{ stars have died so we might live }

Clear-Cut

broadswordandpistol:

“Far as I know it started the moment I walked in the door here.” Reflexive sarcasm was the only thing saving Alvin’s sanity at the moment. “Maybe you oughta get your doorknob checked for booby traps installed by the landlady.”

Still, it was a valid question, and his brows drew down in thought even as he shot back the retort. “I don’t know. This morning’s been a blur.” Literally. He hadn’t been paying much attention, figuring that it was an everyday sort of morning of the kind that ran together, but now that he reached for the memories, they slipped through his fingers like water.

He drew back instinctively at Elle’s probing touch. “Don’t do that!” It came off sharper than he wanted, and he offered the girl an apologetic smile. “That feels really weird.” It looked it, too — a soft, yielding entrance into what should have been solid. Was he a ghost?

“I don’t think so. Pretty sure I’m not. If I were, I’d be dead, right?” Alvin couldn’t be dead. If he was, Milla’s description of what it was like was all wrong.

Ludger glowered for a moment, unamused at Alvin’s natural err toward deflection. “It wasn’t the door.” he replied dryly, cocking a brow. His lock was faulty, but there was nothing that would strike someone incorporeal within. However, Alvin became more muted as he continued speaking, confusion apparent. So he really didn’t know… why he’d become like this…?

And when did Ludger start mirroring Elle’s prodding?

Okay, it was weird, but it was so curious to see someone in this state! How could he resist a little poking just to see? It was both fortunate and unfortunate that he only seemed to notice Elle, snapping quickly before amending himself. Ludger shot her a look- It’s okay, he didn’t mean it- and hoped she’d understand. Alvin was always so in control of himself. To snap like that– he really was freaked out huh…

“Are you a ghost?”

“I don’t think so. Pretty sure I’m not. If I were, I’d be dead, right?”

Dead– no, he couldn’t be-! Ludger looked to Alvin urgently, concern evident in his expression. “No, y-you wouldn’t be here if you were dead.” he assured, the wheels in his head turning. “But then… where are you? What’s the last thing you remember doing? Like, really remember?” If this morning was a blur, then maybe this had been going on for longer than this. Maybe he’d been… oh man where was Alvin.

@thepeopleslancekresnik and @keyofkresnik

“Well, apparently I’m at least partially here. Pretty hard to be talking with you otherwise,” Alvin pointed out dryly. He folded his arms, tucking his chin inward as he obliged the agent with hunting an answer to his question.

Memories seemed to slip away like water. The train ride was a blur. He didn’t recall waiting at the station very long. Which station? He struggled to piece it together, and it refused to cooperate. What about earlier?

Nothing held still. He barely remembered breakfast, which must have been early since it was still dark.

He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yesterday. I know I had a long trip. Caught the ferry from Marksburg. It was an overnight, because —” He frowned, attempting to entice the reason out of his brain with promises of booze when this was done. “ — because I couldn’t get a wyvern, that I remember.”

#broadswordandpistol #thepeopleslancekresnik

@broadswordandpistol + @thepeopleslancekresnik

Elle flinched at Alvin’s sudden harshness, surprised at first and then bristling up with a pout at his apology. She was just trying to figure out what was going on, seeing as how he didn’t even know himself, sheesh.

Well, if he wasn’t a ghost then what was he? He didn’t look like any spirit she’s seen, and how was he so sure he wasn’t a ghost if he can’t remember anything?

“You need to pay more attention!” How come he didn’t even remember what happened just this morning? It wasn’t that long ago. Maybe Alvin was becoming senile. “Why were you going to come here on a wyvern?” That would have been pretty awesome. But almost might have freaked out a few people in Trigleph.

With Ludger and Alvin pretty focused, she stared intently at and through to behind Alvin. She hadn’t really felt anything when she poked at Alvin, though he had ended that line of inquiry quickly. But Alvin hadn’t seemed to have noticed Ludger doing the same, so...

Elle kicked at Alvin’s leg as subtly as she could under the table. Would he feel that?

When we get back home, Elle is going to force you to learn how to swim. You’re worse than even Daddy was.

#skype commentary #thepeopleslancekresnik

👗

“What do you mean you don’t have a GHS?”

#chaoticxtrust #;birdies

oncehymned replied to your post: there’s so little actual men’s clothin...

// do rideaux

👗!!!!

“This coat matches your eyes!”

#thepeopleslancekresnik #;birdies #and u get a nerd shirt too

there’s so little actual men’s clothing on this site at this rate I’m just gonna start shoving everyone into dresses

I mean, Alexei at least would look great--

#;out of kitty crisps

👗 (-prepares for tea-party dressup, save me-)

“You should have a packpack too, it’s super useful and you can keep all your things in it.”

#broadswordandpistol #;birdies #she tried #i present this with no further comment

notquitethehack-blog

Send Me A “👗” And My Muse Will Dress Yours

They’ll put together an outfit for yours based on their personal tastes using This.

#;memes

Clear-Cut

Alvin looked from hand-waving Ludger to indignant Elle in mild bemusement. This had vague echoes of Alvin help me hide a body, which left the older man feeling suspicious about being played.

Well, if he was, he’d just play along and laugh at the joke, right? “What’re you two talking about? I mean, I’m hungry, but last I checked a hole in your stomach didn’t make you transpar —”

The last syllable died on his lips as his eyes trailed down to his own hands, and then further down through his legs to the barstool beneath them.

“Son of a —” Elle! some inner part of his psyche screamed at him at the last moment. It took every last effort of will to substitute “monkey!” for the curse that should have followed.

broadswordandpistol & keyofkresnik

Elle, this didn’t seem like such a simple issue that Alvin could explain it candidly. And this was only affirmed at Alvin’s attempted joke, followed by an impressively lack-luster substitute for a curse. It took a surprising amount of restraint for Ludger not to point out that ‘monkey’ was one of the more hysterical substitutes he could have come up with, but there was something more pressing that needed addressing.

He abandoned his kitchen, crossing the room to pull the chair out beside Alvin. “Wait, what’s going on?” he insisted– wait, hadn’t he just been onto Elle mentally for asking a simple question like that? How would Alvin know when he didn’t seem to have even noticed it? But he was, he was transparent. That meant… “Do you remember when this started?” And was he completely incorporeal on top of it, or was this just some sort of visual thing… He considered experimenting, but he would wait until he got more information. Would… he bring it up? Maybe he’d just test it in his own time…

Elle was growing increasingly irked that Alvin was brushing it off when Ludger seemed concerned as well. This is definitely not normal! Even spirits weren’t all see-through like this, and she’s seen real spirits!

When Alvin finally reacted appropriately, her ire dropped somewhat, though she was still expecting a Hah, fooled you! any moment now. Was this serious? Ludger and Alvin definitely looked like they were serious.

“Are you a ghost?” The girl leaned forward thoughtfully, hesitating a moment with finger extended before prodding at a translucent limb.

#thepeopleslancekresnik

Clear-Cut

Alvin had just slid onto the barstool next to Elle when she’d gotten the question out. His answer to Ludger died on his lips, and he looked down at the little girl with puzzled amusement.

“What is this, the latest Sunscreen Rangers plot? I missed this week’s episode. You’ll have to tell me who I should blame, kiddo. Negative Swimmer? Psychic Viper? Oh, maybe that White Duke guy that hasn’t shown up since the first episode this season.”

broadswordandpistol & keyofkresnik

See through? Ludger quirked a brow, but continued working with his cooking. What sort of game was Elle playing at? Alvin’s retort caught more of his attention, somehow.

Distractedly, Ludger reached over to collect the now missing ingredients if he was cooking for three. “Alvin, you’re kidding, right?” That White Duke guy was nothing to do with invisibility! Erhm, well, see-throughness… “Negative Swimmer hasn’t been around for a few seasons- Please, a villain who’s super power was to reject water? His body shouldn’t have even worked… “-and Psychic Viper’s too big of a name to have been in anything less than a mid-season finale, which isn’t until next week.” Ludger grinned, peeking back over his shoulder. “Elle, tell him about The Consort of–”

Wait no Alvin was literally transparent.

For a moment, he gawked at him with wide-eyed confusion. Okay, lunch was going to have to wait. He took the mostly-cooked meal off the heat and flicked the stovetop off before slipping off his apron. “No, Alvin, Elle’s right- what… what..?” He couldn’t really make words. Instead, he just pointed in confusion. That… needed addressing…

#broadswordandpistol #thepeopleslancekresnik

broadswordandpistol

Thank you Ludger, Elle was about to bristle up and go into her own very in-depth rant, completely losing her previous train of thought as she nodded in agreement with Ludger’s corrections. “--and White Duke is just one of those baddies-of-the-week They never come back in the same season!”

Neither Ludger nor Alvin seemed to be reacting badly to the see-throughness, so Elle dropped the topic entirely until Ludger finally piped up about it, giving Alvin a confused stare.

Elle huffed impatiently. “Yes! He’s see-through, I already said so!” She turned accusing eyes on Alvin as if he was trying to prank her. “Tell me what’s going on already!”

Clear-Cut

(closed starter for thepeopleslancekresnik and keyofkresnik)

Alvin was missing something. He was entirely sure of that, but not what it was. A touch of his pockets had reassured him about his keys, his GHS, and his wallet, but something today just felt off. Like he’d planned and forgotten a sales meeting, or someone’s birthday, or left the apartment without locking the door.

He muscled his way out of the train station, annoyed that the crowds didn’t bother to part for him today. Not like people weren’t busy, but it was abnormal that no one moved out of his way. Just stared right through him as if he weren’t there, going about their own business.

Maybe he’d forgotten to eat something. Didn’t he have breakfast? He couldn’t recall. Had that meeting been really early? … No good, he couldn’t remember. Food would probably solve his problem. He steered towards the Fréres Apartments and fiddled with Ludger’s door until it clicked under his fingers and slid open.

“Ludger, tell me you’ve got something for lunch. Please.”

broadswordandpistol & keyofkresnik

Well it was fortunate that he was in the middle of cooking when the door opened. He listened, quirking a brow at the arrival of the new entrant. Elle was seated at the table (impatiently) awaiting lunch, and that voice–

He didn’t even bother looking to the door; if he’d let himself in, he didn’t really need to turn away from his cooking, which was convenient. Good job Alvin knowing the trick handle. “Course, Alvin,” he announced, quickly eyeing his supplies. Hmm… yeah, he had enough for an extra. Not an expected visit, but a pleasant surprise. Without looking to the door, Ludger nodded toward the table. “Go ahead, take a seat. What brings you to Fréres?”