i wore the crown, i sold the lie.

[mysupernovayourfourleafclover-d]

“To love me is to love a haunted house. It’s fun to visit once a year, but no one wants to live there.”

— Brenna Twohy // Anxiety: A Ghost Story

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

 bruce shook his head with a frown. “just barely.” he replied as he looked the girl over. she was once again not going to take the way he played with cheap lines but he knew it was the first thing that would get to her. he even went as far as to grasp his chest as if he was in pain and step back. “look at me, princess, i am falling apart here.” he said. and little did she know he really has been. always on his mind even when he tried to focus on something else. “i thought we already went over this, you are just trouble and now you have me unable to make it through a night. i think it’s really unfair this advantage you have, lumi.” but dont stop. he wanted to add but held it to himself. 

 “or is it more convenient that you would pick the one place i talked about being my favorite.” now he was just trying to put this all on her. he could have let her keep walking but hell his feet wouldn’t even let him make that choice. “no, everything is done by those three, besides i need someone to blame for making me have to be stuck with you.” bruce winked and before he knew it he could feel her pushing him away. she knew what she was doing by playing it cool and it was only making bruce want to work harder at her until she cracked. he couldn’t be the only fool in this melting in her hands. he first began to walk ahead only turning a few steps out. his hand had greedily reached out to take hers, hungry for that touch he was able to get just nights before. 

 as soon as his fingers laced with hers he tried to tug her closer and pull her to his side only to throw his arm around her shoulder. “am i going to get to take a look at those sketch books like we talked about? im pretty excited to see the master at work.” bruce was putting a lot on himself before he spotted her, the stress to find this light in him had taken over but now he felt a total calm and he knew he could only guess lumi had that effect on him; just like so many other things. 

Lumi found herself laughing, despite his theatrics. "I suppose it's a good thing you're immortal. We both know you'll survive." She shot back at him. First moment Bruce began with the lines, Lumi had warned him that they would not work. The push and pull nature of their sudden courtship made Lumi's heart light up. Though showing affection in a raw way alarmed her, she always found banter the fast track to complete adoration. "There's probably someone inside that can help with that affliction. They must have an infirmary set up after the earthquake." Her voice was even as if she were utterly unfazed and not as if she could barely breathe around him. Bruce deflected blame back at her and her head recoiled with laughter. "Always the victim, are you?"

"Bruce, dear Bruce, you ought to get your ears checked. I’m fairly certain I mentioned being torn between the woods and the gardens. The scenery is getting quite dull around here." Seldom times would Lumi admit to missing home. Feeling trapped in a cage just to trade it for another had its damage on her mental state. The woods, while not her own, were part of the Enchanted Forest and even that alone made her heart ache with nostalgia. "Wow, you say stuck with me as if that's such a hassle for you. Would you prefer to ignore my existence?" She meant every word in a jesting manner. Even if part of her also wondered if that thought had crossed his mind at all. An even smaller piece of her was hoping he hadn't.

A voice in her head told her not to allow him to get close, one Lumi had thought she silenced long ago. Her body had a differentiating than the voice. Almost a magnetic pull right to him. With one hand intertwined with his and the other held securely across the strap of her bag Lumi resumed her walk. "Patience is a virtue, Bruce. You might find yourself waiting around more often than not." Lumi walked in tandem with him as she led them towards the outer parts of the gardens. The shimmering walls stood in the distance as she made her way towards the edge of the perimeter.

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx‌:

there was that playful smirk as he heard her reply and suddenly the boy felt her pull all over again. this is exactly what he didn’t want to do and that was just fall the moment she said one thing to him. “avoiding me? no, that wont do. hell, ive been missing out on that smile enough already.” he said letting his large body press against the cool wall of the stone castle, it was the only cool thing around since brruce felt himself melting in his shoes just being around her. 

just then she suggested she might go to the gardens and all his attention perked up. “really? well, what are the odds that i happen to be on my way there myself? i might be biased but i say the gardens are much better.” suddenly and without thought he leaned forward to tower over the girl, giving er a grin. “a;most as if the fates are behind it…” bruce was now even more eager to go to the gardens as it wasn’t just his favorite place in the castle but bruce was now finding such an easy excuse to spend more time with the girl. “i was going to check up… on the growth and maybe…” he looked down, embarrassed that at his age he was still struggling with his powers. “i don’t know, work on trying to build up my powers if they are there. you mind if i join you?” 

As if by magic, Lumi's eyes rolled in annoyance. "I'm sure you survived." She responded with a bit of amusement mixed with exasperation in her voice. The more attempts that Bruce made to flirt with her using horrible lines, the more amused Lumi found herself by him. Considering she specifically told him that those would not work on her and he still tried with them, she could only conclude he was doing it to get a rise out of her. "Or have you become that smitten with me that you can't go a few days without seeing me? I would hate to be the cause of that much trouble." A lie. Any sort of chaos she could inspire inside of him was all the more welcomed.

"Is that so? How convenient that you seemed to be heading in the direction I was just after you asked what I was up to," she spoke carefully, a playful tone taking over her voice. It probably was just a coincidence but she wouldn't let him get away without a little bit of prodding. "Your so called fates seemed to like throwing us together. You know, that or the fact that there's probably a total of four interesting places to explore when stuck in a bubble." A hand went to his chest to push him back a bit, in a harmless way as a smile played on her lips. Her eyebrow raised up as she processed his exact reasoning for going to the gardens. So he was going to work on the powers he was supposed to have attained from his mother. That was something that she felt a need to see play out. "I was just going to sketch, so I suppose you can come along." Lumi gestured for him to lead the way. The woods would have to wait for another day.

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx‌:

distracted. that was the only word that could be used to describe bruce ever since his night at the cove with the girl who in all the cheesiest ways of putting it; shook him to the bone. he was a god and she was a mortal…he should be driving her insane and yet there he was, stalking down the halls with a huff and lips puckered in a pout of stubborn frustration. she wasn’t a normal mortal. she made his walls crumble as if they were wet paper and that was years of enforcing, making sure no one could brake him and she did so in only hours; not… everything about him, but more than enough to have him completely captivated by her. 

there was one place he went when he was frustrated and that had become the garden that his mother had spent working on after the earthquake. he needed air. he needed a clear mind and to stop obsessing when he’d see her again; when did it become time to seek her out? obviously he wanted to but his mind told him not to seem so desperate. he was bruce, son of hades and next ruler of the underwolrd; he does not go crawling to girls. and then as if once again the fates were home watching his every move…making sure bruce was going to drive himself mad. he saw her. well, first he caught the last glimpse of dark hair as it turned a corner but it was so familiar and so easy to cause a thud in his chest. “shit.” he mumbled. obviously, he had to go after her now. 

 picking up his pace he followed behind her, just able to catch up before he realized he didn’t know what to say until it just came out. “lumi, long time no see.” another line she’d get him for, not that he didn’t enjoy any time she called him out of course. “where on earth could you be headed to?” 

@illuminatingsnow

These days, Lumi often found herself reflecting on the time spent imprisoned. Often times it was wonders about how her kingdom was faring or if her family was making the best out of the situation. She refused to admit that more than once did her mind flittered to the complication of her life dressed up as the heir to the Underworld. So many aspects of him should not have appealed to her but all the more times he entered her thoughts she saw the better parts. There was a mask he had put up for everyone else and Lumi was determined to break it down to pieces. Curiosity was always said to have killed the cat and Lumi was afraid that he might end up being her own undoing.

Even as a young child, Lumi had always found the way to escape what she could not control in the form of art. A world all of her own design, no one could take that away from her. A universe better than her own. That always solved her problems. This environment was enough reason she needed for a much needed break from reality. Perched on the window sill of her borrowed room, Lumi found herself struggling to find a subject to draw. Muse was hard to come by when stuck in the same place every day. A change of scenery could help and Lumi had her mind made up. Perhaps the gardens or the woods would remind her a little more of home.

It was a short trip out of the castle walls and onto the path, a bag shouldered with pencils and paper. Humming under her breath as she walked as her mind began to drift once more. Her ears picked up the sound of footsteps behind her. With so many others meandering around the palace grounds, Lumi assumed there was no reason anyone would be seeking her out. Until his voice registered with her and she glanced at him. The smile bloomed on her face despite her inner protests. "Yes, it's almost as if I'm avoiding you," she poked at him. "I'm heading towards the outer gardens or the woods. I haven't decided yet. I do miss climbing trees."

[vlue-the-wallflower]

and you know, you know, you know

i could be beautiful

you hope, you dream, you pray

and you get your way

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“yes, sometimes i even find the thought of it just… overbearing. having to go on forever, i don’t know it’s exhausting sometimes.” he thought out loud, and it was just constantly having to go on no matter what. “my mother? well, she brings the spring. good harvest to the humans and earth.my mother can create the most amazing gardens.” he went on. the woman helped when the earthquake ruined the castle and made sure it would grow back better than before. “she can make things grow instantly but she has always been more keen on just planting them by hand and putting her love into it, like when i was born.” he said thinking of his birth and how it was just another unusual god-like tale. “yeah? she taught you that? ive never net your mother but people have always said she was pretty hopeful. guess you have to be to live the way she did with the queen hating her…” he said shrugging. “i think it can be a bit exaggerated though, to put too much hope into something.” 

“too bad i never met you before. i would have just taken you away. anywhere you’d want to go. no need to be perfect or seen by everyone to be some royal example.” obviously bruce had more freedom and less of a role to be perfect. he was rebellious and dark, no one expected him to be perfect. “speaking of…what would you do? if given the chance, where would you go?” he wanted to know. maybe…just maybe bruce could really take her away and show her what she wanted to see. first the curse would have to be broken but it had to happen eventually, right? 

bruce remained to just hold her up against him, damn he refused to let go at this point and to know he really couldn’t keep her all to himself was not only an aggravating thought but the boy just hated knowing they would have to end up walking back to the castle and parting ways. “how do you know im not just saying so to get a quick kiss from you? im pretty charming, my girl, you’re just falling for it.” he wished it was that easy, her being just like any girl he’d met and hooked up with. but lumi held him and he fell for her eyes, he fell for more than looks, he wanted to know her life and her deepest desires. he was just as curious about the girl as she had been of him. 

“so you just gesturing to my whole face gives you the right to blame me? because look at you! being all… gorgeous and shit. i wasn’t going to pass you up!” now they were blaming eachother and he couldn’t help but chuckle as they did it. “yeah and im not done. ive got a lot that i can do to make you really impressed. you are just going to have to find them out eventually. 

“good because especially with this fucking curse… a lot could happen and us vilains are already the first to be blamed. to rope you into anything just because i want evrything with you is unfair…not until we really see where all this is going.” he assured her that they would work things out and he meant that, he wanted to see that they could be something. she could be his happiness as the curse trapped them. “so… you like my pout, huh? is that how im going to start getting things from you? a kiss everytime i do it?” instead of letting himself get worked up about his tantrums he knew he wouldn’t be judged by her so he didn’t mind her pointing them out. “well, in a way im afaid of you. lumi… i don’t usually have feelings like this and it makes me think about a person who i hurt and…well had to carry my own pain. you do all this and i fear im going to lose it, that you’re going to take it away. you are a princess but fuck, lumi…i really just cant lose something that can be good.” 

“oh we could have all out wars at the parties, that don’t stop them from happening..i mean even mortals would party for us and we love that shit. but yeah, we get pissed at each other and a few decades go by and we are usually over it.” except hades when it came to his brother zeus. those two just always were at eachother’s throat for no reason, well aside from hades being the one stuck in the underworld and being completely bitter about it. “i think it’s funny, having you so interested in the gods…where i live. it’s all so mundane to me that it hardly is interesting.” now lumi’s life… he was more interested in knowing how she didn’t rip her hair out from all the expected rules and boundaries she had. “sorry, sweetheart. you only radiate a bright sunshine and a good time. maybe if you borrowed one of my leather jackets you could give off a little bad ass vibe. i don’t know it could be a kinda hot look for you. but at least he taught you something you can find useful one day. even if it’s just to be stranded on an island with me,” 

he had looked down to find himself completely pleased with the look on her face. it was amazement and he had been so happy to see he was the one to give her something beyond her every day norm. what she considered magic. as she kissed him he smiled, feeling her breath over his lips as she spoke. “i know.” he added with a cocky grin. “i can show you much more than that or juggling but ill have to show you later. i need you coming back for more.” once he let his ego get ahead of him he leaned in to close that little space. he couldn’t get enough of her lips as he made his kiss deeper, holding her there to take in every part of it and enjoy it even more. his hands going to her sides and pulling her at the wasting wanting her to move closer, guiding her into his lap. 

That was something that Lumi could technically never understand. Her time alive was not guaranteed which made survival a necessity. She couldn't imagine walking the earth as long as it turned like he would be forced to. "It must have upsides but something tells me that the upsides might not out weigh the bad parts of it. How long have you been alive, anyways?" The idea behind it ending at some point made every moment matter to her and she couldn't fathom how he must keep himself going. "Did she help when the earthquake destroyed this one? I remember seeing it after the shock and it was... less than perfect to say the least. Last I checked it looked like it was thriving." Lumi raised an eyebrow when he mentioned that she liked to nurture just like she had when he was born. Something told her that there was more to that story than him just being born as mortals were. The Gods always had some crazy stories when it came to that. "How do you two work on your powers?" Snow White was revered for being the kindest soul to anyone who had ever met her and as her daughter Lumi was supposed to be like her. "She's always had faith that things would always work out. It's one of the only things that I can truthfully say I got from her. I think having hope is important but you also have to work for the things that you want."

"I think we're probably better off that we didn't meet before now. Remember how you said you're not the type to bring home to parents? I think my father would have a stroke if someone showed up to whisk me off on some adventure. My mother would probably try to feed you, she likes everyone. I was barely allowed to venture to town alone and don't even get me started on when I started dating." The problem with needing to seem perfect was when you were the opposite of everything the world wanted you to be. When people looked at her they wanted to see Snow White all over again. Lumi was much more like her father. "I always wanted to go to Ireland. Or Italy. Somewhere that is profoundly beautiful." While she had gone other places for royal duties, Lumi had rarely been allowed to leave the premises of the court they were visiting. And it always proved not enough for her to count it. "I want to go somewhere that I can explore."

Lumi couldn't help but laugh as he attempted to mess with her. "You really think I will fall for any old line? I've had dull princes attempting to seduce me since I turned fifteen. I've got plenty of practice with those. Besides, you've gotten your quick kiss. If that's really all you're after you would have found a way to walk away. I'm not the one with the death grip." Still, as she said it, Lumi's grip on his shoulder tightened slightly. Bruce was nothing like the blubbering boys that had attempted in the past and she knew that. He was different in a way that she didn't understand no matter how much she wished to. It was one challenge she was definitely keen on figuring out.

"I already told you I refuse to feed that ego of yours with what you want to hear. Unless of course the size of it breaks the barrier, now that I would love to see." Lumi was always decent at acting coy when she needed to. It got her into trouble with people more often then not. Bruce did not seem to mind it one bit, though. Which was refreshing enough on its own. "Never fear, Bruce, I'll give your sentiments to my parents that you're wholly in favor of what their genes created. Fairest in the land and all that jazz."

"They'll figure out how to break the curse eventually... or they won't and we'll all be stuck here forever and an all out war will break out. Whoever did this will name their price for our release if it was done with malicious intent eventually. But nevertheless, I respect people's boundaries for the most part. But I'm a big girl and I know what I want. What do you want?" Lumi knew that whether she wanted to or not, she was completely for seeing where this was going to go. They had just met so she knew not to get her hopes up even if she could. She logically knew that this could very well be a way for them both to pass the time until they were able to get back to their own lives. But the voice in the back of her head was fighting with the knowledge of how everything in her past worked. Using him as a distraction was not why she was here. Not this time. "Hm, that depends on the situation. Whether or not you're being an adorable idiot or just an idiot." Lumi tilted her head as he explained how he could possibly be afraid of her and despite herself she found herself biting her lip as he continued. "I'm afraid of it, too. Letting people get close is a terrifying thing. So we just go one day at a time and see what happens. That isn't too scary."

Lumi didn't understand why it was so amusing for him that she was interested in his life. "I told you before how your life is completely different than mine. Your entire family are immortal, gods. You live in a place that not very many people have ever traversed. The things that are ordinary to you aren't to me. I'm sure you think the same of my life. Except maybe not, considering that I'm just your standard run of the mill princess." Lumi felt like her life was the typical life of royalty even if she had never felt like she truly fit the mold that was set out for her. Maybe that was another reason why she felt so drawn him. They both felt conflicted inside and people who felt broken often sought out other broken people. "Hey now, you already declined being stuck on an island for me. I'll find another broody god to help with my archery skills."

The fire horse was an amazing sight to hold as magic wasn't something she was used to in her life. No one she knew had gifts quite like that. She had only heard tales of such a thing and Bruce could do feats unlike anyone else without even thinking about it. So rewarding him with a kiss was the least she could do. Then he opened his mouth and Lumi groaned and threw her head back. "Yep, it's official. I'm never complimenting you again. I hope you enjoyed that last one." She was about to speak up once more when his lips decended on hers once more. Wanting nothing more than to be close to him, even if he was driving her crazy, Lumi followed his movements and moved to straddle his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she moved herself to bridge any lingering gap between them. When she felt her heart race faster her nerves forced her to pull back from him. Her eyes opened and she searched his face for any sort of change. "Hi. Is this okay?" She asked as she moved one hand to rest on his chest.

[ishy]

[thezavarka-deactivated20191222]

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“forever…” immortality could be so cruel. “sounds like its good unless you’re the one having to wait for something you don’t even know if you even have it or not. it’s more depressing than anything else, you know?” he shrugged at her suggestion. maybe it was his anger, but bruce was an angry person. “any ideas on how to control anger when it’s always been apart of you?” he asked raising a brow. as much as he wished that lumi could just give him the answers he knew it would never be that simple. he was going to have to dig deeper than that to get this light everyone keeps talking about to turn on.” lumi and bruce were and could very well just be the opposite of each other in every way but he sure seemed drawn to her. “how the hell do you seem to think with so much hope, huh?”

to know lumi was willing to drop the subject eased bruce. his hands brushed her skin, almost thanking her for trusting him when he spoke about the souls he has to torture. “i fear that. for once i don’t want someone to fear me.” ugh, he wanted to shake himself out of the fog, he was going to get cose to someone else and then have nothing come of it. he’d feel and feel and then it would be crushed and he’d be left broken again. “i will give you that time. to tell me anything you want. i will ask…” he sighed. “do you even like being a princess… i mean the part that just so you could get out. it seems stupid that you cant do as you wish just because of who your parents are.” 

one hand pressed against the barrier and the other pulled her closer at the small of her back. he didn’t allow inches between them not even for a second and part of it was his greed to have her and the other part was because he couldn’t see her protesting. “bruno. nice touch, princess. you know, you’d be a lot cuter if you weren’t such a pain.” of course he had to laugh at his words. “the fates will be sure whatever is meant to happen will happen. those three could have warned me about this whole curse and party… but then i wouldn’t have met you. i hate feeling like i have to thank them sometimes.” 

“shit.” he could feel her breath against his neck as she whispered and he had to shut his eyes just to compose himself. he wanted to joke with her, to play their games, do anything but cave. but she did something to him and instantly his heart spoke first. “i think i could arrange something as long as you want me around.” and then he turned his head and once again caught her lips against his. “i’d fucking miss that smile of yours.” 

“i shouldn’t look like this? please explain. oh way to point and blame me for my looks. i was born with it baby. and what you don’t think part of me didn’t see you and think: ‘well, shit here is my lucky day. i got a beautiful girl just bored out of her wits and a whole day to waste trying to impress her’. it was like you knew id be the perfect one to fall for those eyes” he laughed. sure, he didn’t expect any of this but he’d never regret what it turned into. he found something where it wasn’t supposed be and all it took was a few words. 

 his hand went up just as his brow did. “hey, im a dick but fuck if i would go and treat you bad in public… even before i met you. not my style unless you deserve it. i just meant… me in general. people would see me so open and use that against me. i just want the fact that im not all built up walls to stay between us. and i cant have them know i have a weakness.” all legends of gods usually meant that there were points where their story fell, and now… lumi was part of him in a way that could be dangerous if tampered with. the last thing he could handle was having this… her taken from him. “besides, i think you like my tantrums a little too much. so you can have them all to yourself.” she really did know how to keep things light even with something as serious as this could be. this, the feelings were so spontaneous. he didn’t know what was going to happen but he’d fight to have her. “you’re probably the cutest thing to ever tell me they aren’t afraid of me.” he laughed. “you’re also the cutest thing i’ve ever been afraid of.” 

“HA! do we eat? oh, darling. we are gods, we love to enjoy the gifts…and foods that are given to us. food as well. shit, you should see the feasts us gods pull, the parties can last weeks, trust me. we eat. now eating to survive… well, immortality is a blessing and a curse. sleep is something we still do… if you can at least.” he said with a shrug. “the age thing is different we seem to just trickle off and last forever after a certain point. thousands of years and we still look the same, after a while throw back thursdays start to all look the same.” he joked, he looked at her and the excitement she had once again finding a new part of him to pick apart and he almost loved everything about letting her know these things. “so you have a bow? tell me miss. lumi, i didn’t know there was a spark of bad ass in there. but i don’t think there are much squirrels on a stranded island, i might just need to find someone else to be stuck with.” 

“as much as i can’t admit that i am keeping you anchored down…i just know i can make you warmer as long as you’re closer. and it will make it a hell of a lot easier to sneak in a kiss when you least expect it.” he loved the feeling of her there, her lips against his neck, her body fitting so well against his. damn, bruce was such a sucker for this girl. “the best i got for the princess.” bruce had the fire rolling the perfect size already but there was something much more eye catching he could do. “just watch the flames.” he told her and suddenly as the flames danced to their own accord bruce had taken control of them forced a shape of a small horse to animate right before her eyes. “the flames dance for me but this took forever to get right.” he said keeping the shape built up until he found the control to animate his animal, sending it to trot around as if the horse had life and was in a show for a prize. he reached out to his creation and pet the creature. it was his own, went by his command. as he let the thing fizzle off into smoke he looked down. “how was that?” 

"I can't imagine having that much time on my hands but sometimes waiting is all you can do. What kinds of things can your mother do? As goddess of spring." Even if she couldn't help bring him the answers he sought but she hoped she might be able to help this way. Just being there while he tried might help more than she thought. "Well, I've been told to take deep breaths before blowing up. Never really worked for me as it kind of made me more angry in the moment." Lumi shrugged her shoulders when asked about having hope. It was just the way that her mother raised her to see the world. "What good is life without hope? Without that one thing that keeps you going when everything else look bleak?"

Lumi bit her lip as she mulled over what he said. There was a part of her that should be terrified by the dark parts of his life but she wasn't. And if she had to continue to tell him that for it to sink into him then she would. "You don't have to worry about that," she spoke truthfully as she tried to catch his eyes. "I'm pretty difficult to scare off." One of the questions she was dreading finally came up and she couldn't help but close her eyes for a moment and process her answer.

"It's going to sound ridiculous, but... no. I hate being a princess. Always having to be perfect for the people who your family is bound to protect," her voice was soft as her mind searched through memories of her life. "I grew up in a loving home but I've always felt smothered. I would be allowed to travel with my parents or my siblings. They probably wouldn't have tried to stop me if I truly wanted to. But my mother has already been through so much in her life and I think she worries about us sometimes, even if she doesn't let us know it." Her mother was the epitome of kindness and Lumi hated feeling the way that she did towards her. It wasn't her mother or father's fault she felt the way and she knew that. "I just feel caged sometimes. I wasn't even supposed to come to this party. The dwarves were supposed to be keeping an eye on me but I didn't want to miss the chance to prove I could be diplomatic if I needed to be."

It was hard to keep a straight face as he pulled her closer to him. "You keep saying that as if you don't already think I'm cute." She allowed her hands to fall on his shoulders as she leaned her head back to look up at him. "I still think those Fates just wanted you out of their hair for a bit. Otherwise, why let the heir of the Underworld get caught up in a giant mess if they could avoid it? You should definitely thank them though because obviously your life is much better now. And to think you only came to the party to cause some havoc."

Lumi could feel the small reaction to her being so close and had never felt so powerful. This boy was all anger and snark but she was able to continuously pull out some sort of reaction out of him. The only thing she wanted was to see him again, after this was all over. They weren't even separated from each other yet and Lumi already knew he'd stay on her mind. "Just go ahead and assume I want you around until I tell you otherwise," Lumi allowed herself to get lost in the kiss as her entire body melted to him once more. Unable to keep the smile off her face when they pulled back, Lumi leaned up and pecked the corner of his mouth. "So then don't take the opportunity to miss it."

She gestured at his face aimlessly as she tried to explain her point. "You know what I'm talking about! That face. The whole 'I don't give a shit what people think about me' attitude you have going on." Lumi couldn't help but jester him, even a little bit. Part of her following might have been his looks and the other part was the way he immediately shot back at her when he didn't like what she said. "Well, I'll give it to you. You did manage to impress me."

"In that case I can keep your secret. Purely for selfish reasons, of course. Can't have others see that you're not all rage all the time. Plus I don't want to do anything that would hurt you, unintentionally or otherwise." If he needed her to allow him to pretend he didn't care about anything she would. It was his choices to make and she would allow it. Even if she didn't understand why and probably wouldn't like the answer. "I gathered already that you're not a vulnerable type of person." She couldn't help but laugh and playfully shove his shoulder as she thought back to the tantrum in question. A grown man acting like a toddler should not have amused her as much as it did. "You are adorable when you pout and literally hot when you then get mad and catch on fire... so no, I'm not afraid of you. Even the things that should frighten me about you doesn't. Wait, why are you afraid of me? As you keep pointing out I'm mortal and well a princess."

Once again Lumi found herself completely engrossed with his life. The idea behind mortality was something she would never truly be able to understand so she wanted to know exactly how it worked. "Weeks? You guys don't get sick of each other by then? I thought the gods were prone to fighting each other. Or is it another one of those immortality things? Where it doesn't feel like it's been that long so they're not as annoyed?" His entire being was so interesting to her that she could never really stop getting tired of the brand new information. "Your social media profiles must be incredibly boring then. Never changing." She smacked the shoulder that her head was not resting upon with her free hand as she laughed at him. "Are you trying to say I don't radiate badass? My father taught all us kids when we were younger different ways to defend ourselves in case of emergency. I haven't touched it in years."

Her attention was brought back to the fire and she watched as he worked his literal magic with it. The horse that he brought to life galloped around at his beck and call kept her gaze as she watched. Her eyes focused on his hand as he reached out to pet his creation before it fell to smoke and ash. Lumi couldn't make herself look away for a single moment. Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth for a brief second, Lumi's hand found his jaw and moved to cup gently. All it took was leaning up slightly and she captured his lips with hers for a slow kiss. She kept it brief before she pulled back just a breath away and allowed her hand to trace over his jawline and down to his neck. "You're kind of amazing, you know that? That was beautiful to watch, even if it wasn't juggling."

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“my mother tells me the same thing, all she hopes is to see something light in me. we’ve worked on it. i see the plants the things she creates. and i envy her. i still try for her sake though.” lumi had been perfect. the way the girl saw things so much differently than bruce was refreshing beyond anything and he got chills when he thought about all she could do for him. he needed that support if he was willing to admit it or not. “i don’t know. it’s kind of something that is just supposed to be i don’t think…it’s been wrong before but there are so many, hidden things. maybe they have been wrong before and they just have to wait for another god to be their balance.” he would certainly spite that god or goddess if that was the case. and he was sure his father would only see it as a failure. 

gently, the boy took the girls hand and placed a small kiss on the back of it. “i promise you those…souls deserve what they get.” gods had the legends of being the reasons of being or doing pretty much everything for the earth. for the mortals themselves, among other things as just having entertaining stories to be passed down. but hades was the king of the underworld and as much as it was a place for the dead… there had to be something done to the damned who lived evil lives and that was a different story. “but can we just leave it at that, princess? just damned souls who get what they deserve.” him asking her to drop it was his selfish way of keeping her away from the things he’d do, the things he feared she’d push him away if she knew. or…maybe she wouldn’t. maybe she wouldn’t judge him. he feared it still. 

“i don’t mind the questions. not really at least. i just… some things are harder to be open with and im sure you know that. im sure you just as myself have things you find difficult to speak about and if i ever ask that all you have to do is tell me.” he said tilting his head. “but i want to know more, i want to know you.”

he chuckled at the thought of the barrier falling right then and pressed her against it. his body feeling her so close and then stopped by this…invisible wall. “oh. if this was gone tomorrow you better be sure this is the last time you’ll be seeing me. ill quickly slip into my old routine and it will be ‘lumi who’?” he joked as he whispered in her ear. gods, if he could ever let go of the girl who had somehow put a spell of her own on him. he was so keen on her at this point he felt it would be impossible at this point to not want to spend more time with her. no matter what it was. 

“that is all i have ever wanted from someone.” he said to her. one thing he had never experienced was wanting to open up to someone, let alone another he was so enveloped by so quickly. there was amelia… once. but even with her he had pushed her away the first time. then she opened him up to the idea of feelings and even if it broke away and they didn’t work he hadn’t let her in right away. lumi he felt a trust in. her way of not pushing him only made it easier for him to work through what he needed to about how he was feeling. “74%. easily. look, you are easily the one to blame for all this. i mean, you were the one who i had to notice over anyone in this castle…yep. your fault. i just was going to show you this place so you could have some fun or something. and deal, just as long as you never speak of how i am with you. can’t have people thinking i am soft or some shit. that is all for those princes, i need to make sure my crowd stills fears me.” he said with his wicked grin. it wasn’t her and him being seen together that he feared but he had a certain role. he was the dark one, the tough one, the one who people were supposed to see as a villain. “trust me, i don’t feel like this…well only once and that was…difficult. i didn’t know what true feelings were and ran from them. but i wont… this time. not with you.” 

bruce rolled his eyes as she joked about them being stranded together. “you know what? i get the fire going. you should cook. even though i do know how to feed myself if i need to.” he said shaking his head and looking at her. “i cant depend on much in the underworld. especially when my mother is let back on earth for spring. but…if you want to go and be like that. what would you be able to offer if we were stranded together?” as soon as the fire had been built he noticed her squeeze his hand and only letting a few moments pass a personal observation he tried to beat on how long he could stand before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. “you might just be a bit warmer… you know… closer.” he then laughed. “i still have to show you those tricks dont i?”

"Well, you do have forever to figure out how to harness that side of you. So maybe the darker side of you is easier to access than the light. That doesn't mean it isn't there. Maybe being angry at yourself for the parts you cannot control helps the darkness take over the light?" Lumi could tell by the way he spoke that this was something that actually wore heavily on him and every piece of her wished she could help take some of that way from him. "If the gods haven't been wrong before then they aren't now. So guess what? You're stuck being the god of the light and the dark." She said so certainly that she hoped it helped sink into his head, even just a little. "Just because you can't find the light doesn't mean it isn't there."

It made it easier to swallow when he said that it was those who had done wrong in their lives. She could handle that, it was part of his 'job' so to speak. Lumi had never been the type with the mentality of 'you get what you have coming to you' but she knew that the universe did work against those that did wrong. Bruce and his father were that justice for the dead. "Then okay, if they deserve it they deserve it," she shrugged her shoulders. "We can drop it but for the record, it doesn't make me think differently of you." And it really didn't. There might have been some darkness to him but it didn't mean that was all of him. Lumi knew that it couldn't be all there was to him.

Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, Lumi listened as he explained himself. This was something so new for her that she found herself tiptoeing around her own life. It wasn't that she was ashamed of any part of her, she couldn't change who she was or what she had done in the past. He just seemed much more interesting than a 'mortal princess' as he had taken to referring to her as. "You can ask me anything you wish," Lumi replied with complete openness in her tone. "Because as much as it scares me, I want to tell you anything you'd want to hear about." And it was. It was also so terrifyingly easy with him.

Her back hit the cursed border keeping them stuck to the grounds and the slight gasp of surprise left her lips unwillingly before it was followed by a light chuckle. "Then we'd know it was never meant to be. Alas, we'd always have this one memory then," Lumi playfully sighed. "Don't worry, Bruno, you'll always live on in my memories." She purposefully got his name wrong as she leaned up to him with an impish grin. "Something tells me you'd come back for me." It was her turn to stretch as far as she could and whisper in his ear. "I'd hope you'd come back for me," her voice was soft with a flicker of anxiousness laced over her words.

All of this was happening so fast and Lumi logically knew she should take a step back and evaluate. Logically, she knew that they had just met and within days of talking to her he would get sick of her bullshit. It was the way that these things always ended for her. Her head was telling her one thing but her body responded completely to another. His entire being pulled her in and she found that small voice in her head telling her to let into it. For once in her life she didn't feel in control of her own actions and she hated not being in control of herself. That just opened her up for hurt in the long run. "Hey, I was minding my own business! I was trying to think of a way out of this place not a reason not to want to go. You're the one who approached me looking like a whole bunch of trouble. And I let you lead me to a secluded spot, wow maybe I am at fault. To be fair, you shouldn't look like... that if you don't want people curious."

Bruce told her not to speak of how they were in private in public and Lumi tilted her head in mock confusion. "What? You're telling me not everyone gets to see you pout and then spontaneously burst into flames because you got embarrassed? I can keep your secret on one condition: you can't be a dick for no reason to me in public just to keep your facade in check. Been there, dated that and I'm not looking to be talking to anyone like that again. If I'm being a bitch, sure by all means but I'm not going to put myself into that kind of position of not knowing what I'm doing wrong again." Lumi liked him and she truly wanted to get to know him but that would be a sure fire way to anger her. "I'll make you a verbal agreement: I won't allow you to push me away if you don't let me take off the first chance I feel cornered. Against all rationality, I'm not afraid of you. You and your darkness do not scare me but the way you make me feel does."

"Wait, do you eat? Do you need to eat to survive? Now I have so many immortality questions. Do you sleep? And how old are you actually?" she rambled off at him as they all came at her at once. He had made mention of being immortal multiple times but the implications of what that might mean just sank into her. "Hm, I mean I am a princess so cooking might not be my forte. My mother likes to cook but I got banned from the kitchen after the third time of catching something on fire. I'm okay with a bow but I don't particularly like using one except on squirrels. Pesky squirrels."

Light laughter escaped her as he pulled her closer. "Oh yes, I believe you're so concerned with my body heat and not at all using this as an excuse to keep me from running away from you again." Still, as he pulled her close to him Lumi found herself slipping closer. One of her arms slid up his bare back lightly as she found purchase on his shoulder and her head moved to follow. She let her lips place a chaste kiss on the base of his neck as she settled her face close and watched the fire. "You did promise me tricks. The best tricks, in fact. I am prepared to be amazed. If you manage to beat the hilarity that was your tantrum earlier then I'll answer any three questions you may have."

[daienebezerra]

“My body craves you and that small fact scares the crap out of me”

— 23:11 thoughts

[br-cx]

@illuminatingsnow

[adelaidearchive-blog]

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“i…was supposed to be the balance of persephone and hades. the light and dark. but even as a child i have only shone the dark parts from my father.” bruce; the god of light and dark, proof that the two could really coexist and yet he was a failure to that. little did he know he just hadn’t been able to open the light side yet but the weight of it all his life left him hopeless only making it harder to reach. “the gods are disappointed im sure.” he said with a shrug. “i know you think that there is a difference and i wish i could think the way you do but i just dont have that proof. im sorry.” 

bruce really did know that when he brought up the worse parts of the underworld he was bound to get questions from the curious girl. and he couldn’t blame her. as much as he loved being feared by people he didn’t want lumi to fear him. he had already seen her look at him in a different light; now he felt she’d be dragged down to know him as everyone else did. his eyes didn’t met hers and as she asked he nodded. “i have my duties in the underworld. and i do torture them. and im going to be honest with you… as long as you let me.” this was where he really wouldn’t think of looking at her not even for a second. “but i cant say that i don’t enjoy it either.” if she had to know he enjoyed to hurt and see the eyes of the ones who deserved it…he would rather it be now. “i don’t want you to ever regret this, meeting me and everything.” 

 “yeah? well, i guess i wouldn’t mind seeing you around again.” to think that he still had too much about the girl only made him excited by the thought he could at least use this whole sketchbook thing to his advantage. he could still play it cool that it was only by chance and not have to admit he was a little more than smitten by the girl in such a quite amount of time. not that the way they spent letting each other get closer to one another was any big help. 

he felt a weight in his heart as she completely confessed her feelings about how she was feeling for him and he certainly was drawn to her in just the same way. he bit his lip and leaned forward to simply kiss her forehead. “i will tell you these things…anything. you just need to give me some time…but i want you to get the side of me no one knows even if i have to fight nyself to give you that.” and he spoke honestly with her, it wasnt a game it wasn’t a joke this time. “i really like you, lumi. what you do to me has me feeling a little bit crazy, you know that? and this time i can actually blame you for all of it, for being so fucking different in the best way.” let alone her being so perfectly stunning she just had something new about her. 

“close my eyes… lumi. really? you’re already half naked.” he looked down at the girl and shook his head at her. so far they had swam in their underclothes and been pressed against each other kissing in them as well. but as soon as she kissed his cheek he sighed heavily and gave into the command. “im impatient, you know!” he called out as she swam to shore. but as he waited he was finally able to open them and he could stand but to grin. “strange mortals.” he said in a low tone before making it to shore and knowing with his own body heat and the added of the fire he’d have no problem just slipping his jeans back on. and once he did he turned to the girl. 

 “ill be right back.” bruce was only gone moments before bringing back some scrap wood he found along the trail to get to the cove. he was lucky, only needing to dig a small hole in the sand and with a simple thought the boy was able to just let the fire dance from his hands and lick up the wood. “see lumi, now it is an easy answer when someone asks who you want to be stranded on an island with…and not just for the survival aspect.” it was just like bruce to make it a joke as he winked at her. but moving close to the girl he plopped down and reached up to her hand to give it a tiny tug. “lets get you warmed up, hm?”

"Just because the dark parts are more prominent doesn't mean that's all there is to you. You're just as much your mother as you are your father even if it doesn't seem like it right now." Lumi wasn't sure exactly how to help him in this aspect. She knew that struggling with who you are was something only he could figure out. It almost hurt her to see him second guessing who he was. "Have the gods ever been wrong before? Especially when it comes to another one of them?" Lumi knew that he didn't really believe the same she did when it came to the darker parts of people but she still believed it just the same. "We all have our opinions and I'm not going to try to change yours."

Lumi didn't know exactly how she was supposed to take this new bit of information. Her mind was trying to picture him willingly torturing people but for some reason it was falling short. "Do they at least deserve it? Are they the kind of people who have done harm to others?" Maybe she was digging a little too much into this. It made her stop short and suddenly fold into herself slightly. "I'm sorry, I know that I'm prying into your life after specifically saying I wouldn't. You don't have to explain or tell me anything else if that's what you want." Yeah, she wanted to be able to make up her mind about him completely but she also wanted him to tell her only if he wanted to. "I'm just... I'm just glad you're being honest with me. Even if you think I won't like the answer. That alone makes me think I won't regret talking with you."

She couldn't help but laugh as he told her that he wouldn't mind seeing her again. "Oh please, don't let me twist your arm about it. Maybe one day is all we'll ever have. Only time will tell," she teased him back. Lumi had a feeling that they both would find any excuse to be around each other. "I know we are both very busy people and who knows maybe the barrier will fall down tomorrow. I couldn't possibly keep you away from the busy work in the Underworld." Still, as she found her body completely pressed to his, Lumi could hear the voice in her head reminding her of every action he made towards her. There was very little doubt in her mind that they could stay away from each other for long. Lumi knew that she wouldn't be able to.

Her eyes closed for a moment as his lips pressed against her forehead. This was partially why she found herself so gone for him in such a short amount of time. Not too long ago he was talking about feeling like he was all darkness and now he was being gentle with her. There was so much more to him than Lumi could even begin to comprehend but she wanted to. More than that she wanted to tell him all about herself which was completely foreign to her. "I'm not asking you to," she whispered to him as her hand lightly brushed across his cheek for a moment. "I mean I kind of am but also no pressure? What I meant is I want to know these things if you want me to and I want to tell you about myself. If you want to know." She couldn't help but laugh as wrinkled her nose at herself. Lumi was not one to stumble over what she was trying to say but this felt important to get right. She didn't want him to feel forced into anything. "I'm going to pretend to take offense to the fact that this is my fault. I feel like it's only like 64% my fault." she teased lightly, smiling even though she wanted to hold it down. "But I'm glad, that you 'really like me' because the feeling is pretty mutual. Although don't tell anyone, I have a reputation to uphold. I've never really... gotten feelings this quickly before." Or at all. She had dated around a bit but whenever she felt something like this Lumi would run away from it the first chance she got. This time she could honestly say that she didn't want to.

Lumi couldn't help but laugh as he mentioned her already being half naked in front of him. It was less about actually caring if he saw anything and more teasing. "I don't know how see through they might be now!" she explained through laughter. "Oh and don't think I didn't notice you watching when I stripped down earlier." Lumi called as she swam away from him. Bruce called to her that he was impatient as if she hadn't gathered that earlier and splashed at him before getting out. "You're immortal so you might want to learn how to be. Besides, I really just wanted to see if I was still in control. Shockingly, I am," her tone was dripped in sarcasm.

She nodded her head at him as he left to get what she assumed was wood. While he was gone she tried to dry her legs off as much as she could before pulling on her jeans. Her hands were working on braiding her hair to the side, trying to avoid the hot mess it would become later. Lumi watched as he set up the fire, once again entranced by the way the fire stemmed from his hands and onto the wood. "Hm, I don't know. The fire might be the only useful part. Unless of course you can cook then maybe we have something to work with." Lumi allowed him to pull her down next to him as she let the fire begin working the numbness that had started since she got out of the water and into the cooler air. Not giving his hand back right away, Lumi weaved their fingers together for a moment to squeeze his hand and take in the warmth before she let his hand go.

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“evil. no im not going to say im evil. dark. i know for certain im full of this darkness and ive always struggled with it.” he told her only trying to shrug it off. but as he thought about the countless hours he fought himself it caused him to shrug. he welcomed the darkness at times and he wasn’t going to deny it either. “my father, no he is not completely evil. but not every villain has to be completely evil to do something that makes them the bad guy. think about some of our known villains. my father just happens to have more praise from the dead.” 

“no… i was just bored and those two were so damn easy to mess with. besides, my father always got a laugh out of all the things i’d do.”  as a little boy who craved that kind of attention he’d do anything to see his father proud of him even if it meant bruce had to cause a bit of chaos to do so. “he eats a lot of meat. we have steaks prepared for him… sometimes he does though…some souls are…damned after death.” bruce didn’t want to go into the darker parts of the underwolrd the parts that held the souls that were tortured. the reason he had screams held in his head constantly. that would make the girl think poorly of his home even if there had to be a place to hold the evil of mortals. “alright… so maybe you could stop all of this the question only holds.” he let his tone go smooth. “do you want all this end, are you going to find a way to end it all? cause i have a feeling i know the answer already.” 

“no.” he said honestly. Bruce really was anything but possessive over the girls he wanted, mostly because he was only sure he was going to be hooking up with them and then their lives would live on, maybe a few more times he’d have nights with them. but… did he just want that with lumi? no. and the thought actually scared him a bit. “but i don’t like people just the same way that i do you. that goes for everyone. maybe im more possesive because i have someone that i really enjoy to be around for once.” 

 this whole tme he felt like he’d been talking more about his home than anything else so when he could learn more about the girl, her love of art he took it. “sure. id be happy to see what you can do. you know…any time after this we can hang out again.’ there was a small anxious part of him that feared she’d realize he wasn’t worth all this and then she’d avoid him. “just tell me this isn’t the last time id see you like this.” 

their little game had been going on longer than he wanted of course. the boy wanting to just pull her close but each time he was close she used her size compared to him against him and before he could get any sort of contact with her she was zipping away. “it’s not you!” he siad as she swam away but clearly…it was her who had control and bruce was in no way used to that… not in this sense at least. “sure, you use whatever excuse that you want to sweetheart but come on, you have been easily slipping away and here you are. finally caught by me. so damn close.”

their kiss was all he could ask for. he knew he’d enjoy it and the longer their lips kept together the more that he wanted her. “yeah…science isn’t really my thing but hell, id make it if i get this more.” he was smitten with this damn girl. “and uh, sure. but you know you are just wanting more.” he winked down at her assuring that by now, the way he held her up she stayed pressed against him, skin to skin. he couldn’t remember the lastt time he was able to feel the way he was. 

“no insanity yet, princess.” he said shaking his head and smirking down at her. “you think im irresistible. and and sure benevolent, i got you. but at least im going to admit it, i have been very attracted to you.” of course bruce found her attractive from the very start but that was something so different then actually having the time to get to know her, feel this pull that he did for the girl. “you’re so different. you want to know…different things about me, you dont push.” he was trying to be clear with her. lumi was the first girl to open a different side of him that he didn’t feel pain from. not his dark side but she let him open up about a place he felt comfortable. his home.  “and i cant lie. you’re a great fucking kisser that is for sure.” his fingers slide through the tangles of wet hair and he looked back at the shore for a moment. “what do yah say about heading back. getting you warmed up, yeah?” perhaps a night by a fire where he’d definitely be trying to sneak in a few more of those kisses he now craved.  

Lumi tried to keep herself quiet as she listened to him. Yes, she loved learning about his home and how his life before this stupid party was but this was different. "We all have darkness inside of us," she finally spoke, her voice slightly above a whisper. "But if you inherited things from your father then you must have from your mother as well, right? You seemed to think very highly of her. And even if you didn't, you're not exactly like your parents. Either way, it doesn't matter. What makes you feel less like you're struggling with it?" Biting her lip softly without looking at him, Lumi kept her eyes ahead of her. "In case it hasn't been exactly clear already but I'm nothing like my mother." Lumi had to agree with him, she had from the beginning. People loved to believe that the world was black or white, good or evil. That had never been her own views and values. "The things they do are evil, it doesn't necessarily make them evil. And anyone has the ability to change who they are if they want to."

This whole time she was learning about the Underworld from their next ruler, Lumi had wondered why people personified it as one of the versions of 'Hell'. Then he mentioned something she could tell he didn't exactly want her to dwell on. It wasn't surprising to her, not really. While Lumi did believe everyone had the ability to change it didn't mean they did. There was a lot of horrors in the world and corrupt people. There was just one question that she had for him about it. "Do you often... torture people? I mean you personally?" She knew that she probably knew the answer to that question but she also felt that if he did, he didn't like it. Thinking over his question silently, Lumi debated on whether to be truthful with him or mess with him some more. While she did like playing the games with him she also felt the need to be honest. "No, I don't want to stop talking with you. Just try not to make me regret it."

Okay, now she was actually blushing. The words played over in her head as she stared at him in shock. He didn't normally act like this? Bruce was always surprising her and it was not in a bad way. Yet, it didn't surprise her as much as her own feelings. Lumi didn't do this, didn't get close to anyone. Not really. "You like that I give you a hard time," she finally spoke up. "I like that you give me one right back."

Lumi knew one day that she would have to open herself up to him more. It was going to be inevitable if she spent enough time with him. There would be a point where she knew she would share any part of herself with him if he actually asked her to. So sharing her sketchbook with him? That would be easy. "Yeah," she said softly, nodding her head. "I can bring it next time we find each other." Lumi wanted to see him again. "It's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon. So... if you want to see me again I'll be around."

"If it's not me and it's certainly not you then I wonder who exactly is in charge here," she called from across the water. Lumi knew she had the control right now and she would continue to fight him for it. She also had a feeling he wouldn't put up with her being the one in control all the time. In fact, if this continued to happen between them, Lumi almost looked forward to seeing him take control of the situation and reel her in. "I'm starting to think you've plotted everything up to this very point to beat me at my own game."

When they kissed Lumi had to admit that she felt warm all over. Her body kept moving closer to him even as they baited each other back and forth. "You seem very interested in this particular study. I'm willing to help you see it through." Lumi kept herself close to him even though she had very little doubt that he was going to let her go either way. "Besides, it's not like it's complete torture for me."

If anything Lumi felt like she was the one going insane. She had just met Bruce and there wasn't a single part of him that she didn't want to know. There wasn't any reason for him to really worry about if she was into him. Lumi was completely stuck to him now. He had made that pretty much guaranteed just by talking to her the way he did. Sometimes he joked with her and others he seemed completely honest with her. For once, no games. She was just going to be brutally honest with him. "You have no idea how enchanted I am by you. How much of you I want to know but I want you to want to tell me," she whispered with a small smile on her face. When he mentioned getting her warmed up again, Lumi nodded her head and pulled herself back from him as far as she could.

"Close your eyes," her voice was still soft as she leaned up and kissed his cheek. Once she managed to get herself away from him Lumi swam her way back to the shore. She found her sweater quickly and pulled it over her head and squeezed the water out of her hair. "Okay, you may continue on with your life." She called from her spot on the shore as she ran her fingers through her hair.

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

bruce just nodded. he wasn’t going to force his offer on her and only time would tell if she actually came to him. he almost hoped she would, something in his really did want to show her he’d be there even if he was not one to comfort others. but he ignored her words. he knew he shouldn’t push his worst things down but at this point he couldn’t help it. 

“like i said. hades is seen as a villain. people hate him for the darkness he holds but very little see what he offers, what we offer the mortals of the earth as they pass. sure its not like the earth or what my mother brings that makes her so loved but we keep things in the underworld. could you imagine all those souls either refusing to move on or have no where to go?” some might say hades preferred the dead. they were loud and caused bruce a lot of stress but at least they were grateful in their own way.  “im sorry to hear your dreams are crushed. maybe you can get ahold of the pepsi recipe instead, the owner has yet to ask for hades.” 

“a little shit! im no little shit, i just like to be amused, that’s all. it’s not my fault they are so easy to torture. if they weren’t always together i couldn’t say there was a whole brain between the both of them, oh… he’s a big boy, yes. and he catches them but don’t worry. i always make him spit them out after a little bit of begging.” bruce said. he knew that to hear so much about his world was just due to her being curious of a place that was so hidden from the world, almost exclusive just because of how extremely hard it is to get there unless they took you there themselves. “i like that, if i never spoke to you id take you for just another bitchy princess, little did i know i was getting my hands full of such a rebel. what is it they say? im not the type you bring home to your parents. and you’‘re damn right, im going to cause you a lot of trouble and there is nothing you can do about it either.” 

“you want me to gve them up? i don’t know i might just keep using them to annoy you. and i see that little blush. you like it.” he nudged her once again and shook his head,  “suitors? oh, yeah this wont do. ill have them all taken care of by the end of the week. just looks like you’re gunna have to tell them to back off now or I’ll be coming for them. im not going to have some lame ass mortal prince trying to woo you. that’s my job now.” 

“are you sure? cause i really can come up with something good for you. i can make it not so cheesy.” he played knowing he’d only pick the worst for her to get a rise out of her. “let see… how bout bunny, sweetiepie, oh or the best, ill just call you my honey bunch.” by this point he was about to gag himself. it was true, bruce was know for petnames but he had a line and those were definitely way over it. “i want to see them, those drawings of yours, you’jj show me them one of these days, yeah?” 

this was just another game between them. the teasing was more fun. it was nothing like the easy and effortless ways of getting someone before. “you? never. you’ve been a pain about everything since the moment i met you.” he joked smirking as he swam closer not able to keep up with the girl when she zipped away the second he got close. he watched as she stopped short, just there in the water and at first he thought it was a trick of her waiting for him to get close before zipping away again but then he realized she had been pressing against something and he had never been more please by that damn barrier until that moment. “so it’s true. you do want me to catch you for that kiss.” 

to watch her quickly jump up and wrap herself around his neck he was a bit taken by surprise when she kissed him. but he was pleased she did because then he knew; she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. he melted right into the movements of her and had to admit he was enjoying it all too much.  “You know what? This might just have to go into a full blown study… you know to get the most accurate results and everything. I’m going to need a lot more of this though… as long as you’re okay with that.” he smirked as he took it upon himself this time to be the one to steal a kiss from the girl, leaning forward as much as lifting her slightly from the water just to get his lips to connect with hers once again. he pulled away with a smirk and nodded. “yeah, this definitely needs a further look into.” his arm had secured itself around her hip, pulling her closer and finding the comfort she brought. “looks like you finally cracked and realized how irresistible i really am.”  a voice low and teasing as he kept her close. 

Lumi could understand both sides of Hades's story. She could see why people may not trust him. But the way that Bruce spoke of him made her believe he truly wasn't a bad guy. Her vision of villians wasn't always just based on their 'biggest scheme' but also what they did afterwards. "I know I said this to you before but I mean it: I don't think someone's worst mistakes automatically make someone 'evil' for life. It's a safe haven for souls where they can settle down after death. I don't think someone who is truly evil would run somewhere like that." Lumi threw her head back while she sighed. "It's just not the same. Looks like I'll never sell my soul to your family."

"Oh you're a little shit. I can just see you as a child playing pranks on them like your life depended on it," Lumi poked at him with a grin on her face. "I can't imagine that those two would be good for Cerberus's diet. What does Cerberus even eat? Does he get like a giant steak or are you about to try to sell me that he eats your enemies or something?" More questions that Lumi knew weren't ones you should normally ask someone whose life was completely different than yourself. Sure she wanted to know to get to know all of him but this was easier. This was a way to get to know about his life without having to open herself up in return. "This is why you shouldn't judge people on appearance," Lumi wagged her finger at him before she laughed and shook her head. "I wouldn't say rebel, though. I just want to live my life the way I want to. Nothing that I can do about it? I could definitely come up with a way or two to get away if it came down to it."

When he continued to tease her by mentioning her blush she laughed and moved her hair behind her ear. "Maybe I'm embarrassed for you and not because of your lines. Did you ever think about that?" Still, her cheeks felt hot and she suddenly wanted to turn in on herself. She didn't like anyone seeing actual emotion from her, especially over something as stupid as cheesy pickup lines that didn't work on her any other time. "Are you always this possessive over people you just met? Wait, is that what you've been doing this whole time? Wooing me?" Lumi covered her mouth as she laughed. She wasn't laughing so much at him but at herself. Bruce was definitely a flirt and for a split second she actually believed him.

His nicknames were terrible which wasn't really surprising. In fact she had it coming really. "If you call me any of those I will figure out a way to torture you for eternity." Lumi scolded him as she playfully shoved him. "They're just... horrifying. I'll keep princess, thank you." If he wanted to call her something then he could but none of those. She wasn't usually one for nicknames of the sort but she'd allow him to try. At least 'princess' was factual. Bruce mentioned wanted to see her drawings and she was caught off guard by the statement. Sure, she showed her artwork to her family but she never expected him to actually be interested in seeing any of it. "If you want to then sure. I can show you my sketchbook."

Bruce claimed that she had been a pain this whole time which made her giggle before she took off away from him again. "Really? I think we both know who has control in this situation. Just to point out who is chasing after who right now?" More teasing, it always seemed to be a game with them. Lumi hadn't had this much fun with another person in such a long time. Even though she knew he would eventually catch her, she was okay with that. A loss at this point wasn't so bad considering what exactly what would happen when he did. So when her back hit the barrier she was all but ready to be caught. Her laughs rang out through the cove once more as he teased her about wanting to be caught. "I'm not that easily defeated, Bruce. You just happen to have help from an unwanted force field catching me off guard."

Lumi didn't want to give up control of the situation sure but she also couldn't hold herself back anymore. From the moment he had stepped into her bubble it had been like a magnet pulling her to him. She finally just gave into him. When she pulled away from him, Lumi bit her lip as she tilted her head at his words. "I wouldn't have taken you for the scientific type of person," she teased as she looked up at him. "Hm, I suppose I could allow it for now. Who am I to stand in the way of your hypothesis? On a trial run of course." Lumi couldn't help but laugh as he lifted her out of the water to connect their lips once again. One of her hands moved to his jaw as she completely conformed to him. Her fingers grazed over his jaw and up to his cheek after he pulled away as she bit her lip. "Now I think you're just slipping into insanity, Bruce. I'm simply a benevolent girl. You were basically begging to kiss me after all." Even as she teased him right back, her body moved closer to him as he held her close to him. Her hand not on his cheek was at the back of his neck playing with the ends of his hair.

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“i don’t feel obligated, not completely that is. i don’t mind listening…i just can’t give you much good advice, you know? im sure you wont bore me. i mean, you haven’t bee annoying yet so i wouldn’t worry about it. besides…. i would tell you if you were fucking annoying me, trust me. I can be pretty honest at times.” he admitted but only so she knew he was being honest when he said he wouldn’t mind if she talked to him. it wasn’t common for him but he could handle it if he had to. but then he tensed up. the thought of everything he’s pushed away being pulled to the surface scared him. “lumi, some things are just better off being put away for good. it’s definitely for the better that i lock away things.” 

“im  sorry, but some mortals are extremely greedy and easy to bend when it comes to what they want. we use that against them and get what we need. my father’s hospitality for the dead is all but better than what could come of souls…left alone in a darkness with nothing.” most people didn’t see that of the underworld but really… the place bruce called home was an almost sanctuary for the dead. “but there are very ridiculous reasons, that is for sure. just promise you wont do making any deals with me or my father, got it? you don’t need to be mixing up in our business.” he said as a joke.   

“sometimes it’s like babysitting, sure. and i might have had a few times where they were just being too annoying to handle and i gave a little shove. but the best thing to watch is telling those two to feed cerberus. he loves to try and catch them.” he wore a grin. the little creatures were amusing and he had a soft spot for them… but they didn’t need to know that. but more than him talking so much about home he was finding what she had to say was interesting. “im looking forward to when i get to hear it… sounds like you really do cause a bit of trouble for yourself. i might have to keep an eye on you, sweetheart.”

“right.” he replied. there she was, teasing him once again. “right, a friend of mine. trust me none of my friends deserve a smile like yours.” hell, did bruce even deserve all this attention from her? certainly not. but he was not going to give it up. not for anything, he wanted it. “but maybe you caught me…i might be slightly…curious. but i got to know who i got to go after to knock away the competition.” 

“look sweetheart, you’re a princess. im just keeping it real here. but if you want something new im sure i can think of somethin’ cute for you.” bruce said slyly as he smirked at her knowing he was more than prone to using cute nicknames. he couldn’t help it; not when he was mostly trying to get attention from a girl. and lumi… well he was finding the need for her attention more than he ever thought, especially since she didn’t easily give it to him, only wanting him to try harder. bruce noticed how close he managed to get to her and could swear just one heavy breath through the and they would touch and yet they both managed to keep a distance, teasing each other hard. he was addicted to that. “i don’t think they aren’t. intelligent birds, sure. but if you want a nice sound to wake up to in the morning they aren’t the birds you want around.” and the creepy feel and echo of the underworld only made the birds seem creepy. “im sure you would find drawing in the underworld much different than anything you are used to.” he said recalling his home once again and looking around at the difference. “and do you let others see your drawings?” 

 he watched her carefully take in his actions. the more time that she let him touch her the better but he made sure to watch any line he might have been crossing with her. biting his lip just a bit as she continued. just as she had leaned forward he went crazy. and then he could feel the space between them grow and before he even had time to catch her lips the boy saw her swimming away only letting out a bellowing laugh. “you little vix! that isn’t fair!” he called only to swim after her playing along with this new game. “come on. dont do this!” he practically begged reaching out as he tried to get closer and pull her in. this time ready to get her and pull her against him if she swam away. he continued to laugh through the whole thing. “ill get you eventually, you know.” 

"Sometimes the best advice is no advice at all. So, I'll take you up on that if I ever need someone to just listen to me." Lumi did appreciate the sentiment, even if she knew he was mostly offering just because she had as well. "Trust me, I've noticed you can be honest. That's all I want to hear, the truth about things." Lumi's lips pulled into a frown as she listened to him. Bottling things up never helped but she also knew that it was easier sometimes. "You shouldn't bottle everything up inside but I'm not going to push you to talk to me. I already told you I wouldn't do that and the last thing I want to do is make you hate talking to me."

She didn't understand why he was apologizing for doing what he was practically designed to do. He couldn't help that a good portion of humanity could be bought for stupid reasons. Lumi did like the idea behind the Underworld being some sort of refuge for people after they died. It made everything that made it seem depressing sound homey. It brought a small smile to her face as he explained. "I like that. The fact that the Underworld is there for people who have been lost instead of darkness. It's a comforting thought to think about." He jokingly told her to promise not to sell her soul to them, which was something she wouldn't have done to begin with. "Well now that I know that I can't sell it for the secret Coca-Cola recipe there's just no reason for me to. Another dream, killed."

Lumi knew it when he said that he sometimes pushed them into the river but she also was trying to picture two minions running from a three headed dog. "I knew it, you're a little shit. Those poor minions. Cerberus likes to chase them? Isn't he huge?" She was so intrigued by him. It was amazing to her to hear these stories of his life and how he ended up being who he was. "Oh, I'm very good at getting myself into trouble. Why do you think I'm not generally allowed to leave home alone? Something tells me you might be trouble for me." Lumi did think that, she knew this boy was going to cause some serious problems for her. She didn't mean it as a bad thing, just that he was everything she usually attempted to avoid. Even though she had liked people in the past, she had never wanted to know everything about someone the way that she did him. "I'm not saying that's going to be a bad thing. I'm looking forward to it," she felt the need to clarify.

Even though it was in fact a line, she couldn't help but smile as she spoke. "Is that a line again?" she teased, tilting her head at him. "Although, I'll give you this one. I have a great smile," she laughed as she shook her head at him. It was so hard to stop taunting him in a playful way. He took it so well and even shot back at her every single time. "Oh, that might be difficult. I've got tons of suitors." It was true that she had dated in the past and some of them were likely in the palace, however, she had always been a lot for most people. It was part of the reason why it never stuck.

Lumi thought about it for a moment. "You know what? I think I'll keep 'princess' thank you. I can only imagine how sickly cheesy any nickname you came up with would be." He already was slightly insufferable with the lines, even if she did secretly like that he at least tried, that she couldn't imagine how bad a pet name could get. "Or I'd get final approval over any really bad pet name you came up with." The closer they got to each other the more Lumi was aware of every inch of him. She was great at playing it cool and it wasn't going to take much before she couldn't keep a hold of it anymore. That's why it was easier to talk about casual things, like her interests. It kept her completely cool. "I can imagine how chilling that might sound in the early morning. Nothing like songbirds, you're right. From what you've told me, it would be different than anything I've ever seen, let alone drawn." When he asked if she showed people her drawings she grinned and shrugged. "Depends on the drawing. Some are private but others I would show if someone was interested."

As she swam away from him, her skin still buzzing from being that close to him, she couldn't help but keep laughing. She turned around to watch how close he was getting to her in order to zig zag in an opposite direction. "Come on, did you really think I'd make it that easy on you?" She taunted from across the water, her voice full of nothing but amusement. "I feel like you're not used to being told you can't have something, are you?" Lumi called from across the water. She was still swimming backwards until her back hit something solid behind her. Her head moved to the side to see what she hit and noticed it was the barrier keeping them contained within the grounds of the castle to begin with. This time, she wasn't angry to feel trapped. "Really? You're going to get me? Something tells me I'm the one who has you where I want you."

Lumi knew that her time with this specific game was up. Plus, this was one time that she didn't mind losing. She allowed him to get as close to her as she needed him to before leaping towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck when she connected. Leaning up, Lumi couldn't help but grin before she crushed her lips to his. After a few moments, she pulled back and bit her lip. "Satisfied? Is that enough research?" Lumi couldn't help it, she actually found herself so enamored with him.

[illuminatingsnow]

undrwrld-brxcx·:

“i guess… this is where im supposed to tell you that if you need to talk im here, right? the offer stands, im not good at giving advice though. actually, i fucking suck but you know… im stuck here anyway so might as well make use of my time.” he was trying to be nice. he never really offered that to many people but the girl was considerate enough to think about being there if he felt he needed it, he might as well give her the same option he was getting. “ha! of course not. could you imagine the look on his face? the king of the underworld being told he wasn’t there for his son? no, i have suppressed it enough now that i dont even give a shit.” and he was pretty numb to it after all these years…for the most part. 

“um…yes. people are willing to even give up loved ones to assure their souls are safe and we willingly will take anything. if it’s a soul going to the underworld that is all we care about. the craziest? one man sold me his soul for the coca-cola secret recipe, the true way the soft drink is made.” then a wicked smirk grew on his face and he looked at her with dark eyes. “he sold me his soul…but i forgot to mention that years before the original creator already sold his soul so that no one could ever know but him…” manipulation was bruces’ thing and he even started to laugh. “i got both souls in the end either way.” 

“with those two oafs it’s easy. panic always running around the way he does hes a walking timebomb so any time he is around the river he easily finds himself getting worked up and pain finding a way to have his trip and fall in, sometimes panic grabs pain and pulls him in.” bruce would stand around and laugh at the two until hades’ booming voice would tell bruce to pull them from the clutches of the swimming souls from beneath the water. “id imagine they would love to see you back just to ruin your attempts of sneaking out.” he thought. just as lumi was interested in the underworld the way she lived… it almost seemed torturous, definitely not as free as he was able to have it.

only to play along with the nonchalant nature she was playing the boy shrugged. “i might be a little more than interested. i mean we have been getting to know each other. i might as well just try and see… but not for anything i might need. it’s just to know.” he said. bruce saw her look of excitement. well, now he was really going to have to put on a show for her, not that he minded. he didn’t get to show off his tricks to many people.  

“i don’t plan on it. ill keep you coming back for more dont you worry about that sweet little princess” he played. he liked that she kept herself held together. unfazed by just how close he had made himself to her. she didn’t weaken at the knees or blush away like any other girl he might have sought after and for some reason he preferred that; a challenge. he would see just how much he could get out of the girl before she’d either pull away or…for bruce’s liking, give into him. but he knew with lumi he was really going to have to work for that and he was only that more excited to see this outcome with the girl. his body could just feel her and he craved leaning in just to feel her skin against his. “birds. funny, i bet you’d think it’s very unusual for me to hear birds in the morning. we don’t have songbirds…some areas have crows and ravens but they just caw and it’s very unsettling. i guess they would make for good drawing material. do you draw anything here?” bruce really did want to learn more about lumi but as he tried to keep up on his pull for information he found that hunger for touch a little too demanding. 

suddenly, he was doing what his body wanted over his minds want to learn more. his free hand had found itself reaching forward, brushing away her hand that was against her chin and replaced it with his own, brushing her skin softly before tilting his head. “just consider this me asking for that whole… am i your type research but…if i asked you if i could kiss you.” he started as he have her a slight anticipation. “would you say yes?” 

Lumi almost found herself laughing at how awkward he seemed offering to let her talk to him if she needed it. She didn't, though, knowing that he would likely take back the offer if she did. It was a nice thought that he offered and she found herself smiling at him. "I appreciate it, especially since you don't seem to extend the invitation often. But don't feel obligated to. I wouldn't want to bore you with the problems of my life." She really didn't like the way he spoke about how his father had never been there. Her life might have been the opposite but if it wasn't then she would always be able to talk to her parents about it. She at least had that. "Suppressing it doesn't make it go away, but if you're sure then that's that."

The laughter did come when he admitted to her what the craziest request he had ever had come up. "Seriously? Selling your soul for that secret recipe? What would one even want that for? I feel like that's a ridiculous reason to trade your soul for." She couldn't imagine ever giving up her soul willingly for anything. If some people didn't want to then it seemed he and his father would be out of a job. He seemed proud of that particular exchange and Lumi couldn't help but smile slightly. It might have been a little morally gray but she wasn't here to judge anyone else. Even if she didn't agree with people sacrificing others for their own gain, he couldn't control that part of it. He was just there to collect the souls.

"Sounds like you have your hands full when you're not stuck behind a barrier keeping you from going home. Be honest, have you ever pushed them in yourself." She could definitely see him doing something like that. The mischievous streak was pretty obvious to her and it was part of why she was having such a good time talking with him. She felt more like herself around him than she had since she got here. "Or save me from getting trapped in an abandoned mine. Long story, I'll tell you it sometime." That specific moment was one that wasn't amusing when it was happening but now was kind of funny.

Lumi didn't believe Bruce for one moment but allowed him to play along with her. Nodding along with his words, as if she thought he was telling her the truth, Lumi looked up at him attempting to hide a smirk. "Oh right, it most certainly has zero interest to you what my type is. Why? You have a friend that you're trying to set me up with?" There was a glimmer in her eye, challenging him.

"I look forward to your attempts. And I thought we talked about that specific pet name, Sparky," she said with a smirk on her face. As he stayed close to her, Lumi kept her body casual as if this was a normal situation. It was slightly intoxicating for her being this close to him even if she refused to show it. The whole time she had spent with Bruce had been a game of cat and mouse. They both teased and taunted each other in a playful manner and she couldn't help but want more of it. It was a magnetic feeling to her. Instead of giving into the force behind it, Lumi held her head up high as she answered his questions. "Crows and ravens can be magnificent creatures. Ink colored feathers and all sleek lines. They are beautiful to draw in a macabre sense. I draw everywhere. Whatever catches my eye. I was actually sketching outside when the earthquake hit."

Bruce's hand brushed hers away and Lumi's attention to turned to his face. She wasn't sure what he was doing and how exactly she was supposed to be reacting. Lumi bit her bottom lip for a moment as she kept her eyes on him when he asked if he could kiss her in a roundabout way. "Perhaps," she responded, her eyes looking all over his face for a moment before returning to his eyes. "I'd allow you to kiss me." She leaned her face up so her lips were a few inches away from his before she grinned wickedly. "If you could catch me, that is." With that, she ducked under the arm leaning against the wall next to her and swam to the other side of the cave, a light laugh escaping her lips as she did.