life is a song

Ailill O'Dwyer { 31 { Demigod Son of Aengus Singing, piano, guitar teacher FC: Kim Woosung This blog was created for Mount Phoenix RP. All of the events portrayed are strictly fictional. Muse and Mun are both 18+. NSFW. Mount Phoenix

[mpailill]

introduction

biography

connections { plots { threads

aesthetics { playlist { moodboards

[mpyanluo-deactivated20240512]

so deep in his own thoughts was yanluo that he had not noticed ailill approach. in fact, yanluo's guard was down just a little. it was the week before lunar new year, the festival was bustling and people were happy. kids were running around, giggling, and couples held hands while out on a stroll through the many stalls xiwangmu had prepared for the island's residents. there was really nothing to be wary of, and perhaps subconsciously, the god had let himself be distracted by his own musings. ailill's focused approach had therefore gone unnoticed to the chinese god.

but when the man spoke with his slightly raspy voice, the name falling off his lips in a warm and soft tone, yanluo felt himself being tugged from his reverie. the god's eyes widened ever so slightly and he whipped his head around, a look of disbelief in chocolatey brown eyes that was quickly masked away. at first, he didn't know what to say as he looked at ailill, who was looking absolutely handsome. he was a vision in black and red - a sun, moon and stars shirt peeking through a deep red jacket. the man had a beanie on his head just like last time and hands safely tucked in familiar gloves.

honestly, yanluo was taken aback by both the familiarity and the warmth with which ailill looked at him. yanluo didn't understand. he had scared the man's precious child. they hadn't communicated afterwards and yanluo had been too unsure to contact ailill of his own accord as well. he didn't think they would meet again but here they were. ailill had approached yanluo voluntarily.. perhaps because he wanted to, or maybe the man had something to say regarding their previous meeting?

yanluo blinked slowly, masking any emotions in his eyes but he did allow himself a gentle smile as he gazed at ailill. after all, the demigod had said that he was glad to see him again. and despite not understanding the warmth directed at him right now, yanluo felt grateful. perhaps the new year would bring new beginnings. he could hope for that. the god would never want oona or ailill to be afraid of him, even though they would be in their good right to be. yanluo still hadn't explained exactly what kind of god he was but everyone with a brain would know... blood powers weren't exactly known for being benevolent...

"ailill..." yanluo spoke, also in a soft tone. the god then looked past the demigod and checking their surroundings. oona wasn't present. was ailill alone today? yanluo then glanced back at the demigod. "... are you alone?"

[mpailill]

Ailill didn't mind not being noticed. Their last meeting had been quite intense so the musician couldn't hold grudge against the god. That's why he approached slowly, keeping at bay his joy to see the other again. He examined a few articles on the stands, smiling at the excited children and parents running after them. Very familiar scenes that he had lived through more than once.

 Ailill smiled as the god turned towards him, remaining still under Yanluo's gaze. He was quite happy with what he was seeing too, the other as elegant as always, his long hair and the silk of his robes shining under the cold sun of winter. He peeked at the man's hands and chuckled. No gloves. Yanluo was faithful to his bad habits.

It had not be immediate but Oona had gotten over her fear after a few days. It wasn't rare for the little girl to ask for Yanluo. They even had visited his teahouse but, unfortunately, he hadn't been there at the time. So seeing the god in that moment was a blessing in the musician's eyes.

Blood powers or not, Yanluo was someone that Ailill valued. Maybe he wasn't what people would call 'benevolent' but he had only seen the generous and good sides of him. What had happened with Oona had been an incident, nothing more. The little girl wasn't traumatized and everyhing had ended well. 

The musician smiled at the way his name flowed from Yanluo's lips, so soft, and he couldn't help but smile. "Yes, Oona is at daycare" he answered. "I'm here to get the plushies she fell in love with the other day. What about you ?"

[roseband]

woosung // you're beautiful

[mpvalerie-deactivated20240414]

Zero to Hero had quickly fallen into one of her favorite haunts, as per the usual. The only issues she had was that at certain times of day, the place was obviously quite a bit busier and thus noisier. But the early morning hours were perfect for her. It made for a great morning workout after which she would clean up, grab a quick bite to eat, and then wander about the island (usually in the wilderness, but sometimes stopping by the Lion's Den to hang out instead on dreary days)--but for now? Her day was just getting started with a nice swim in a very nice pool!

This would be her first time swimming in the pool in over a decade, so she wanted to make it count. With the open back of her simple black swimsuit exposed and her hair done up in a braid crown, her Yggdrasil tattoo was clearly visible, spanning her entire spine and shoulders with branches spreading to her upper arms and roots to the backs of her thighs. She entered the pool area, draping her towel over the back of a lounger and leaving her water bottle in the seat, smiling at the only other person in the space. Having no lifeguard on duty was really no matter to her.

Being respectful of the young man already swimming in his lane, she thought it best not to jump in and paused at the edge until he'd passed another lap so she wouldn't interrupt--but once he had done so, she noticed his own tattoo. Oh! OH! What was that? Was that the Celtic tree of life?! How cool was that?! Suddenly quite excited, she hopped from the edge into the water, bobbing a bit at the surface. When their eyes met, he spoke, and she grinned brightly at what he had to say.

The sentiment was shared! And she excitedly waved her hand, motioning between them, pointing toward his own back and then hers followed by an enthusiastic thumbs up and ultimately forming a heart with her hands over her chest. She loved his tattoo, too.

[mpailill]

With a young child to take care of, Ailill had easily become a morning person. It had been hard in the beginning but now he enjoyed the quietness of those moments and had soon found out that it was the ideal time for grocery shopping or random errands. And he got time to spend with his daughter which was quite a lovely advantage. 

A good swim was a perfect way to start the day well, to feel refreshed.

He didn't mind though, when his moment of loneliness was interrupted by the girl. On the contrary, it was quite nice to have someone else sharing this quiet time with him. But as the young woman slid in the water, Ailill hoped he didn't look like a creep as he couldn't help but to admire at her tattoo. He truly was fascinated by it,  imagining how long such a piece would have taken to make, especially something as beautiful and detailed as it was. His own tattoo was almost nothing compared to this masterpiece. 

Ailill was a bit surprised by the young woman answered only by signs. Was she deaf or mute ?  But he was glad that she had at least understood him. He pointed to his back and nodded excitedly. "Oh, thank you ! Do you want to see it closer ?" he offered, smiling gently at her.

"My name's Ailill" the singer added. "What about you ?"

[alicemp]

[...] "I hope you don't mind if I leave her door open ? She likes to listen to the music." And he himself could hear if something was happening.  "I hope you'll be satisfied with my teaching" he answered, inviting her to sit on the sofa. He couldn't help but watch her as she looked around, a soft light in her eyes. He barely knew her and he already liked her a lot. He truly hope that they would get along well and that the lessons could bloom into friendship.  Ailill smiled at the compliment, rubbing the back of his neck to ease his tension. He had loved the apartment as soon as he had seen it, the warm atomspher brought by the wood, beige and green tones. It was peaceful, perfect to raise a child. "Thank you ! You can look at Oona's room later if you want, she has a bookshelf in the shape of a tree." He sat down next to Alice as she talked, nodding at her explanations. Emotions, feelings. Those were hard to learn, to give back to others. "Mm... I could try but those things need to be felt, here" he said, patting his own belly. "But for now, maybe you could show me what you can do ?"

“Certainly! I just hope that the music I’m about to play will not bother her,” Alice said jokingly, masking the unusual lack of confidence bubbling in her voice with a soft chuckle.  

The ‘vibe check’ ritual she did by looking around the room did help to relax her nerves. As she sat on the comfy couch, with Oona’s presence still very much felt from across the living room, the subtle tension in Alice’s body language gradually subsided. 

“I’m confident that I’ll enjoy our class today,” she confirmed, her smile tender and filled with optimism. It was surprising to realise that Aillil and Oona were among the few truly new faces she conversed since coming to Mount Phoenix. With how many old connections she had run into in the last few months, even though she had nothing against that, this was still a pretty much welcome experience.

At the mention of Oona’s tree-shape bookshelf, Alice’s eyes sparkled up. “Wow, that sounds so cool! I’m definitely giving it a look later,” she exclaimed, enthusiasm for any book-related topic shining in her smile and voice tone. “You know, I’m thinking of suggesting Amaterasu-sama upgrade the kid zone in our library and museum, and bookshelves in different shapes and sizes will certainly be a must. Hopefully, we can finish it before summer, so there will be a reading club and activities for children when the season comes! And…ah, sorry, I digress.” 

Alice stopped herself from rambling, as she reminded herself of her purpose of being here, and that Aillil would not have a whole day to listen to ideas irrelevant to music. She sat a bit straighter, getting herself physically and mentally ready to absorb what Ailill would want her to learn. Confusion fleeted across her face as his gesture implied that feelings should be felt with belly, but that would be a question for later. 

“Alright, let me try this,” Alice replied taking her guitar out of the case. She placed the instrument in its right position on her lap, found her posture to hold it properly, and played with bare fingers despite a plectrum attached to the guitar when she bought it.  

As if her fingers had learned it by heart, Alice played the first verse of the song ‘Rememer me’ without any hiccups. Still, despite no mistakes made, she knew her playing was lacking emotion-wise. When finished, she looked up at Ailill, silently asking for his comments and instructions with dark round eyes full of anticipation.

[mpailill]

Ailill smiled at the young woman, so much of his students had thought they had to be careful around Oona and he wasn't surprised by her comment. "Don't worry about that. She's used to it, she likes to listen while she plays." The little girl had always been surrounded by music so he father's students weren't a problem for her.

"Thank you. I'll do my best to make it fun !" The young man smiled back, grabbing his own guitar left by the couch. Being a private teacher was quite a good job to meet new people and though he had just started, he had already met quite a few interesting persons. Especially a young man with the face of an angel.

Oh. That was quite lovely news to hear ! Oona loved books and she would be ravished to have a special place where she could meet other kids to hear stories and play with. In his opinion, Mount Phoenix needed a bit more activities for the children he had seen all over the island. "This is fantastic !" he exclaimed. "If you ever want someone to do some animation, just ask me. My powers don't work on kids so it would be totally safe."

Ailill would always listen, whatever his students had to tell him. He was interested to know more about them, things that could help him to teach them even better. And someone who loved kids immediately had good points in his book.

The singer could see her confusion but instead of immediately explaining, he preferred for Alice to make her own experiences. It was important for his students to understand by themselves. As she started playing, he could see that she was very skilled already, even if some emotions were lacking in her interpretation.

"Well... That was really good" he said when she finished. "But this song honors the ones who are long gone. Maybe try to find inspiration in that ?"

[roseband]

[mpailill]

龙年大吉

ailill’s gift had been a while in the making; something for which yanluo had even asked houtu’s assistance ( and had come at a big price but he had expected that. houtu could be cunning if she wanted to be ). on the morning of february 10th, a delivery would be made to ailill’s apartment. upon receiving the gifts, ailill would find a sizeable figurine of the celtic god aengus, his father. it was a wooden statue, exquisitely carved by hand and about 20~25cm long. perhaps a little out of the boundaries for a new year’s gift, but yanluo had wanted to gift an especially meaningful one. from accounts of fellow gods, yanluo had the god’s image first drawn and then carved by houtu. he hoped the god’s true appearance shone through the statue. in addition to the first gift, yanluo had added a gift set of pastries, meticulously crafted. the set includes creamy mandarin center cakes, zesty orange mandarin macarons, and mandarin dragon cookies. none of the ingredients would have negative effects on oona so if ailill wanted to share some, he could do so. this was all written in the handwritten note yanluo had included in which he wished the both of them a happy new year of the dragon. finally, to add onto the bunny onesie yanluo had already gifted oona, the god gifted oona cute blessing door stickers. these stickers can be stuck to any door - even fridge doors - and symbolise protection for the household and its occupants.

=====

To say that Ailill was amazed by Yanluo’s gift would be an understatement. He spent a long time admiring the statue, all the beautifully crafted details. He had seen a lot of different representation of his father but he did trust Yanluo about this one being Aengus’ true appearance. It was a beautiful, emotional gift and he placed it in plain view on his bookshelves. Oona was curious but as she was still too little to totally grasp the situation, Ailill simply told her it was someone related to the family and who deserved respect.

But the little girl’s attention was soon diverted by the sweets, the little girl and her father sharing a couple mandarin cookies before she rushed across the apartment to place the stickers on Ailill’s and hers doors.

Later, a beautiful thank you card was sent to Yanluo, wishing you again a happy Year of the Dragon. A video of Oona in her bunny onesie and proudly posing near her door’s sticker was also delivered to the god’s phone.

[mpyanluo-deactivated20240512]

( new beginnings ) x ailill

@mpailill

the lunar new year time brought joy and hope for new beginnings, and the god of death was able to feel this as well in spite of any worries he may have. today was a thursday and it was yanluo's second time wandering about the festival. normally, the god did not mingle in crowded festivities but this was lunar new year. it was an important - if not the most important - time of year to his people and also to yanluo, who ironically had gone through his own physical new beginning just weeks ago. it was quite an overwhelming thought.

but the new year was to be celebrated with positivity and hope, and yanluo himself felt this hope in spite of all the hardships he'd encountered since coming to mount phoenix because there had not only been bad times after all. no, he'd reunited with his fellow gods and met demigods of all kinds. he even met a demigod who already held a special place in his heart, in spite of having had a heart of stone for centuries. that demigod had a child, a little girl who had taught yanluo love and care for a fragile human being despite his fears of the past still lingering in the god's memories.

yanluo had scared this child though, and a cloud dulled the god's inner happiness his thoughts brought him. he really hadn't meant to scare her, but his powers had activated on his own and he'd reacted out of instinct and before he knew it, he had been faced with a wide-eyed child who'd stared fearfully into his crimson eyes and yanluo knew he'd had made a mistake. oona had been safe though, and the bleeding had stopped but all of that hadn't been able to soothe a scared little child upon being faced with a monster.

because yanluo just knew he had looked like one in that moment. and although the situation had been brushed off and oona had been fine afterwards, the god had remained awkward and avoided the little girl because he had been convinced she wanted him far away from her.

yanluo sighed softly as he walked, deep in thought. his robes rustled gently in the wind and the god wrapped his arms around him, carefully inspecting the stalls of the street vendors. once again he passed by the malt sugar candy stand, one he had also seen during his previous visit. the god had thought about oona back then as well, and the same happened today as he wondered if the girl would like the candy. even the god did, but he wouldn't buy one for himself so he simply continued on his way - absentmindedly - until he came to a stop at a stall with all sorts of outfits.

the god remained quiet, watching people grab different items from the racks and admiring them while asking for their companions' opinions. it was when an elderly lady moved some articles of clothing around, that yanluo's gaze fell upon a particular piece of clothing. a onesie for children. a warm, fluffy rabbit onesie to be exact. it was all white with a pink belly and the cutest large ears. yanluo's eyes softened as he looked at the piece of clothing on a hanger, wondering if he should go as far as to buy a gift for oona. she would look very cute in it, yanluo already knew for sure. but would oona still like him?

[mpailill]

one { two { three

Ailill had never really celebrated the Lunar New Year except that lovely time with Sook during the first year of their marriage. And though he still held some melancholia about the event, he was absolutely in love with the festival in the park. The wonderful atmosphere, surrounded by the visitors' happiness, the delicious smells of food and sweets and drinks, just being there brought him joy. He had visited the festival with Oona a few times already but, today, on that bright Thursday, he was on his own.

He was on a mission. A very important one. He absolutely needed to get the plushie his daughter had fallen in love with when she saw it during their last walk through the park. The little girl was at daycare, playing with her new friends, unaware of what her father was going to do. Anything to make her happy.

As he walked through the stalls, buying a few trinkets and snacks here and there, Ailill felt himself filled with hope again, something that had died in him with his wife. Mount Phoenix had truly changed his and Oona's life, bringing new friends, new people into their hearts. He had wonderful students and the little girl seemed more happy than ever.

He was reaching the plushies stall when the musician noticed Yanluo standing not too far, deep in contemplation, considering a rack of kids' clothes. They hadn't seen each other since a while, since they had gone skating with Oona, since the god had revealed some of his powers. Crimson eyes had scared her and even if he other had just wanted to help, the little girl had found shelter in her father's arms.

But as he watched him, admiring his long hair and beautiful robes, Ailill couldn't help but notice that he had missed the god. Yanluo had taken a big place in his life, more than the singer had even imagined it would. He was a friend, someone that he deeply cared about. So the son of Aengus approached the other, coming to stand by his side.

"Yanluo" he said in a soft tone, announcing his presence to not surprised the god. "I'm glad to see you again." 

[mpyanluo-deactivated20240512]

the word endearing wasn't easily paired with one such as wang yanluo, but it so happened that the god had endeared himself to ailill without even knowing or making a conscious effort to do so. and perhaps that was part of yanluo's charm. what yanluo had noticed, however, was ailill's gloved hand holding his tightly and the manner in which he moved his fingers to rub against the god's palm to help warm up his exposed skin. it had brought a small smile out of yanluo, who had silently appreciated the kind gesture.

oona clapping for him, and ailill voicing his pride in yanluo having gotten onto the ice without falling was quite a new experience for the god, who suddenly appeared a little bashful. clearing his throat, yanluo quickly diverted his gaze to watch some of the other skaters - who displayed varying degrees of skill-level.

the god did notice when his two companions bravely got into the ice though and he looked down to smile at oona when he saw her next to him and looking up at him expectantly. and then ailill mentioned the penguin-shaped skating aids and yanluo's eyes searched for them, finding them a little ways from where the three of them stood. yanluo's ears flushed red immediately, and it was clear the god felt a little embarrassed at the prospect of using those.. things.

yes, they were cute but also so incredibly undignified. no, wang yanluo could not and would not. he had already braved the ice, and he would attempt to walk it by himself. the amusement he had heard reflect in ailill's voice only fueled yanluo's stubborn nature and he briefly glanced at ailill before nodding towards oona. "i think oona might like the penguins.. what do you think, oona? want to skate with the penguins?" yanluo would absolutely not skate with the penguins.

instead, yanluo held onto some of his dignity and reached out for oona's gloved hand with his right hand while making grabby hands at ailill's, missing his hand once and lightly slapping against the sleeve of his jacket instead. yanluo mumbled a shy apology before holding onto the man's hand for a second time. "let's go get one for oona.. i'll be fine.." yanluo peeked at ailill and smiled what he hoped was a totally convincing smile.

then he started skating, very precariously, one foot in front of the other but keeping a stable grip on oona's hand because it was more important that she did not fall. he was vaguely aware of the little girl's giggles, very focused on traversing that short distance between the wall and the skating aids. and then ailill moved them forward expertly; the man obviously having skated before and yanluo inhaled sharply at the sudden tug at his hand but grinned as he found himself sliding across the ice with much more ease and if he just kept his skates right just so then he could just glide towards the penguins with oona and that's exactly what happened.

yanluo let go of both ailill's and oona's hands once they arrived, allowing the man to take care of his daughter and moving her behind the penguin. the penguin was almost as tall as the girl, and yanluo snickered softly when he noticed but bit back the laugh because he did not want to make oona feel any insecurities skating behind the aid. a minute later and oona was on her way, and yanluo watched her with a softness in his eyes as he stood by the sidelines, watching the little girl as she crossed the ice - her giggles loud in the air.

[mpailill]

Ailill's heart was still fragile, not healed yet from the devastating death of his wife two years ago. But there was an easy way to sneak into it and it was named Oona. Any person showing gentleness to his daughter had a good note in his book but Yanluo had many already. He had been nothing but amazing towards the little girl, not hesitating to accommodate his teahouse for her during their first visit there. So yes, the singer had a weak spot for the god and only wanted to show the same care he had been receiving. 

The son of Aengus noticed Yanluo's face at the mention of the penguin skating aids and he chuckled. Just the idea of the god using one of those was hilarious but, at the same time, would be adorable to see. But he didn't want to make the other uneasy so he wasn't going to insist. Oona did seem absolutely excited by the prospect though and grinned as she looked up at Yanluo. "Yes !" she squealed. "They cute !"

Ailill chuckled as Yanluo struggled to grab his hand but once he finally got hold of it, the young man squeezed it gently, smiling at the god by his side. "Alright, tell me if you want to make a break, ok ?" And then they were gone, carefully skating towards the aids. Oona was absolutely ravished, giggling, even when Ailill pulled them forwards.

The little girl was soon clinging on her penguin, gliding across the ice in direction of the fountain, with her father in tow. Happy conversations and screams of the other skaters surrounded them, Oona was laughing, joining the joy she could see in the other children and adults. 

It was a happy moment and Ailill turned to look at Yanluo, admiring his elegant silhouette against the ice and snow around them. It wasn't the best at reading people's emotions but the god seemed to appreciate the moment, his fingers still tightly holding on the singer's. There was peace in that instant and he savored it.

It didn't last long through. Another young child accidentally collapsed into Oona's penguin and it fell, bringing the small girl down with it. She fell on her knees, ripping her wool leggings, her delicate skin scratching against the thick ice. There was a few seconds during which she remained still before Ailill could grab her and then the tears fell as a few drops of blood ran down her small leg. 

"Oona, Oona ! It's ok, you're alright !" the young father exclaimed, hugging her against him.

[mpyanluo-deactivated20240512]

oona was having the best time, yanluo was sure, and although he himself felt a little bit embarrassed, the god wanted to indulge both oona and ailill. yanluo nodded at ailill's question if he wanted the pictures, and they soon exchanged not just the photos but also the photos. the god wasn't sure what to think about the pictures yet, as they were making him feel things he wasn't ready to feel yet but in his heart he already knew he would be framing at least one of them and display it in his apartment somewhere.

upon being questioned if he had good balance, the god nodded because yes, he had amazing balance. however, this was reserved to when he was on his own two feet or when he was levitating. the god then sat down on the bench currently occupied by oona who was getting her skates fitted by ailill, and one of the staff members at the ice rink proceeded to help yanluo with skates in his own size. once the person was gone and yanluo was left with skates, he gingerly untied his formal shoes. he slipped his socked feet into the skates and started lacing them up, feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole ordeal but there was also a sense of excitement that spurred yanluo on.

ailill soon got ready as well and before yanluo knew it, he had skates on his feet the demigod stood before him, holding oona, and offered to help him stand with an outstretched hand. the god smiled at ailill, hesitantly reaching out his own hand, which unfortunately was not gloved. he grabbed ailill's hand, noting the man's warmth through the fabric of his gloves, and slowly stood up. for a moment, yanluo seemed to try to find his balance, wiggling a bit and his eyebrows were furrowed in deep concentration.

but finally he got it, and when he did, he felt accomplished. it was such a small thing, but it made the god beam at ailill before nodding at his question. still holding ailill's hand, yanluo let himself be led by ailill all the way to the entrance to the ice rink, where oona was put down. yanluo then let go of ailill's hand, thinking it would be best if ailill helped his young daughter first before turning his attention to the god. yanluo, feel emboldened by the fact that he had found his balance, forwent the little walking deviced that would help him move across the ice, and held the wall of the rink with both hands before stepping onto the ice.

the god almost yelped when he noticed just how slippery the ice was and instead he let out a surprised laugh before pushing himself towards the wall, holding it tight as he stood there, waiting for ailill and oona to enter to ice rink. yanluo's long black hair fell across his shoulders and his cheeks were now tinged pink due to the cold and slight exertion in trying to keep his balance.

[mpailill]

There was nothing to feel embarrassed about, at least in Ailill's eyes. He could understand than Yanluo wasn't in an usual situation but there was no need to worry about it. On the contrary, he found it endearing that the god was willing to try, even if it was only for Oona's sake. The young father would always be grateful for that.

And the little would probably love to have some of the pictures displayed to look at everyday.

Once the day would be behind them and that Ailill would reflect on the events, he probably would realize how stupid his question was. He had seen Yanluo move around and it was more than evident that the man had an amazing balance and poise. It was visible in the way he held himself, the way he talked. Elegance and strength were perfect definition of the god. 

Yanluo's hand was cold when it slid into Ailill's. So he gently squeezed it, rubbing his fingers a bit against his palm to warm him up. He smiled as he did so, looking into the other eyes. Patiently, he waited for the god to be ready, Oona happily chatting at his side. The little girl was growing very impatient and excited. "Let's go" the singer said, guiding the little group to the ice rink. 

The musician put Oona down and the little girl clung onto his leg as the both of them watched Yanluo's first steps on the ice. It was quite an interesting spectacle though, such a strong and amazing person wobbling around before grabbing the wall and holding onto it for dear life. Ailill and his daughter giggled, but there was no mockery or wickedness in their reaction. "You did it !" he exclaimed while Oona happily clapped.

The son of Aengus and his daughter then joined him, the toddler tightly holding onto her father hand, concentrating on what she was doing. She sighed in relief when she finally joined Yanluo near the wall and grinned as she looked up at him. Ailill was there just a few seconds later, smiling at the both of us. "Do you guys want the skating aids ?" he asked, a bit of amusement in his voice. "They are penguin-shaped !"

[mperik]

[...] Ailill was quite easy to get along with. It was just that forming bonds with others was a bit complicated for him for the moment. Death had taken his wife away from him and he was afraid to lose all the ones he could become close with. He feared nothing more than Oona being stolen from him. But with Erik, it was more than evident that there was or would be some chemistry between them. "Thank you. It's part of why I like Mount Phoenix. I don't feel the constant stress and frenzy of Seoul. It kinda reminds me of Dublin." He paused, looking for the right words. "Big city but livable, if that makes sense." His gaze fixed on Erik's face as he mentioned his apartment, his living room, his couch. Ailill wasn't an idiot, he was able to read between the lines and none of his students had brought up their personal spaces before. Especially not after proposing more public possibilities. "Why not ? It seems welcoming" he answered, his tone a bit lower than his usual one. Oh, Apollo ! Ailill had heard about some of the gods dwelling on the island and he had been quite delighted to learn about such an artist's presence in Mount Phoenix. He would very much like to meet him, maybe even sing or play music with him. "That would be great, if it's not a bother to him, of course." The staff cafeteria was truly a nice place, full of light and warmth. There was a few other persons there but none paid them any attention. It was nice, to be able to speak of more personal things in such a nice and peaceful atmosphere. The singer knew that some people weren't really interested by other's children so he decided not to bury Erik under the hundred pictures of Oona in his phone (there was even more on his laptop) so he put the device down after a few moments, taking a sip of his drink. He grinned as he answered. "Mmm… We like to talk walks, especially in the park or on the beach. I sing and play music to her a lot, my powers don't work on children, thankfully. Oh and right now, she's begging me for a puppy !"

“I guess I got what you mean, Mount Phoenix does carry a relaxing, serene vibe with it, definitely not like London,” Erik chuckled, could not help adding to his thought about the island city with a subtle smile. “For me, this place feels like a peaceful chaos. Everything and everyone can thrive, good and bad alike.” 

His grey eyes met Ailill’s in silent mutual understanding. The answer was clear, the shift in the other’s voice tone was noticeable, giving Erik a confirmation that Ailill had picked up the hint and intended to play along. The corners of his lips tugged up, and his smile was bright with innocence, but if looking close enough, one may recognize that the gleams in his eyes were borderline sinister. While it was still too soon to make the next move, he knew the elder was interested, and that satisfied him for now. “Brilliant! Just give me a call when you can arrange a time for the lesson, I’ll make sure my place is all ready to welcome you.”

Erik gave a light shake of his head as Ailill posed his concern about bothering Apollo. While he had not yet known the Greek god beyond the boundary of the employer-employee relationship, he got enough evidence to believe in the god’s readiness to help. “I’m confident that Pollo man will be happy to give you a hand, it’s right up his alley, and it’ll contribute to the success of the PAC, his own business, you see.” 

Erik let the coffee scent, the ambient noises of a few people talking in the background, and Ailill’s warm voice soothe his fidgety. While the son of Apep often presented himself as poised and collected, his tendency to fidget could be difficult to control at times, especially in one-on-one conversations with those he had just met. Luckily, Ailill’s calm aura made it easy for him to relax, and soon Erik found himself genuinely smiling at Oona’s photos and Ailill’s stories about their life. 

“Oh, I often take a walk in the park as well! Mostly in late afternoon, sometimes in early morning. Have you tried the food stalls just outside the entrance? There is one that sells churros and another sells hot chocolate, they’re my favorites.” 

His face brightened up when Ailill mentioned Oona’s wish to have a puppy. He leaned in slightly, his smile grew wider with pure joy.

“Hey, I also want to adopt a puppy! I’ve been wanting a samoyed or maltese for so long, but could not have a place for a pet until now. I’m thinking of adopting one with my best friend, maybe we can all visit the shelter sometime soon?”

[mpailill]

Ailill nodded. That was a very good comparison. "I love London but I really couldn't live there, especially not with a small child." The musician considered Erik's declaration, tilting his head on the side. "I'm glad I've seen only the good side so far" he commented, looking at the younger man. "I'm  ok with staying away from chaos. For now, at least."

The singer wasn't an idiot. Son of a god of love or not, there was some expressions, some tones of voices that he was able to recognize for what they truly were. He hadn't played the game for a while but he was ready to move on the board too, to see what his opponent would do next. He grinned back but his eyes remained as innocent as before. "I'll let you know as soon as I can" he answered, the meaning behind their words loud and clear. 

'Pollo man' ? That was funny. Ailill hadn't met any god so far but for what he had heard, most of them were easily approachable, nice even. Hopefully, it would be the case with Apollo but if what he knew of the god, if his ego was as big as said, he would certainly make sure that his business wouldn't get a bad reputation.

The son of Aengus did notice the fidgetting but didn't comment on it, it wasn't his place. Everyone had their way to deal with things and as long as Erik was of good company, he had no problem with him going on with his habits. Even more, it was part of his charm. 

"Really ? Maybe we should take a walk all together sometimes. And then get churros and hot chocolate, I haven't tried those yet ! Oona and I are big fans of the DanPatBbang stall." 

Ailill smiled back. "Oh, that was such a lovely idea ! Let's do this ! And then we could have lunch somewhere, what do you think ?"

[mpailill]

about pools and tattoos

for the other tree bearer @mpvalerie

Ailill absolutely loved his daughter, he adored her, she was his life and the apple of his eyes. But he also liked some 'me time' so, at least once a week, he was spending a couple of hours at Zero to Hero. He especially appreciated the pool, finding relaxation in swimming.

He was alone on that early morning and though he didn't mind other people, it was quite nice to be able to do as he wanted, to not have to be careful about staying in his lane, to jump in from the side of the basin. Next time, maybe he would make and exception and take Oona so she could enjoy some splashing in the kids' pool.

Ailill was trying to decide if she should stay a bit more when a young woman came in and as she slid into the water, he couldn't take his eyes off her back, off the beautiful tattoo. He recognized Norse symbolism and as their eyes met and waved his hand.

"Love the tattoo !" he exclaimed, smiling.

[leaving-fragments]

it don’t phase me / the thought of you out getting wasted / calling somebody else baby / i don’t need your love anymore

[mpxbillie]

'I'm glad you're here, Billie, really.' It really was that easy for him to ease her fears of moving to the island. All it took were a couple words from someone she could trust for her to feel safe again. She never believed in destiny much, but maybe sending a friend her way was its way of showing up in her life. Whatever it was, she was grateful.

"Of course! It's the perks of being the boss." Her tone was playful and her grin too. Billie was never been one to brag, even when she might've had reason to in the eyes of others. She was a romantic at heart despite her constant denial of it. "You're so very welcome, dear." Oona had been there a minute and Billie was already won over, it was hard not to be.

"I don't take promises lightly." She teased, eyes stern for a second before her features softened into a smile only he managed to get from her. It was sincere, and with it came the hug. Not many understood what they had to go through being the children of gods of love; it was hard to find connection, and sometimes, even a sincere embrace was hard to come by. They had each other, though, and that was enough for her. "Me too. This place doesn't feel as intimidating with you around. Don't be a stranger though."

[mpailill]

Finding someone one could trust was important in a new place. Of course, Ailill had Oona but it wasn't the same than a friend. She was his daughter, she was the one counting on him for her happiness and wellbeing. He had made a few friends since his arrival but having Billie there, someone who knew him intimately, was different. A relief, maybe, a joy for sure. 

"I can understand ! I'm my own boss too. It demands a lot of discipline but there's so much freedom too. I really like it." He smiled, tilting his head. She could brag as much as she wanted, she had accomplished so much and now she had her own shop. "I'm proud of you" he added, reaching to gently squeeze her hand. Oona grinned, she had just decided that the shop was one of her favorite things on the whole island. And Billie, one of her favorite persons.

"Please, let me know when you have time and I'll organize a dinner. All your favorite dishes !" The hug was lovely and warm, a soft reminder of what had been between them. He lifted Oona after they moved away from each other. "I won't, Billie. You are my friend, you're not going to escape me that easily ! He winked. I'll see you soon, ok ?"

Oona waved as they got ready to leave, grinning at the pretty young woman. "Byyyyye !" A last smile and they were gone.

the end

[mpyanluo-deactivated20240512]

ailill's questions didn't bother yanluo as much as they would if they'd come from a fellow god, so he wasn't at all alarmed hearing them. in fact, that ailill had an interest in his son was welcome as it means, by extension, an interest in the god himself. the blush was rather endearing and upon witnessing it, yanluo had smirked a little but before he could respond to either the question or the demigod's blushing face, oona had reclaimed his attention.

she clung to him tight, clearly not willing to part with his embrace anytime soon and that warmed yanluo's heart. he'd only seen the little girl twice but she was slowly worming her way into his cold heart, taking up a bit of that empty space he had harboured within. her eyes shone brightly, like twinkling fairy lights in the night.

ailill's response to the two of them had a flush return to yanluo's ears, and they tinged red just slightly as the god looked at the demigod who was taking his phone out of his pocket. curious, yanluo peeked at the device, starting to feel a little alarmed at its appearance. then ailill practically shouted his intentions and the flush to yanluo's ears deepened. he was about to splutter his disagreement to having his picture taken but it was too late. the god was now a flustered mess in a picture together with a brightly smiling oona.

yanluo resigned himself to his fate, allowing a small smile on his delicate features as ailill snapped a few more pictures before the young man suddenly moved to stand beside him and oona. shifting his gaze, yanluo looked into the camera as ailill took the last picture - one of the three of them together.

ailill turned to face yanluo and showed him the picture he'd just taken, saying how cute they looked, and the god had to admit that it was a cute photo indeed. but there was also something else gnawing at him that he could not place and he quickly looked away, shaking his head a little and promptly suffocating the emotions that started to creep up. they were complex, and yanluo didn't want to analyse them now.

thankfully ailill pocketed his phone and distracted the god with a question. yanluo glanced back at the other demigod, still holding oona who had now started to whine a little as she pointed towards the ice rink, clearly wishing to join the families and other kids skating. "ah..." yanluo then looked out onto the ice rink, contemplating the question before answering. "i have never skated.. but if you can show me how, i can join you both." yanluo looked back at ailill, his smile widening.

[mpailill]

As they talked, Ailill was relieved to notice than Yanluo didn't seem to mind his curiosity and questions. The young man hoped not to cross any boundaries, he was just interested to know more about the other since their first visit at the teahouse. He hadn't expected a god to be so welcoming to his daughter and himself so he was intrigued.

Besides, Oona was seemingly totally besotted with Yanluo. And who was he to refuse her to indulge in the other's presence ?

After showing the pictures to the god, Ailill crouched to let Oona see them too, her giggles resonating in the cold and clear air. She pointed at Yanluo's red cheeks and her father couldn't help to smile at the endearing image. He looked up at the other. "I can send you the pictures, if you want ?" 

Once the phone was back in his pocket and that Yanluo had accepted his invitation, the trio went to get skates and sat on a free bench to get ready. "I'll gladly help you" Ailill answered, helping Oona out of her boots, glancing at the god by his daughter's side. "I haven't skated in a while so we'll take things slow. Do you have a good balance ? It's a great starting point."

It took a bit to lace Oona's skates but seeing the smile on her face and the impatient way in which she was swinging her little legs was worth it. He gently placed the blade's protection on them so she wouldn't hurt herself by accident and sat next to her. His gaze kept turning towards Yanluo as he got ready, offering smiles each time their eyes met.

It didn't take too long for Ailill to be ready and he got up, lifting Oona in his arms, settling her on his hip, the same way their godly companion had done before. He stood before the other befor holding out his gloved hand to him.

"Shall we go ?" 

[alicemp]

[...] When Alice had contacted him for guitar lessons, he had immediately booked her into his agenda. He was starting to have lots of demands from possible students and wanted to be sure she could have a spot. He had a smile on his lips when he opened his door and found himself face to the mirror of his expression. "Alice, hi ! Please, come in" he welcomed the young woman, moving to the side to let her in. Oona peeked from behind the sofa, a big grin almost splitting her cute face in half. "Hi !" she yelled before rushing to her bedroom, giggling. Ailill laughed, closing the door behind Alice. "So, I’m Ailill and this was my daughter Oona. Don’t worry, she won’t bother us. Please, make yourself at ease."

Alice had learned what Ailill looked like through his website, that could be the reason why her smile was more relaxed than usual when he opened the door and invited her in. 

“Thank you so much,” she said walking into the apartment with her guitar. Alice let out a soft gasp of surprise as a silvery voice greeted her, her eyes managed to catch a quick look at Oona’s angelic face before the giggle ball ran into the bedroom.

“It’s a great pleasure to know you, Ailill, I’m really looking forward to our class today,” Alice replied, her friendly smile remaining on her face as she extended her arm, offering him a handshake. The demigoddess then turned to look in the direction where Oona had run to, her voice growing higher and softer as she greeted the little girl. “Hello, Oona! Nice to meet you!”  

She followed Ailill’s invitation to take a seat on the couch, the guitar was still secured in its case on the floor next to her legs. Out of instinct, she took a thorough look around the living room, taking in the happy domesticity that saturated the walls of the apartment.

Sitting in a home that had a child introduced Alice to a whole range of emotions she was not familiar with just yet. It was not her first time seeing a child on the island, nor it was her first time interacting with them, yet there was something different about Ailill’s place that unexpectedly got her emotional. 

Maybe because it was her first time being exposed to such domestic surroundings. A real, happy small family, something she was not sure if she could ever get. 

Still, she managed to keep the surge of emotion under total control. After subtly taking in a deep breath and releasing it, Alice adjusted her posture to sit straight up, and looked back to tell Ailill with a friendly smile. “It’s such a lovely apartment you and Oona have! I like the interior design, everything looks stylish, but still very child-friendly.”   

Not wanting to waste Ailill’s time, she then got straight to the point of their meeting today, voicing her problem and what she wished to learn from him.

“About the guitar, this may sound arrogant, but I believe I’ve mastered the basis of it in terms of techniques. My problem is I seem not to be able to play in a more soulful way. I’d like to know if the music I make can convey more authentic feelings,” she looked at him, her eyes filled with hope and anticipation. “Could you help me with that?”

[mpailill]

"The pleasure is shared" the singer answered, inviting her inside. She was pretty and delicate, like a flower. As always when he met another demigod, he wondered who was her godly parent and her powers. But he wasn't going to pry. She would tell him if she wished to share the informations. 

Ailill shook her hand, gently chuckling as the young woman called after Oona. The little girl appeared in her bedroom's doorframe and waved at their guest. "Nice !" she exclaimed before disappearing again. Her father guided Alice to the living room. "I hope you don't mind if I leave her door open ? She likes to listen to the music." And he himself could hear if something was happening. 

"I hope you'll be satisfied with my teaching" he answered, inviting her to sit on the sofa. He couldn't help but watch her as she looked around, a soft light in her eyes. He barely knew her and he already liked her a lot. He truly hope that they would get along well and that the lessons could bloom into friendship. 

Ailill smiled at the compliment, rubbing the back of his neck to ease his tension. He had loved the apartment as soon as he had seen it, the warm atomspher brought by the wood, beige and green tones. It was peaceful, perfect to raise a child. "Thank you ! You can look at Oona's room later if you want, she has a bookshelf in the shape of a tree."

He sat down next to Alice as she talked, nodding at her explanations. Emotions, feelings. Those were hard to learn, to give back to others. "Mm... I could try but those things need to be felt, here" he said, patting his own belly. "But for now, maybe you could show me what you can do ?"

[mpyanluo-deactivated20240512]

the pointing oona did wasn't bothersome but her comment surely had yanluo's ears tinge red a bit and he winked at the little girl, who giggled in return. his name falling from ailill's lips caught yanluo's attention away from oona and he watched that handsome face smile at him. yanluo felt a little bashful, which he wasn't often. it was a reaction usually only xiwangmu was able to call forth. the god was glad to hear the two had had a good christmas and when asked how his had gone, yanluo's smile widened a little - a twinkle of happiness shining bright in brown eyes.

"i spent christmas day with my son." yanluo responded. "i was lucky he didn't have a shift at the hospital.. he's a nurse, you see." the god spoke, his voice clearly indicating how proud he was of his child. if ailill still held any confusion towards whether yanluo was really a god or not, he would now have received his answer. because yanluo clearly looked too young to be having an adult son. he must be a god.

oona, perhaps feeling a little left out or maybe enchanted by the god before her, started to wriggle in her father's arms, and the man quickly let yanluo know that oona wanted to be held by him. taken aback by the suggestion, yanluo first blinked. "o-oh okay.." he stuttered before holding out both hands to the little girl. he had never held a child, and the god's nerves returned fully.

ailill seemed to realise what yanluo must be feeling though, as the man said something next that had the god flush and smile once again. glancing at the demigod just briefly in response, he then focused his full attention back on oona as he scooped the girl into his arms. her own small arms quickly wound around his neck and the feeling was unfamiliar but not unwelcome. it had been a very long time since yanluo was shown physical affection, let alone hugs of the kind oona was giving him now. he needed to get used to it again.

setting oona firmly on his hip, the god held her tightly to make sure she wouldn't fall. while yanluo was a bit taller than ailill, he was definitely much slimmer and oona definitely looked bigger in his arms in comparison to when she was in her father's arms. once yanluo was sure that oona was secure in his arms, he looked at ailill again and showed a cutesy expression on his face. "cute enough~?" he asked, allowing himself to tease the other demigod a bit.

[mpailill]

Yanluo's giggle resonated into Aiill's mind and heart like a sweet, ethereal melody. It was quite amazing to hear such a lovely sound coming from a god of his stature, someone he had mostly seen so serious until then. Joy fitted him well, especially with that fresh appearance he was now sporting. Ailill couldn't deny that he was a very attractive person.

"You have a son ? That's amazing !" Ailill exclaimed, smiling. He wondered if he knew the young man and if he didn't, he was very interested in meeting him. "A nurse, what a nice job to have. Did you know he was there before your arrived ?" He blushed, suddenly realizing how curious he sounded, not wanting to cross any line or boundaries. At least, his first impression of being in the presence of a god was confirmed. 

Their children didn't have the same age but meeting another single father was quite something he hadn't expected when coming to the island.

Oona squealed when the attention was back on her and she widely grinned as she was passed from her father's arms to Yanluo's. The little girl clung onto the god until she was comfortably settled on his hip. She was totally at ease there, one of her little fists' closing around the other's clothes, her eyes shining with happiness.  

"Absolutely adorable" Ailill answered, looking at them. It warmed his heart to see his daughter so happy and he hoped that, wherever she was, Sook could see her too. It was hard but he was very proud of the sweet little girl his daughter was becoming. "So adorable that I have to take a picture !" He took his phone out and, before the two could protest, lots of shots were taken. Wait, a last one !

The young man moved to stand near Yanluo, Oona squeezed between them and he took another couple of pictures of the three together. He showed them to the god, the same grin than Oona's on his face. "Cute, right ?" he asked, nudging the other's side gently. He put his phone away, turning to the ice rink.

"Yanluo, would you like to skate with us ?"