and into the garden.

"If we cannot follow her path, there may be another way we can try -- though I was unable to fully confirm it," he admits, not entirely enthused by the level of uncertainty they were operating under. "Aha, on that, I'm afraid we are on equal ground. Such sleight of hand is not a skill I was blessed with, nor educated in. But tracking is something I can do with more certainty."

They would need to be quick and careful. The margin of error here was small.

"Are you prepared to act when our chance comes?"

[deliverred]

So, this is the Rout Map, Huh?

Green Team | Week 3, Post Combat

[ostianshadow]

"Rhetorical--?" The indignation quietly dies on Matthew's tongue as he more carefully studies his unexpected company. Idly, he worries at his sleeve. To have his absence noticed so easily… either Lukas is just diligent, or Matthew's been slack in his blending into the background.

"Wasn't planning to be gone long…"

It's a piss poor concession and he knows it. Bah. Whatever.

Also, as absolutely flattering as it is:

"'Master spy'? That's not a very nice form of address… unless you're requiring my services." It's annoying is what it is, no matter how Matthew spins his response as a joke with a lighthearted tone. But he can consider badgering the man about how he came to his conclusion later he supposes. Figure out how to avoid the same outcome in the future.

(It doesn't bode well for Matthew's career if any bloke who's got eyes can sniff him out at a mere glance, after all.)

He clears his throat behind a fist.

"Anyroad, my plan was to smoke them out. Easy pickings if you're busy hacking up a lung, in my experience. But I'm not crazy enough to tackle all of them. Just a few…" He glances away. Maybe Lady Lyn had rubbed off on him somewhere along the way, back then. "Just a few'd be enough to help the locals settle some of the score, at least…"

[deliverred]

The smile on his face might evoke amusement, and while there is a faint humor in this situation, Lukas is taking in Matthew's words with gravity. Regardless of how confident either of them were in their abilities, this was truly a bold stunt to try and pull off solo -- and it was one he couldn't help but wonder at the reasoning of.

"I think we're both aware that plans can go awry."

Luckily, so far, it hadn't gone too far off here, but the plans of men were often small and fragile things.

Lukas' smile widens a fraction. "Are you not? It's few who leave without notice as their allies recover from an attack on the road to scope out a foe already fleeing. Awareness and readiness are one thing, but it is not our task to cleanse the local area of these bandits." Callous as it may have sounded, it wasn't why they were here, nor was it particularly safe for them to do so right now.

Just a few...

His gaze flicks back down to the two downed men for the briefest of moments, before settling back on his wayward companion.

"And you have a good enough idea as to their base of operations to make this plan work?" he asks, not doubtful but thinking on the actual strategy of it now. "How many of them, exists, what kind of lookouts and armaments they have in place? Depending, you could do more than just a few. Fire and smoke in a confined space can be very effective."

[deliverred]

In a Different Life

Anniversary 2024 +1 Any

[viridescent-lance]

It's a veritable treasure trove of training weapons. Say that five times fast. It's amazing, and Forsyth stares, mouth hanging open before he remembers where and who he is with.

"Thank you." He barely manages to keep his voice to a whisper, squeezing Lukas's hand before going to take--borrow--one. It wouldn't do to knock things over, but he has to find a perfect fit.... "Let me see. I've always wanted a lance, you know?"

A-ha! There's one that works with Forsyth's stature, located conveniently at the edge of the pile, though a little stuck between some axes. Okay, careful...

Clang!

"Oops! Uh oh..." It's a domino effect, one weapon after another shifting and falling to the ground, the crashes echoing through the room. Lance gripped tightly in one hand, Forsyth grabs Lukas with the other, booking it up the hall. "If they catch us, hide! Or I'll tell them it was my idea and I made you do it!"

[deliverred]

Lukas remains still as he watches Forsyth's face light up in awe and excitement, letting his grip go loose when the other boy pulls away to begin inspecting the weapons now available to him. In lieu of the other's hand, he readjusts his grip on the book that he'd been given; staring after the other before remembering what it was they were doing, and turning to keep something of an eye out by the door.

There still wasn't any movement from out in the hall, so it seemed like they'd get away with this--

CLANG!

The sound doesn't entirely make him jump, bit it's loud and echoing, and it immediately pulls Lukas' attention away from the doorway. There's an utter mess of things on the floor now, weapons skittering everywhere and Forsyth already hustling his way with lance in hand.

He finds himself caught in freezing, unsure how to react. Would Forsyth leave him to deal with the consequences? It had happened before. Any time he tried to get on with his brother, it often led to something going wrong and Lukas taking the blame -- Laurence's mother never stood for a word against him.

But Forsyth grabs hold of him again with his unoccupied hand, and Lukas finds himself stumbling after the other boy back down the hall. The crash had surely alerted somebody, and he thinks he hears the sound of boots somewhere behind them, but he...doesn't care about getting caught. His eyes are focused on Forsyth's back as they run, slowly registering what's being said to him.

Hiding while a comrade suffered the consequences of their shared actions was hardly knightly, and while Lukas had little desire to walk the path of a knight, Forsyth did. Forsyth, who was willing to make sure he got away and out of trouble even if it meant he got caught.

It made Lukas want to try where his father's prodding inspired nothing beyond dogged obedience.

"Hey! You shouldn't be running with that, get back here!" shouts an adult voice, not angry per se but not entirely pleased either.

For now, chivalry would have to be the childish rush of covering for each other as they tried to outrun their concerned pursuer. They didn't get very far, really, but the light chiding was more than worth it for what Lukas got in the process.

[ END ]

[deliverred]

May Activity Check

Status: Passed

Total Skill Points: 33 → 34 Monthly Activity SP Earned: 1 Event Activity SP Earned: -- Other SP Earned: -- Thread Completion SP Earned: --

Invested SP: +1 to Heavy Armor A → Heavy Armor A (3/3)

Accessed Classes: --

Mastered Classes: --

[deliverred]

[ CHOCOLATE ] (the box for 'em, at least) Python does still have a birthday gift to give. He just has some questions now, too. The box he hands over looks like the one that Sara tried to pawn off on him, but it doesn't have the same chocolates inside. Instead, he's slipped in some dried fruits and candies brought in from the shores of Valentia. As for the questions: "Oi, Luke. Is there some other party game I don't know about going on? One about roping kids into the play to mess with your friends?"

Lukas can’t help the amusement that tickles at the edges of his smile as Python approaches, having watched from some distance the decidedly confusing interaction he just had with Sara. He hadn’t overheard any of the brief conversation, but the twist of Python’s expression had been hard to miss even from far off. 

His smile remains in place when his friend breaks away from Sara’s questioning and makes his way over to where Lukas has been observing from the side, head tilting slightly at Python’s questions.

“Not to my knowledge. There is, of course, the usual activities that seem to be a part of these kinds of events, but nothing that sounds akin to what you’re describing,” he responds smoothly, eyes flicking back to where Sara had been — now mixed back into the crowd. “Sara thought someone had started another game of candy stealing, however, and I am guilty of not correcting her. I thought it a harmless enough thing, but…my apologies if she took it too far?”

Lukas accepts the box carefully, knowing from the difference in weight that something has been changed from the ones available. A look inside gives an unexpected treat: not a half full box of Fodlan chocolates, but familiar and much more beloved treats from home. “These can’t have been easy to find here, Python.”

He selects one from the box and pops it into his mouth with a pleased hum, “Thank you for the thoughtful gift, in spite of the target I apparently painted on your back for Sara to take aim at. I’ll have to reimburse you for the trouble. What, exactly, did she say to you to get that particular reaction?”

[aimlessarchery]

when you pet your cat and they are MYSTERIOUSLY WET

mission: infamous | sleepwalking prompt

[aimlessarchery]

Perhaps guard duty should be more concerning when there’s a string of unsolved murders in town, but Python leans at his post with his usual lack of energy. As a lowly commoner currently in charge of watching an entrance, he doesn’t feel particularly involved for the moment. It isn’t like straining himself will make it any easier to catch a killer, or that the assassin has been tearing in through the front doors to get to their victims. Watching the street through half-lidded eyes is all that’s required from him ‘til morning, and he’s content with that.

Movement at the corner of his vision draws his attention—a hunched figure shuffling along across the road. Another random drunk, Python thinks, until he opens his eyes further for a clearer look. A familiar shade of brick red, recognizable even in the low torchlight, changes his view. He’s not looking at any random man, and the guy isn’t likely to be drunk. (If he is, Python will have some words about drinking without him.)

“Oi, Lukas!”

No response. Python sighs and peels himself from his post. This isn’t the first time he’s witnessed his comrade’s sleepwalking habit, but it’s been a while since it’s had to be addressed somewhere unfamiliar. He steps out to intercept, hand outstretched to guide his friend by the shoulder.

“Alright Luke, let’s get you back—“

His palm squishes strangely at the contact, wet and sticky. He recoils.

“Luke- Lukas!”

He’s less gentle this time, grasping at Lukas’s arm to tug him out of the street. A bit closer to the light, the wet smear the action leaves behind shines red and slick. With the blood smudged all across Lukas’s skin and clothes, Python can’t quickly spot any injuries to blame.

“What in Mila’s name did you get yourself into?” He hisses lowly. His hands, already dirtied, slide across Lukas’s forearms in an attempt to stir him further. “Hey, you with me?”

@deliverred why! are you wet!

[deliverred]

With the elite running paranoid about the possible reemergence of a specifically focused killer, it was no surprise that the church was offering assistance in the matter. Be it aiding in the investigation and trying to track down said killer, or by providing those that felt most threatened with bolstered defenses. It would hardly be the first time he'd carried out such duties, and having someone like Python along for the mission made things just that more routine.

At least, it should have been.

Lukas took on the daytime watches with several of the house's established guards, while Python covered the later hours with another group. While it kept them more or less split up, it did allow them to keep an eye out regardless of what time it was or where exactly they were stationed.

However, they had very little to show for their presence here. Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred -- be it from the increased security, or because all of this was terrible coincidence paired with fearmongering.

After the patrolling guards had handed over their posts to the night shift, Lukas had gone through the motions before retiring to get some rest.

But something was...not right.

His clothing felt like it was clinging uncomfortably to him, tacky. It hadn't been hot enough to sweat in his sleep enough for this. In fact, it felt rather cool -- like there was a draft. It was a persistent, niggling discomfort that he couldn't keep focused in his mind long enough to properly address. A loop of drifting and then being reminded of the lurking wrongness--

Hands grasping at his arms, cold, sticking; a prying hiss of a voice from somewhere hazily close by. Unfocused eyes blearily blink to the waking world, brain struggling to understand where and when he was and only coming to grasp that he wasn't where he'd last remembered.

His reaction is sloppy and entirely instinctual, breaking away from the hands on him to take a wild swing before Lukas can process who it is in front of him.

[deliverred]

Just Three Dudes Staying Warm

Anniversary 2024 +1 Heavy Armor

[aimlessarchery]

Python was willing to let the little shove go unchallenged up until Forsyth decided to go blabbing on being proud of him. He’ll take his lumps, but silly compliments are a step too far—he answers with a half-blind grasping for Forsyth’s face, letting his palm squish up against his friend’s lips long enough for his suggestion of enough of that to get through.

“Must be bad if you’re requesting to rest for once.” His fingers drift over to brush his knuckles against Forsyth’s temple and move some of his hair aside, then drop to the safety and warmth of the shared blanket. His head follows suit, dropping down until his friend is tucked beneath his chin. He gives Lukas a lazy smile. Exhaustion hollows out the space beneath Python's eyes, but that's not unusual for him.

“What say you, Ser Lukas? Gonna order the usual night guard to keep watch, or did you want to take it up this time around?”

[deliverred]

Now this was a familiar routine, one that could easily drown out the foul weather keeping them in this situation. If Lukas closed his eyes, it was easy to imagine them in a different place and time entirely. But, none of them had come here to dwell on the past, so he keeps his eyes open and remains diligently in the present.

"As you both should be...or as much as you can stand, in certain cases," he chuckles, letting them play out their antics as they will.

It seemed weariness was creeping up on them all as comfort started to return with the warmth, and while it was an initial surprise to hear Forsyth be so forthcoming about his own limits, Lukas doesn't feel the need to pile onto Python's observation. Though he doubts anyone would go out of their way to try and cause them trouble here -- tucked away in a cave, in a storm -- he sees no reason not to keep a watch.

And if he lets his exhausted friends sleep the night through, it's merely a favor returned for the provided warmth and care that they've shown him.

"Please, both of you, get some rest. I can keep watch. I'm more than content to tend to the fire for a while," he assures. It wasn't a lie; while he was tired from the exertion of the day and shivering, he was still alert and clearly not as in need of some sleep as the other two.

@viridescent-lance

[deliverred]

[ CHOCOLATE ] - Stefanelli’s has partnered with the monastery to make the most of the supplies left in excess of their workshops earlier in the year by offering packages of sweet chocolates for attendees. The offerings appear generous… that is, until you open your box to find it only half full.

Sara hums while assessing one partially filled case of chocolates after another, amusement written upon her features. It could be a result of incompetence, a tight budget, or mass confirmation bias, but suspicions lingering somewhere in the back of her mind only grow as the investigation proceeds.

Clutching the evidence to her chest, she quickly scans the hall for a person she can trust.

"Lukas…!"

There's a pause to catch her breath, then laughter bubbling from her the depths of her throat, and the full force of a smile released as her steps come to a halt infront of him.

"Have you heard?" she whispers like sharing a confidential secret, shoulders hunched to lean further in, cementing their partnership. Her posture unfurls only slightly in order to present her findings: the incriminating box of Stefanelli's which is missing half its pieces. "…Do you think they are here in our midst? Devils." How unfair no one told her the game was on again!

Unlike the previous year, Lukas was content to merely spectate the goings on at the ball. He'd arrived late as it was, and though there was the same excitement and energy amongst the bustling waves of bodies, he found he didn't want to be in the middle of it this time. It was enough to watch from the sides and listen.

Perhaps he was relapsing into old behaviors. Perhaps he was growing out of the need to seek sensations out so desperately.

Perhaps he was burning himself out on trying to fundamentally change himself.

So when a familiar voice calls out to him, Lukas blinks from his inner thoughts and turns his usual smile towards Sara. Taking in the different style of dress, the little moon carefully painted on her cheek, and...there is happiness clear in her face, in her voice. She looks free. Unattached in a way that birds are as they take flight, joy in the moment that may very well be gone in the next, so why not indulge in it now?

"Sara," he inclines his head, the edge of his smile curling a bit at the way she hushes in like she has a secret to divulge, not for just anyone's ears. Lukas eyes the regretfully half full box of sweets, letting his gaze drift to the ball-goers around them with a calculated air that is mostly put on.

"I rather think they are. Devils, to my understanding, are not ones often to take a day off," he remarks, bringing his index finger up to his lips, "Best we sniff them out carefully, lest they run off with their ill-gotten gains before we can catch them out, hm?"

[deliverred]

Birthdays were occasions that Clair held in rather high regard. Too high, some might say, yet still she found herself awakening as the sun’s rays greeted her. A rarity on most days but this one warranted it!

Knock! Knock!

Normally, she would have the decorum to wait until he rose from his slumber, however… “Salutations, Lukas! Come, quickly, now! The day has only just begun and every celebration of one’s birth ends far too quickly for my liking. We must be quick now!”

For good measure, she lightly tugged his wrist (which was likely unnecessary but a lady must be sure). She does let go after the initial tug, he could follow her just as well as he followed her brother, after all. Were he paying attention, he would know they were returning to her room. 

Not! Because she forgot to carry her present when she hurried off, no, no, that would be far too unladylike… ahem, she simply thought it best to… keep the element of surprise for a moment longer…? Something of the sort.

“Happy birthday! I do hope they are to your liking, Lukas!”

Before him stood a stack of books, specifically of the genres she noticed him reading during their time in the Deliverance. Compiled with a set of rather cute looking bookmarks with the imperfections that came with a handcrafted effort.

“… Are they still to your liking? If not, ah, I suppose I could make it up to you in some other way?”

It isn't often that someone knocks on his door at such an early hour, and while Lukas had luckily been awake enough to not be startled out of sleep by the noise, he wasn't quite ready to receive a guest. It is with a swiftness first taught by his father and further enforced by the war that Lukas gets himself properly dressed to answer the door.

Though it does not show as much more than a lifted brow of curiosity, he is pleasantly surprised to see that it is Clair outside his quarters at this early hour.

"Clair? My, you certainly are up bright and early--"

Celebration of one's birth.

He almost glosses over the words, having never been one to linger much on his birthday, but her own excitement for a day he had forgotten any semblance of importance for softens his expression into something fond. So he puts up only enough resistance to her insistent tugging in order to secure the door behind him, and then falls into step with her as they navigate away from the faculty housing and towards the student dorms.

They'd not had many private moments to catch up with one another since she had arrived, and so he takes the short time it takes them to walk from his room to hers to ask her how she's been settling in and if she'd been enjoying her classes. How had things been back in Valentia when she left, how her brother would fare with her so far from home.

Idle chatter dies when they come to their destination, and Clair excitedly presents him with a gift -- several, to be more accurate.

Books.

Some titles he was unfamiliar with, but there was one or two that he'd had previously. She'd even made bookmarks to go with them; imperfect in their craftsmanship, but one of kind.

Lukas runs the pad of his finger along the fine cover of the book sitting atop the stack, careful as he traced the shimmering letters of the title.

"They are dearly to my liking, Clair, you've no need to fear that possibility," he eventually responds, letting his attention drift from the books to the bookmarks before coming to rest on her face with a quiet air of gratitude. "I lost many of the books I brought with me here from home, so this is...I will treasure them, Clair. Thank you."

[deliverred]

April Activity Check

Status: Hiatus

Total Skill Points: 33 → 33 Monthly Activity SP Earned: -- Event Activity SP Earned: -- Other SP Earned: -- Thread Completion SP Earned: --

Invested SP: --

Accessed Classes: --

Mastered Classes: --

[deliverred]

That's Sick. No, really, Go to the Doctor.

(x)

[dcggersedge]

Something old shifts in her chest. Prideful and stubborn. She's never really considered herself a shining example of what it means to be a Brodian, but there are certain traits that never really go away, no matter how much you try to hide them in the dark. She stops walking to turn around on him. "Oh, you think so? I'll have you know, mister, that I-"

What she meant to do was step towards him to prove just how strong and steady she was and jab a finger into his chest as a challenge. What ends up happening was that Yunaka takes a step towards him and her vision goes sideways. She ends up stumbling to the side and quickly catches herself on the wall. She means to just lean against it a little, but really kind of ends up leaning on it a lot while trying not to go sliding downwards towards the ground.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm...oh, geez, the world really is spinning okay hold on." This is probably not helping her image. After a moment of struggling, she does her best to drag herself upright again, but doesn't really make it very far.

Yunaka's head lifts with a groan only to meet Lukas's stupid, still smug face. She stares him down silently for a moment. Then another. The one more moment, just to make sure that she gets the point across. Finally, she sighs. "Okay. Fine. We can go back to my room now."

[deliverred]

Like poking a stick at a snake, eventually Lukas seems to agitate her enough to have her coil back for retaliation -- only for it to all go a bit pear-shaped when dizziness seems to win out, and brings Yunaka to seeking support against the wall instead of whatever comeback she had envisioned.

Lukas takes a half-step forward as if to help stabilize her, but stops short as he watches her chant "I'm fine" as if that somehow detracts from the fact she's melting against the side of a wall on legs about as stable as a newborn's.

There is silence between them as they stare at one another.

One moment. Then another.

And then the wall finally breaks just enough to allow something through.

The smugness eases from his expression, and Lukas follows through on his aborted movement to support Yunaka, offering her his arm. "You really are stubborn, aren't you?" he muses, "We'll do our best not to draw any attention on the way there, since you ill cared for the fact that I noticed. I simply..."

He trails off, expression further smoothing out into something more neutral.

Obviously he was concerned for the health of someone he had grown to see as a friend, yet some part of him wished to return even a fraction of the staunchness she had shown him during that trial. The two were hardly comparable, and it wasn't entirely a feeling of a debt owed so much as something he truly wanted to reciprocate.

"I want to make sure you're doing alright," Lukas eventually settles on, "Not just when something is obviously wrong, but even when all is relatively well. Would you not do the same for a friend?"

[grxstnnefealltoir]

by the end of the night horses will be talking || lukas & darios

toaexpedition2026 - mess hall

[grxstnnefealltoir]

"Even if the reasons for it are something entirely selfish?" His own pride... does he have any such thing left? When he had returned, had that not been the moment he decided the world was far larger than only what served to inflate his pitiful ego?

A moment in which he is prompted to grow... was abandoning Sara a moment like that in which he'd failed? Was killing his visage the right answer back then? Has his method of clearing the corruption from his home been correct?

He really doesn't know at all.

"I think.... I understand in part now. Both my own struggle with this and... perhaps the best way to mend it."

Darios reaches his hand over and his finger gently presses against Lukas' bottle. "You are one of few people who's known, both of me now and how I was when I first arrived." A mess to put it into a few words.

"We'll be docking soon... but if it's no trouble, may I tug on your ear for these matters again. I promise then that the ale will be better than this."

[deliverred]

Lukas nods, "Yes, I should think so. We cannot overcome that which we continue to deny about ourselves. Having flaws does not make you an unworthy or lesser person, especially if you are actively making an effort to understand and curb some of these issues."

Ignoring them got you nowhere, and in some cases, only made those behaviors worse.

It was hardly an easy effort, but acknowledging that certain reactions or thoughts were counterproductive could lead to good, solid personal improvement. Only looking at the good was seeing half of the whole picture.

"This is a place of learning, you must remember," he says, lightly tinged with humor. "Not only for those enrolled as students. Just...try to remind yourself that you are on your own timetable, not anyone else's."

Red eyes flit down to the bottle, now about to go untouched by either of them.

"Of course. You do not even need to bribe me with drink for such a thing, Darios. I cannot promise I will always be able to deliver on helpful advice, but, at the very least, I can promise you a listening ear and support." Lukas didn't know if they'd see much of each other once they reached their destination, as these missions were known to do, but they had become something of companions by this point, and he was hardly about to leave Darios to figure things out on his own.

Hopefully they would both come out of this still moving towards their right path.

[ END ]

[grxstnnefealltoir]

by the end of the night horses will be talking || lukas & darios

toaexpedition2026 - mess hall

[grxstnnefealltoir]

Does it really? Darios has asked himself that time and time again. Does he really care about these people? Does he give a damn whether their lives are easy or difficult, whether they smile or cry? His hand grips tightly on the handle of his cup and he grinds his teeth against one another so much that it hurts. "It must. It must lest I wouldn't be so frustrated with this useless feeling!" He hardly means to raise his voice, nor does he mean to let such a pained expression run over his face.

If he didn't care it would be easy. It would be far less difficult but he does not because he must but because he simply does. Would he care if a king's blood did not course through his veins? He knows not the answer for it is not the reality he lives. All he knows now is that he does.

Hearing of the man Lukas serves, of the advice that time must be taken and should things not work... there is elsewhere to look.

"The man you speak of, if he were to make a mistake, would he ever change his path?" What path is offered to a man who must be king? Is it not a calling that boils the blood of those who don't answer it and ensures their misery for abandoning what allowed them such cushiony lives?

[deliverred]

"Then that is worth examining," Lukas points out, inclining his head slightly with a smile. "People do not feel things for no reason. If it bothers you, if you cannot sit with it at peace, then logic dictates that it concerns something you care about -- be that altruistic or not. Perhaps it is a genuine care for those put under your responsibility, and perhaps it is merely a point of your own pride. Regardless, it must exist within you for a reason, Darios."

But, if he was going to take on this role of teacher, of guide, of king, Darios would need to be able to look inwards and find his answers. Even with outside advice, he would have to make a choice and act on what he believed.

"I do not doubt it is a...frustrating position to be in, but try to look at it this way," he offers, palms open above the table, "We all have moments in which we are prompted to grow. Some are smaller than others, others easier to see. All are important for building upon your foundations to create something uniquely yourself. Try not to look at it as a pitfall, but as an opportunity to understand yourself better. The better we know ourselves, the more we are able to able to help others around us."

Lukas makes a soft noise at that, thoughtful.

"I can hardly speak on his behalf in such things, but...In spite of what fate has thrown upon him, and mistakes he has made along the way, Alm has always endeavored to do his best by people." Of course, war was not a gentle thing, and they had shown the same bite to Rigel as had been shown to them. The shift had only come upon the siege of Rigel castle, and only once it was passed the point of no return.

Things may have ended differently, had some information been shared by Emperor Rudolf or even Sir Mycen. But dwelling in past speculative hardly did any good in the here and now.

"It has forced many harsh choices on him. He stumbled. He suffered. But he carried onward with the support of those that believed in his efforts, and he continues to do so."