i am a star

uc again !

[etaliia]

independent, mutuals-only multi-muse blog. 18+ only, all triggers tagged but triggering topics will be present eventually by nature of muse stories. written by roo.

rules / muse page / verses / memes

currently under construction!

most muse.

claudia auditore.

elyon escanor.

rashel jordan qazi.

suigetsu hozuki.

zarina.

new muses.

kaina tsutsumi.

roland fortis.

mains with @xheartpages and associated blogs.

[xsalvaticn]

"Quit calling me that name."

Hands tighten into fists with enough force for his gloves to make a small sound of protest; bright eyes narrowing at the woman before him in distaste. Encountering Alrecchino in Fontaine was the last thing he wanted, but it seemed as though many things didn't go according to his plans lately ... so what's one more?

Then again, perhaps this truly was due to his own folly -- receiving a a hit for possible information that he had been searching for and following it eagerly without double checking to try and discover the source: if he kept acting so recklessly then next time it might lead him right into someone like Dottore. He should of stuck to waiting for Dante, Johaan, or even Riche ...

Blue eyes narrow further, exhaling sharply from his nose as he stiffly glances back towards the offered seat, trailing towards the untouched tea cup. Before he could say anything further, he flinches at the offered name; eyes widening as his head jerks up to look directly at the Harbinger, expression loosening just barely; mask slipping for an instant to show a sliver of vulnerability before he tightens it immediately.

The silence that lingered was telling -- no matter who words he uses to throw at her now, it would ring loudly with dishonesty. And ... really. If anyone knew anything about what happened within Fontaine, wouldn't it be the woman he had once called Father?

His jaw sets as he pulls the chair out roughly, sitting himself down in the seat with a huff. That girl ... if he had to guess, it must of been -- the name flashes in his mind, bright with discomfort and he chases it away immediately. One thing at a time.

" ... Fine." Vanitas crosses his arms stiffly over his chest, looking away from her pointedly, ignoring the offered refreshments on the table before them. Even with the fancy setting, he didn't let himself relax. " ... So that means you have information, non? Then out with it."

[etaliia]

She didn't remember Élie being so ... argumentative. Arlecchino blinks nonchalantly, seeing the timid child who fell into her care all those years ago. Certainly, he's grown up, but perhaps not in the way she expected. And, surprisingly, she isn't disappointed. He can hold his own, which means he can protect himself, exactly what she wishes to instil into all of her children.

" You're speaking quite rudely, Élie. I certainly didn't allowed you to speak to anyone like that when you were under my care. " She muses, disapproval seeping her tone. " Remember, I taught you how to extract information. "

Her lessons barely change, only to evolve with the times. One of them is how to talk to people in a way to make them part with their information. There's a few ways of doing it, and Élie's tough persona could be considered one way of persuasion, but he's forgotten a key part - this technique only works with someone fearful of you. And the Knave is very much not afraid of her child.

It amuses her to briefly consider how she's taught the very boy he's looking for the same lessons. She wonders how Fréminet would hold up in this situation ... and decides he wouldn't get the information he required. That boy clearly inherited the softer parts of both of his parents, even if his father is trying relentlessly to pretend those parts of him don't exist.

" You should have some tea. Perhaps order some food while you're here ; my treat, of course. " She nods, gesturing towards the table, fingers lazily stretching out into the air. " You still don't like sweets? Order something savoury. "

[etaliia]

been mia bc i had a weekend-long hen do. unfortunately unable to partake in 70% of it bc my period hit but i was still 70 miles from home and unable to travel. but that's why i went deader than the auditores. writing this week? maybe.

[etaliia]

random asks.

@xuchiwa : It's the first time he's been back in Suigetsu's room in about two weeks, and he doesn't bother even speaking as he settles himself a bit stiffly a bit away from the flowing tube of water that was his ... 'friend'? Acquaintance? Either way. It's sometime in the night; Sasuke looses track of time easily when he's stuck in these darkened halls. A bandage still covers his left eye and now there's fresh stitches on his lip as well. His entire body hurts ... Kabuto had only deemed it important to heal up the cut on his lip because of how profusely he been bleeding from it. For everything else? It was met with a shrug, lips curled cruelly as he mutters some absent comment on how feeling it would ensure that the lesson was learned and the punishment was received. Knees pull to his chest, arms wrapping loosely around them even as it still hurt to breathe in too deeply. He's not sure why he came here, especially since he didn't want Suigetsu of everyone to see him so weak, but ... The boy says nothing, listening to the faint sound of dripping water and the humming of the tube. He felt the closest he could to safe here ... so long as Suigetsu didn't verbally kick him out, what harm was a few minutes of rest before he tried to sleep again?

Suigetsu is pissed. Well, he doesn't remember the last time he wasn't pissed off. Being Orochimaru lab rat is beyond torture - it's humiliation. His only safe space is this jar where he can dissipate into the water, avoiding all contact with the horrors around him and dissociating in peace.

Temporarily, he'd found relief in teasing a new member of the snake team. Sasuke Uchiha, supposedly some special lineage and a future vessel for Orochimaru himself. Ha, what a joke. The kid was Suigetsu's age, and he didn't seem like anything special. If anything, he seemed like a crybaby ; he never would have survived in Suigetsu's home.

And then he'd vanished. He'd left Suigetsu to his miserable, barely-functioning existence like the Orochimaru-pawn he is. It's been another endless blur of adding chemicals and potions to Suigetsu's jar ( fearful anything more would give him an opportunity to escape, since Sui has been vocal and descriptive about how he'd kill each person here ) that make him feel ... wrong. Something always makes him feel wrong and he never feels better about any of this. Wasn't Orochimaru supposed to be researching immortality? Nothing he was pumping into Sui would make anyone imortal.

But, when Sui begins to believe Sasuke is long gone, he shows up again. He assumes it's night ; he hasn't seen the sky in months, but it's when researchers leave him alone, so he figures they must be sleeping. Except for little Sasuke, apparently. Sui's instinct is to give him the silent treatment when he wanders in, but his thoughts change when he sees the condition he's in.

What the fuck happened to him? The sterile eyepatch is something bad. Shit, had Orochimaru gorged his out eye? Is that how bad he wants the Sharingan? Fucking creep. And that's not all. Sasuke has some nasty stitches under his nose, down to his lip, and are those burns? Sui isn't familiar with burns ; he's a Water Nature, and burns don't hit his skin in the same way it hits normal people's skin. But Sasuke looks bad - it's enough to make some reluctantly take shape, his curiosity mixing with something ... perhaps akin to concern.

" Wow, you look awful. " He murmurs, voice low and distorted from the water that separates them. And a little more - clearly Sasuke doesn't want to sit with him. Fine, be a moody dick. " What happened to you out there? Lord Snakeskin get bored of you? "

[etaliia]

it's so hot rn and the only thing that can save me is a blue slushie-

[etaliia]

What Cycle Do You Keep Repeating?

the ghost of you

You’ve learned how to disappear in plain sight. You avoid conflict. You numb out. You scroll, deflect, joke. You disconnect from your own feelings before anyone else can see them. It's not that you don't care — you just don't want to feel it all. Because once you do, what if it floods you? There’s a version of you that feels so distant now — more vibrant, more alive, maybe even more chaotic. You didn’t mean to lose them. You just kept choosing safety, and somewhere along the way, safety became silence.

tagged by: @xuchiwa

tagging: @floripire @namedhope @lcstwarricr @xsalvaticn and if anyone else wants to do it then pls tag me bc i want to see

[etaliia]

tangled asks / ( always accepting !! )

@xsalvaticn : “everything i did was to protect you.”

" Seriously? That's what you're calling it? "

Gepard remembers how young he was when he first reached the same height as his father. It had been in the middle of his growth spurt and he'd been embarrassed at how his mother had warmly predicted he'd tower over the whole family eventually. He had, quite quickly ; it had admittedly aided him as he went into the Royal Guards, making everyone listen to him outside of the respect he collected by being the grandson of the king.

It hadn't been easy. He'd had to gain the trust of his comrades, who had seen him as a nepo baby. He'd worked hard to listen to them, implement changes that would benefit them, and pull his own weight in every aspect. He'd had little help from his father or back then, only getting contacts and pride from his grandfather as he supported where Gepard was going.

Where had been this supposed protection then? When Gepard had been tired and stressed, only to be bombarded with false concern about his grandfather leading him down a bad path? They hadn't been protecting him ; they'd been trying to separate him from the only person who'd given him the support he'd been craving since he was born.

" You don't know the first thing about protecting me, or any of us! " His voice raises, a moment of anger finally boiling over as he lashes out. " You were barely part of my life before Lynx was born, and after they were born you only focus on them! "

He wants to yell more. He wants to shake his father until he finally understands the hurt and rejection he's been forced to live with. Every time Vanitas looked away from him, every time Vanitas shut the door with Gepard outside, every time Vanitas mumbled a response about going to ask his mother instead - it hurts too much.

" You've been trying to take me away from the one person who actually cares about me. Now you're mad I'm choosing him over you? " His throat feels thick, the familiar feeling when he gets nervous. Now he's had his outburst, he feels ... empty. Like there's nothing left to do anymore. He can't convince his father to support him. " Don't try to convince me you'd even consider what you're doing is right. You're jealous I'm not chasing after you any more. "

[floripire]

@etaliia / continued from here (rashel)

"You know, you're the first huntress of color I've ever met," Floribeth says amically, as if they're two old friends catching up over boba rather than two enemies arriving at a stand-still. "Normally, I have to prove my humanity to white people and even when they say I'm liked by them or important to them, they don't see it. They still don't see me, or hear me whenever I ask something of them." Slender shoulders rise and fall. "I'd say it's a refreshing change of pace to have to prove my humanity to you, but I'm already tired of those baseless accusations. Even more so because they're coming from you, because you and I damn well know how this world of ours works." A beat and then: "I like your hijab, by the way. Looks super pretty. Goes well with your outfit."

Rashel Jordan Qazi. More commonly known as The Cat. For her swiftness. And, arguably, for her claws. She speaks and it's venom, and venom, and even more venom.

“ You vampires are all the same. ”

"Are we? I can assure you, I'm not like the other vampires you've met. I mean, look at me - I did, in fact, pretend to be horribly sick or otherwise indisposed anytime gym class rolled around before I got turned. The teachers rarely fell for it."

The words are warm but there is something calculating behind Floribeth's eyes, as if she's trying to slot together a high stake puzzle at the highest of speed as well as the highest of intensity.

If she runs, she gets Rashel's blade in her back. Or her front. Or sides.

And if Rashel is a huntress worth her salt, then she's on vervain, which means that any and all mind dives - any and all telepathy or illusion work - is out of the question.

And Floribeth doesn't want to fight Rashel, either. She may be stronger, and she may be faster, but she's certain that Rashel could have her on her back faster than Floribeth can say Nintendo Switch.

No, her best bet is to keep The Cat talking. Even if Rashel looks and sounds disgusted by the very notion.

“Made vampires are usually more sloppy. I've staked more of you than the Lamia.”

A flash of pain crosses her face. Pain, and sympathy, and empathy. All those souls, lost. Floribeth may not have known the Made Vampires nor the Lamia's that Rashel spoke of, but she's certain not all of them deserved such ghastly fates.

“I guess you're not as scared of being caught. Your mistake.”

"You assume a lot. Has anyone ever told you that? You might want to work on that. Which reminds me: 'scared of being caught' implies that I've been doing something wrong. Like, I don't know, cheating on the SAT's or something. Which I would never." Floribeth takes a step back when Rashel steps forward. Just in case. "Other than contemplating getting boba and sweets, I haven't bothered anyone, so I don't know what I've done - in your eyes - to deserve to be dehumanized."

(She's not exactly a Made Vampire, nor is she a Lamia; she's something in between, she figures, because she can survive on blood and food just fine. Probably comes with the Harman territory, of being descended from the Hearth-Woman bloodline, and being part of Niklaus Mikaelson's broken sireline.)

Rashel slides her feet apart and one doesn't need to be a genius to spot the fighting stance, as she raises her blade, pointing it at Floribeth, who sighs as Rashel asks her to make this easy on her.

"I'm sorry, no can do. After all, the one whose hand is in fire is not like the one whose hand is in water." Or: easier said than done. "This, all of this? This is my second chance at life. Despite everything that happened. I'm not giving it up just because you seem to having the seventh consecutive bad day in a row - for which I'm truly sorry, by the way, I know how much that sucks - and need to take your aggression out on someone."

(Note she says someone and not something.)

[etaliia]

... Is she for real?

It's got to be some kind of tactic. Delay, distract, anything to make sure Rashel doesn't strike. Apparently the tactic is to connect them ; sure, Rashel noticed this girl's ethnicity. She's Eastern Asian, clearly, the same way Rashel is South Asian. They're still completely different. Not enough to push past their disagreements.

But her face heats up when the other compliments her hijab. She doesn't react beyond a quick blink, but it's enough to throw her. She's had insults thrown at her for her fighting style, her clothing, her skin - it's rare someone recognises her gear as a hijab and not just a scarf to conceal her identity.

No, don't get distracted! This is her plan!

But Rashel can't do anything but stare as this vampire continues to chat like they're friends. She's pointing a weapon deadly to her kind at her chest, and this girl wants to shoot the breeze? Her face slowly twists into confusion, tinted with annoyance and disbelief, as she tries to figure out ... exactly what's going on.

" I'm not in the mood for talking. And even if I was, I don't talk to leeches. "

Why is she thrown? She should be attacking, but she's just keeping herself steady and watching her enemy. It must be how she can't work out what this girl's game is ; Rashel's never met a vampire who wants to talk so much. Usually it's just trying to bite or tear her apart. Maybe she'd made a mistake by calling her the same as the others - she's crazy in an entirely different way.

" I'm a vampire hunter, you're a vampire. We don't talk, we fight until one of us is dead. " The huntress smooths all the emotion from her face, preparing for a fight. Because she's not going to hesitate anymore, not even if this girl keeps going. " Nothing personal, but you can't be dehumanised when you're not human. "

[etaliia]

tangled asks / ( always accepting !! )

@xuntamed : “you can’t tell anyone about this, okay? it could ruin my whole reputation.” ( ga ming )

A half-hearted chuckle emerges, grateful for his father's humour. Ever since he'd found Xiao half-conscious and injured, Ga Ming hadn't stopped worrying. Worrying about getting him back home, worrying about if Xiao would recover, worrying about if Baba would let him stay, worrying about how his sisters would tease him, worrying about if Xiao would hate him for bringing him to Mama - oh man, there's so much to think about. But Baba knows how to make him smile again. He knows how to bring him out of the worry, to give him a break for a moment.

Xiao can stay. At least until he's recovered enough to choose what he wants to do next. But Baba isn't going to be difficult, even if he doesn't like Xiao's dad, because it isn't about their disagreements - it's about making sure Xiao is taken care of. Ga Ming could leap into the air with relief ; it's one issue less to think about. And maybe he can sneak in to see Xiao when he wakes up, when Mama has done her thing with healing him ...

" I dunno, Baba, I think a couple people are gonna know. " Of course, Ga Ming is his father's son. He can't resist throwing some of that humour back at his dad, shrugging lightly with a cheeky smile crossing his face. " You know, if he's staying then he's gonna know. Mama too. And Jia, and Lian, and I'll always know. "

He laughs for a moment, the noise not quite strong enough to linger. He lapses into quiet again, staring at nothing as his concern deepens over his usually carefree expression. Even then, there's a calm around him, more relaxed now he has his father's approval this time.

" Thanks, Baba. " Ga Ming says quietly, smiling up at him with gratitude. " I think he really needs help this time. "

[etaliia]

tangled asks / ( always accepting !! )

@floripire : “how did you find me?”

“ You vampires are all the same. ”

She hasn’t flinched, even as she’s recognised. Bright eyes stay fixated on her target, the only splash of colour on her dark form. Even the rich browns of her bokken seems muted by the shadows that envelope her, hiding her from view. Well, mostly - vampires have enhanced senses, so she isn't surprised this one spotted her.

" Made vampires are usually more sloppy. I' guess you're not as scared of being caught. I've staked more of you than the lamia. " Rashel steps forward, letting the light catch her form. She's covered except for a space between her hijab and the veil over her mouth and nose, but the disgust is clear in her eyes. " I guess you're not as scared of being caught. Your mistake. "

She slides her feet apart, settling into a familiar fighting stance as she raises the bokken, pointing it at her target. There's nothing special about this vampire, except that she isn't immediately fighting for her life ; Rashel is ready to finish this and go home, so she sees no reason to hesitate.

" Why don't you make this easy on me? "

[etaliia]

random asks.

@xheartpages / @xsalvaticn : "You found her."The voice shocks them both; Noé and Vanitas' heads jerked towards the sound as one of them shifted to better be on his guard. They should of been alone -- they had spent most of the travel alone aside from when they had to make pit stops for supplies and coverage from the brutal Sumeru sun; when they might of crossed paths with a kind vendor at a stall or another traveler, sharing the shade and water. By all accounts, especially with what they were searching for - who, rather - this last leg should of been them alone. Noé's brows furrow as he holds the unconscious body of the girl - what they had assumed to be the long lost archon herself - closer to himself; purple eyes flickering over the newcomer. A tall man, cloaked in black to where it was almost dripping off of him from his hair to his attire. Uneasiness rolls in his stomach, especially when he finally processes just what he said. " E ... Excuse me?" "Her. You found her ... I knew that you could." The man sounded so search, so happy, that it was almost surreal; with the smile on his face as he moved in closer, the light illuminating his face. "I have to thank you ... I knew that this day would come, that I would finally be able to see her face to face outside of my dreams, that I'd be able to finally be with her, but I couldn't figure out how ... and then you two came." Vanitas' frown deepens, shifting slightly as discomfort twinges within him. There was something wrong about his tone ... he didn't like. When he shifts slightly so he's partially in front of them, the man - Quinn - pauses, eyes finally leaving the dendro archon's prone form and focusing on Vanitas, as though just realizing he was there ... before the first twinges of anger begins to seep into it. " -- You did your job now. I'll take it from here." He holds out his hand in front of him, a notable dagger clenched tightly within it. " --- Now both of you ... step away from her. She's coming home with me, where she belongs."

Everything feels ... wrong. Even with her eyes closed, the world is now too much. She can feel the weight of a body against hers and it almost hurts to feel such pressure. Arms holding her might as well be tightened ropes, even though they only stop her from hitting the ground. And the voices she hears are too harsh, might as well be blasting screams into her mind. Particularly one voice, one she recognises the way someone once stung recognises a nettle. Rashel inhales deeply, dragging herself into consciousness to deal with the threat.

Bright eyes open, squinting against the limited light. One hand lifts to shade her eyes from it, but limited light means she can't hide from it without blocking her sight entirely. Five hundred years of dreaming makes reality almost unbearable ; she closes her eyes and turns her head towards the torso holding her, cringing at the assault on her senses.

But another sense tells her not to look away. An instinct deep in her soul warns her that looking away would be like turning her back on an Abyss Mage, and Rashel forces herself to look back at the scene unfolding around her. The one holding her ; he's that guy. The one with lilac eyes who would chase her and get into trouble. She's surprised at how gently he holds her, when she'd always gotten the impression he didn't like her. Her head turns, and she see two men in identical pools of black. One, she knows follows the man holding her, with blue eyes as vibrant as her own and a long ponytail down his back.

The other, standing further away from them, makes her skin crawl. Quinn - she remembers him from her years of dream-hopping. The way he'd looked at her when she accidentally entered his dreams had haunted her no matter where she'd gone. And he's looking at her now with those same eyes, obsession leaking out of them. She's seen what he thinks about doing to her, and that fear drops her heart into her stomach.

It would be at this point that she'd flee from his dream, but there's no escape from him now. Rashel is now trapped in reality after spending so long being unable to enter it. In the desert with no settlements for miles around, no one able to enter this space, the only advantage being their numbers.

And, perhaps, the sudden rush of being in a physical form again. There's something about being back in her body that has redirected the previous energy from projecting her spirit to boosting her power instead. She can feel it simmering through her, building the longer she's awake, telling her now is the time to fight back.

" Stay back. " She rasps, keeping her eyes locked on her enemy as she sits herself up. Though rather than it being a warning to Quinn, it's a promise of protection for the two men who had allied her when her spirit had journeyed the desert. " Both of you, let me handle this. "

She pushes herself to her feet, using the friendly man's shoulder to steady herself. Her own body feels heavy after centuries of being weightless, but she finds it grounds her nicely. It's connected to the earth, to the vines that created a hammock that held her and to the element that pulses under her skin. Dendro power awakens like a field of flowers blooming all at once. She can feel nature itself across Sumeru taking note of her, lifting its branches and turning heads towards her in recognition of the Gnosis buried in her soul.

She's never felt so powerful.

One foot steps forward and Dendro spreads out. The barren ground of the cave suddenly flourishes with grass and weeds that give her a grip when she suddenly leaps forward. First job - get the knife away from Quinn. She's a physical being again, so she can get hurt from it, and he won't give it up without a fight. Then subdue him, sure he can't hurt anyone here. She needs to make sure her allies are safe.

Use yourself as bait, he might hesitate to hurt you. But he will hurt your companions, don't let him get near them. Throw yourself at him, summon vibes to grab his wrist. Pull his arm, kick his wrist with the heel of your foot to force him to drop the knife. He swings at you, and you can't block it, you're not used to taking a hit. It staggers you, makes you see stars dance in front of your sight, but he's trapped from those vines and can't continue an attack. Conjure more, grab him, hold him still. He's struggling and trying to break free, but you anticipated that. The vines are much stronger than they needed to be, glowing with Dendro power as you learn your new strength.

It only takes a few moments, and Rashel has Quinn on his knees and caught in a thicket. One hand stays raised, pointed at him in case she needs to summon more plants to trap him, when it really hits her -she did that. She took him down with only one hit on her. It hadn't always been so easy, when somehow he grabbed her in his dreams and wouldn't let her slip away. She finds that she likes being awake again.

Her head turns to her companions, focused sight now studying them in a way she hadn't considered before. They both wore Visions, both with Fontaine influences, catalyst wielders, not used to the desert, both staring at her with varying emotions. Her face flushes but she doesn't look away from them, trying to keep her composure and the show of strength she'd just demonstrated.

" We need to get out of here. " She says bluntly and coldly. " Leave him here and we can escape. "

Her tone says what her words won't - let Quinn get his own way out, or die trying.

[etaliia]

g.enshin verses will be the end of me. send help as i try to write up stuff that only half makes sense.

[etaliia]

random asks.

@xheartpages : Silent moments in the house was getting fewer and far between, and when they were blessed with them, it was usually so charged that the yelling seemed almost preferable. This one was charged, per usual, but it had an undercurrent of something that could either be seen as a positive or negative -- resigned acceptance. Ajax couldn't recall how long he'd been seated at that their kitchen table, elbows propped up as he leans his face heavily focusing on his own breathing. It was a marvel to any to witness it -- Ajax being still, in his own thoughts instead of following whatever whim his blade or the whispers of the abyss leads him to. But perhaps it wasn't too out of character ... after all. He was waiting. " ... I can't do this anymore." His voice is careful, small even, not a shout nor a whisper. Just stating something as though it was an unshakeable fact, and at this point, it was. Blue eyes stare at the middle of the table, at centerpiece decorating the middle of it. Claudia's work, of course. He inhales carefully, still not looking towards his wife despite knowing she was there. Feeling her there --- close and yet so far. " ... I can't be here with someone who doesn't want to be with me. And I won't." He's had to deal with it enough with his parents, gazes lingering on him like a wild predator whenever he visited his younger siblings, before he was even a harbinger. He couldn't do it again in how home, with his own family -- with his own daughter. This time, Ajax finally does turn his head slightly, letting their eyes connect. Steady. " ... I think we should get a divorce."

Victoria is still in her arms, this time sleeping and blissfully aware of her parents' dilemma. She doesn't even stir when her mother's heart drops, the world spinning around Claudia's feet. Amidst the gripping fear, there's a frustration building at the sudden attack on their relationship that crushes her chest.

How dare he put his own problems onto her plate. How dare he play with leaving her. How dare he not choose her first after promising she wouldn't have a reason to worry about him leaving.

" Do not say that. " She says stonily, ignoring the way her eyes water. Her head turns away from her husband, angry at her weakness, and she holds their baby a little closer to her chest. " You do not mean that. "

She's ready. It's a shock but ... she knew. She's known for weeks Ajax isn't happy with her. They haven't even had sex since before she gave birth - granted, they couldn't for two months after, but in the months since? It surprises her most how they didn't fall back into that routine. Sex has always been their go-to, their way of communicating without words. It's their guarantee, their way of reconnecting in any weather ...

Is that what he wants? How ridiculous. They're parents - they were both aware there would be changes. It's not like she can leave Victoria alone for that long. They can't have sex with her in the room! And if she can't leave her alone in another room, Claudia might as well hold her. She doesn't have to let her go, of course not. Tori stays close, stays protected in her mother's arms, exactly where she belongs.

And if Ajax has a problem with Claudia taking care of their baby, that's his issue to sort out.

" When have I said I do not want you? Do you know what I have risked to be with you, and what I have sacrificed? " She continues, keeping her voice low but venom spewed in every word. " I have a baby. I am trying to be a good mother. I have to care for her and I cannot focus on you all the time. "

Her throat is burning. Victoria suddenly feels heavy in her arms. She want ... what does she want? She doesn't even know. How can she not know? There's just a swirling mess of half-formed thoughts and overwhelming emotions that make her feel like vomiting. And he deliberately caused this for what? To prove a point? To get one up on her? To punch her in the stomach with all the feelings of inadequacy she'd trusted him with?

The cracks in her soul grow deeper as she turns her whole body away from him, exiting the kitchen almost as quickly as she'd entered.

" I will not listen to this nonsense. "

[etaliia]

buffy sentences ( accepting !! )

@xuchiwa : “Everything here is hard, and bright, and violent. Everything I feel, everything I touch… this is hell.“ ( claudia )

" And that is your excuse for giving up now? "

Claudia ... isn't really sure what she's doing here. She's never visited the Konoha prisons before, much less seen what conditions its inhabitants are kept in. Every inch of Claudia's demeanour screams that she doesn't belong in such conditions, yet somehow she sits opposite an almost convicted war criminal with folded arms and an upturned nose. Not that Sasuke can see that ; the way his body is wrapped up like a dead pharaoh gives her the same feeling as bugs crawling across her skin.

" I have known you since you were taken in by Wriothesley and Domi. You were a fighter than, you would not give up. You had a goal and you were going to make it happen. " She muses, tilting her head as though to compare the memories with what reality sits in front of her. " You were a stubborn bambino. You refused to let anyone help you, while being the best. And you made sure you were the best. "

She remembers meeting Sasuke. She remembers his attitude towards her, his sass and mumbled snark as the woman had adjusted to her sister becoming a mother to a seven year old overnight. She remembers wondering if anyone would notice if she hit him with a wooden spoon before she had spoken to him properly. His situation had been far too similar to her own, and something in her heart had softened to him. Claudia had sat down and stoked his fire, even against the wishes of his new guardians - she had given him a source of support for his desire for vengeance, an ear to listen to his ideas and a brain who had conjured the same thoughts years earlier.

He had been a good kid. But the second he left Konoha, their paths had diverted. They were too different now, perhaps even to find common ground. Claudia built the bank to get her revenge, and it now supplies her lifestyle and gives her a purpose. Sasuke threw his all into revenge, and he has nothing to show now he's achieved that goal. He could have been a great Anbu with a career to fall back on - instead he chose Orochimaru. ( Is this the disappointment her father felt when she had scared off another suitor or gotten into a fight with one of her girls? )

" What happened to that drive? You still did what you wanted to do! " Claudia's stare hardens as her voice rises in the small cell. She's a little surprised at how angry his defeat makes her ; sure, she might have been there during his pre-teens, but she hadn't had an impact in his life for years. Why would she care? " You took down the monsters who killed your family! That was hard and you did it! But now you want to give up- for what? You had so much fire, it is like someone dumped water over you! "

[etaliia]

buffy sentences ( accepting !! )

@xuntamed : “Yeah… it was sexy the way she touched me real hard with her fists.“ ( rashel )

Her face heats up at his words, quickly covered by an eyeroll. Damn him - Rashel had thought he was close with Akasuki. Like ... close. Clearly not as close as she thought, if Akasuki had that reaction when Shaw tried to talk to her. This new boy, Rampion, seems to be causing trouble left and right, especially if he's making these two fight like this. She decides to see if she can spot him out of the safehouse, just to get a read on him.

" I thought that was your thing - girls who can kick your ass. " She mumbles, then continues louder as she folds her arms. " It's your own fault. You shouldn't have provoked Kaneko. You know she won't take your shit and you're lucky she didn't stab you. "

And ... what exactly had happened? Shaw had spoken to Kaneko about cutting Rampion some slack, because he was being invasive. Yeah, maybe Shaw's type isn't just girls who can kick his ass, but boys who causes trouble too. What an idiot, falling for those kinds of people. The goal in this house is survival, hence the reason Rashel dropped by - why bother with anything like that? But she's not completely heartless. She sighs and shrugs gently, awkwardly wondering if she needs to sit next to him to talk like this.

" Just leave her alone, let her cool off. " She isn't good with advice. But Shaw looks like he needs someone to tell him this stuff, if he'll even list to it. Since when did she sign up to be a babysitter? " Talk to Rampion instead. Make sure he doesn't bother her either. You don't need a murder on your hands. "

[etaliia]

buffy sentences ( accepting !! )

@xsalvaticn : “I’m saying ‘stay away’ and let me rest in peace.” ( Arlecchino )

" Élie, there's no need to be rude. "

The Knave brings the teacup to her lips, saving the taste of tea that washes over her tongue afterwards. Of course, there's another cup of the same tea waiting for him opposite her, but she doubts very much he's going to sit and chat with her before it goes cold. A shame - it really is a nice blend.

Dark eyes look up at her former charge as she replaces the cup onto its saucer, one eyebrow arching subtly as she studies him. He doesn't go by Élie anymore ; just Vanitas, though he'll always be Élie to her. A scared little boy who was kidnapped from her care and given to a real monster, forced to rename himself to protect his identity and sanity. He'll never be Vanitas to her, because she wants him to feel safe with her, the way he once was.

" I'm not here to hurt you, and you know that. Otherwise, you wouldn't be talking to me. " Arlecchino gestures to the seat opposite her one more time, still bearing the same nonchalance she wears in every conversation. And she doesn't expect him to sit just yet, hence why she breaks out a more bold manoeuvre. " I presume you are here the same reason as that girl is. You're both looking for a boy named Fréminet, correct? "

[etaliia]

muse pages are...........going. muse stories are taking forever bc i want to put them in my own words and lots of them are more detailed than original / canon divergent. but rules page and a list of every muse is done. is that enough to start promo-ing / getting back here?