ガイア.

Stealing candy from a baby isn't as easy as it sounds.

[synthronos]

　▬▬　blühende blume.

[synthronos]

Naturally, he notices that the other doesn’t pay — and before he’s dragged away, the crowd slowly limiting his vision of the stand, he manages to catch the seller’s confused expression, his client disappearing in what appears to be a blink of an eye. Even with Metatron attached to his hand, Gaius seems to have very little trouble maneuvering himself out of sight; judging by that alone, he can easily assume this wasn’t the first time the redhead stole; yet, he can’t seem to really care, enjoying the slight rush of adrenaline as he matches his pace with the older man.

It takes him a little longer to notice that he’s not the one holding onto Gaius’ hand anymore, his palm now squeezed between the other’s fingers. He can’t say that he’s not enjoying the warmth, though; a small smile tugging on his lips as he’s being led into a more secluded spot. Figures — there’s definitely a smaller chance of being caught so far away from everyone, and now they can enjoy the sweets without anyone bothering them.

“Huh? Oh, no — don’t worry, it doesn’t bother me at all!” He’s used to initiating physical contact; not so much to seeing it reciprocated, though. There’s something oddly reassuring about being able to touch other people — he loves to feel their pulse ticking underneath his fingertips and his skin stealing their warmth; at this point, it’s something hardly flustering, and yet…

“Hehe, that’s probably because I’m a no-good slacker. ♪ You know, I’ve never really worked hard in my life, so —” and he flops down next to Gaius, the tone of his voice cheerful and lax, as if he’s talking about something much less harsh. 

Well, there’s no escaping the truth, he supposes.

“I like your hands, by the way,” he adds after a moment, raising their arms to bring Gaius’ palm up to light; his free hand wandering to trace the slight calluses on the older’s skin. “You must’ve done a lot, huh?”

[loliphaba]

Everything was pleasant -- the scenery surrounding them, the conversation, and above all, the company.

It had all been a picturesque up until an all too vivid point.

When their interwoven hands were raised together in what was most likely an innocent, quaint action - something struck Gaius like hot iron in an all too literal sense. There was a burning sensation on his forearm and he wondered what it was -- it certainly wasn't something he remembered doing even by accident but the fire that burned against his skin burned with a brand that he couldn't make out. While he had a scar on his forearm since childhood that he always concealed out of some sense of shame he couldn't quite place -- when he looked to his forearm, he swore he was looking at something else.

Rather then Metatron's arm holding his hand up in a gentle manner, there was someone else that held him down and while Gaius didn't struggle at that time, there was still that searing pain he could not forget. He had to blink several times and try to do away with the vague recollections surrounding him, biting lower lip as he slowly pulled his hand back away from the angel next to him. His head was swimming and disorientation was rampant as he couldn't make sense of what the angel next to him had even sweetly said.

It felt as the gentle festival scene around them had warped and he was somewhere else entirely. 

"Did anything weird just happen now?"

He had to ask -- rolling his sleeve back and looking at his forearm on his left. The scar he had since early youth wasn't there but there were faint traces of a brand burned onto his skin. It was light and hard to make out and he didn't know why it was there, he couldn't make sense of anything other than that he was branded. Which would have made sense with all the sensations from earlier. His brow knit together and Gaius quickly covered the faded brand on his arm out of mortification.

He inwardly hoped that Metatron hadn't even caught so much as a glimpse.

"I often do a lot, yeah. Things like sewing and cooking to. . .maybe less reputable things." 

Gaius could barely remember what they were really talking about at this point, he just wanted to forget what he had just remembered even as vague as it was.

[eventxde]

To: dumb From: Panne

i am not interested in helping unless you have something to offer up in return. otherwise enjoy spending the rest of your days in a tree

[loliphaba]

TO: well dang FROM: sugar daddy

oh so youre THAT kind of person eh?

now i understand i work the same way cupcake

ill offer up anything you might want then name it and ill get it for you easy as pie

[awaycoommoner]

#sweatspearls

♛ When asked about the nature of the Spring Festival, his father remained uninterested, claiming that the event was left for dirt and maggots. However, Sakuya felt that ignoring it completely was a poor choice. After all, one could not lead the people without experiencing such activities with them, no matter how barbaric it was. As the heir of the Le Bel fortune, he had the responsibility to tend to the masses and grace their lives with his very presence. The decision, of course, had absolutely nothing to do with the noble’s curiosity over what exactly a ‘festival’ was. 

♛ What he found once he entered Paralia’s town square came as a surprise. Merchants bartered their wares out in a row, people were reduced to farmers to help plant trees, children were covered in paint, people were cooking out in the open… It was just as uncivilized as his father had told him! Sakuya grimaced as he walked through the various stalls. He simply couldn’t see the appeal. Yet, for the most part it appeared as if the people around were enjoying themselves—though perhaps he should have expected as much from lowly commoners. Even so, the heir had some simile of desire to understand the reason for all of the excitement in the air.

♛ He eventually came across a peculiar stand, one that had vibrate decorations and had managed to accumulate a small crowd around it. The people gathered were bustling about merrily over something. Try as he might to peer over shoulders and heads of those in front, Sakuya could not get a better view. Instead, he turned to the person nearest to him, pointing a well-manicured finger to the offending spot. He raised his voice, lips forming a command with the ease of breathing.

❝You there! What is this? Explain to me its purpose.❞

[loliphaba]

After having perused the sweet stalls and all they had to offer with a pilfering or two, Gaius took to the more active stalls only a few paces down the festival grounds. They weren't much his style as they involved playing games to win little prizes here and there but he supposed they could be exciting for a little kid. Curiosity for a particularly popular stall caught his interest and Gaius slipped into the crowd with relative ease, glancing at the large stuffed animals for prizes and wondered if that was the main attraction -- the game itself was fairly simple after all. As much attention as it received, the thief himself couldn't see why he'd want to immediately play and win and turned to leave only to be caught stark still by a commanding authority.

Or so he thought anyway up until he came upon the vision of what looked like a high school student. A fancily dressed one at that. -- Well, he didn't care for being ordered around but he wasn't so callous as to brush him off. Gaius didn't mind showing this kid what the purpose of the game was but from the farthest seat in the back row didn't seem like the most opportune way to do just that. Not really saying much other than "Don't let go." - Gaius proceeded to grab Sakuya's upper arm and lead him through the masses. About half way through however, he realized it was easier working alone than it was with a carry along. Still, he persevered until (after some bumping around) they were at the very front of the crowd.

"And here we are."

Letting go of him then with a following dust of his palms off, he proceeded to motion towards the stacked milk bottles a good throw away. They were there for the sole purpose of being knocked down by a baseball -- and after paying, you had three chances. The ideal was to knock all of them down to win a prize, to which Gaius directed Sakuya's gaze to next. There were obscenely large stuffed animals on display from giant bears, birds, even alpacas to less than impressive sizes of plush toys. Which the thief pointed out were more of a "Thanks for trying" type of prize.

"Make sense? Pay, throw a ball three times, knock down the bottles, win a prize. Piece of cake if you ask me."

[loliphaba]

"That’s a really bad joke, quit it."

"You think it’s a bad joke?"

Maybe it was.

Beating himself up over this wouldn’t get him anywhere and he had already gone too far to back out now. He didn’t necessarily want to hurt Metatron, even if every driving emotional force was on the other end of that spectrum. Maybe it was that notion that was making him more rough than usual and he almost seemed to regret it, but then Gaius made comments about the severity of the contusions around Metatron’s collar and shoulders and the ones that were forming around his wrists undoubtedly with the way Gaius was gripping them.

It wasn’t his fault, was it?Metatron had tried to move away from him and Gaius had to have stopped him.

"You know. I don't want to hurt you, Metatron. But I wonder what you would think of me if I hurt your friends." 

There was a certain possessiveness gnawing at his heart and his epicenter was absolutely tearing apart. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to stop wondering and act on his words yet he knew he had to deal with his beloved angel before him first. Fallen as he was -- literally, given that Gaius had taken the precautions to dull Metatron's reactions and very senses -- the drug would keep him weak for some time but not completely immobile. Just what he needed from him, though the more that the angel tried to get away or struggle against him, the more that Gauis would restrain him.

Eventually, he plucked his frame from the ground and allowed Metatron to lean on him for a measure of support up until he slid him to the bed. Moving bedside, fingertips brushed dark strands of hair from his too tired eyes, a sigh following. Leaning over, Gaius pressed what could only be considered a comforting kiss to the other man's forehead. He told him to rest here and sleep until the drug wore off, it'd take some time. Which is just what he needed.

He spoke in quiet tones, twirling locks of the angel's hair around a fingertip all the while. 

"Don't worry. I'll make sure it's. . .maybe fairly painless when I do it and it's not like I intend to kill them. Just scar them so they can never forget that you're mine and these are the consequences they brought upon themselves."

"By the time you wake up, it'll all be over."

[loliphaba]

"You have ten minutes, so make it quick.”

"Come one, come all -- see my wares at an affordable bargain price! With the very low, low price of an arm and a leg you too can have these one of a kind paintings!"

"How was that for my 'Anna' Impression?"

[loliphaba]

"You’re so weird."

"Hey. To me, YOU'RE the weird one -- how can you not eat sugar all the time? That doesn't seem like a very sweet life."

[loliphaba]

"This seems familiar."

"TRUST me, if this was familiar I'd know it --"

"I don't know what you're trying to make me eat but -- aha -- maybe just leave it on the ground and I'll come back and get it, I promise."

[loliphaba]

"I am not wearing that.”

"Any particular reason? I mean pink isn't really your color, I'll admit but I think a dashing man like yourself would wear it well. At least try it, I might just cry if you don't."

[loliphaba]

"Don’t look at me like that."

"How else am I supposed to be looking at you've spent thirty minutes trying to decide which cupcake to buy from me, buttercup."

[loliphaba]

"I think... I broke it."

"It's mostly definitely BROKEN. I'm not one to cry over a shattered lollipop but next time try to watch your step, got it Tiger?"

[romanticvillain]

art (ka wink)

[loliphaba]

"Are you sure this is legal?”

"Absolutely not. That's the point, Doll. -- If it was legal then this wouldn't be considered "stealing" now, would it?"

[loliphaba]

"I’m pregnant and it’s yours."

". . . . . . .You better be meme'ing me, Anna."

[synthronos]

　▬▬　blühende blume.

[synthronos]

Well, he can’t disagree — there’s a difference between the dull city noise he’d already grew accustomed to and cheerful yelling of children, mixed with music and chatter. He can’t exactly decide which is better; it hurts his head all the same, but both have something strangely endearing to them — alas, he’s never been the one to get sentimental over little things. Pushing all of that aside, he accepts Gaius’ gift with a short laugh, glancing down at the string of well-combined flowers; the work so precise it’s almost a shame it wouldn’t last forever.

“It’s other people’s loss, right? They don’t understand the importance of desserts,” he nods quickly, thin fingers still curled around Gaius’ wrist, now in a very loose hold — just in case he’d want to break it.

It’s kind of hard for him to think of an appropriate answer as well, especially since there’s still a lot of stuff he hasn’t tried. It’s a tough life when you’re always short on money — but his laziness doesn’t really prompt him to do anything to change that, and he merely accepts whatever life throws at him without struggle.

“Nah, I get it. I’m the same — as long as it’s sweet, I’ll eat it,” he decides finally, his shoulders rising in a small shrug. “Anyway, do you want to go sit somewhere, or should we keep walking?”

There’s a lot of stalls to visit, sure, but he wouldn’t mind a small break.

[loliphaba]

"Absolutely."

Gaius couldn't agree more and he was glad he found someone to share in the delicacy of sweets with. Most often would he receive begrudging or concern about his sugary obsession so when Metatron confessed his own adoration -- Gaius felt an instant bond between them. This only grew in the time they spent together. All the musing carries him to take the sweets he picked out for them into his free hand with a side glance towards his companion.

Gaius answers simply and says the two should sit and get some rest before perusing the rest of the festival. Just after that comment however, Gaius easily slips free of Metatron's hold only to instead grab at the angel's hand as he begins to lightly tug him along in the direction of the sitting area. They kind of leave without paying and well, Gaius doesn't really intend to unless Metatron tells him otherwise -- though they're already at an empty and secluded enough table and the thief is already motioning for his partner to sit. Even if it is a slightly awkward hand motion with one hand full of sweets and the other holding onto Metatron's.

Still, he'd rather not let go of the latter if he can help it.

Consider him sentimental or attached or even selfish for this much but he sooner lets go of the sweets by setting them on the table top before he takes his own seat with the remaining hold on Metatron's hand loosening just a fraction. He figures he might as well say what's on his mind in any case. He'd rather not make things awkward or overstep a boundary is possible.

"If you want to let go you can, Angel. Though I will say your hand is a lot softer than mine."

[loliphaba]

❤

❤ Describe how they show affection.

Gaius is someone who isn't shy about showing his care to his object of affection. Most of the time he'll play with the hands of other, squish or rub their cheeks, ruffle their hair, or just plain old hold their hands. If not that then Gaius likes to make trinkets like necklaces, rings, bracelets, you name it and he'll make it to deck his s support doki out with.

[lutelu]

TO: Gaius FROM: Ryner

(1/2) seriously? well, if you aren't going anywhere then how about i just come hang out with you? literally even. though, once i'm up in a tree idk if i can get down either. 

(2/2) what tree? anything you want me to bring?

[loliphaba]

TO: fudge brownie FROM: sugar daddy

seriously

cupcake if you want to hang out with me im down anytime

not literally because you know im stuck in a tree but the sentiment counts

yeah bring a ladder

[loliphaba]

❖ & ✭!

❖ Describe their hands.

Gaius is known for his nimble and talented hands. He wouldn't do what he does best if his fingers weren't as dexterous as he made them. He sews, bakes, crafts -- does a lot that one probably wouldn't expect him to do given his appearance. Gaius also has very light calluses on his fingertips due to the repeated hobbies he has.

✭ What is one of their favorite items?

For sentimental reasons, Gaius holds onto a bear shaped lollipop he almost always has on his person. No one but him really knows why he keeps it and if he has anything to say about it, no one ever will. It's probably the one and only candy he won't bring himself to eat.