An Ironclad Soul

RP Blog for Tenno Operator Alexius and his Warframes

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Valentine’s Day Starter

@operator-vian

"Dammit." Alexius pulled back his finger, which now bled a red trickle. A sigh escaped him as he cleaned the wound and applied yet another bandage. Not for the first time today, Alexius cursed himself. He was Tenno, trained in the art of war, capable of wielding any weapon... yet he had succeeded in cutting himself not once, but several times in the past hour or two. Granted, he was never as dexterous as his brethren, but cutting sushi should not have been this hard. Thankfully, he was almost done.

The Orbiter was equipped with a modest kitchen, one of several facilities installed after waking from the Second Dream to attend to the bodily needs of the Tenno. The Orbiter's systems usually made a nourishing, if flavorless meal that covered the necessities and consumed minimal resources, but more complicated fare required personal input. Alexius opted for the former on most days, but today was a special occasion, and he wasn't making the meal for his own sake. He looked at the time. The concept of night and day weren't truly applicable in space, but there were hours that someone ought to be sleeping; it was early in the "morning", so to speak. Vian was probably still in bed... at least, Alexius hoped he was. He had to untangle himself from Vian earlier to rise and prepare his surprise, but the other Tenno had showed no signs of stirring during then. He seemed drained from last night... not that Alex blamed him. In fact, he was still tired himself, which would explain all the cuts.

With a few final touches, the tray was complete—a healthy selection of rolls, complete with ginger, wasabi, and a bowl of soy sauce. Upon final inspection, he hoped Vian wouldn't notice the shoddiness of the wraps. He never tried making sushi before, and watching a few tutorial videos only helped so much. Remembering the chopsticks, Alexius started making his way to the bedroom.

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Alexius suppressed his frown, for what else did he expect? Vian had always been a loath member of the Tenno. Still, Alexius saw him, perhaps foolishly, as family—and it always stung when family rejected you. If Vian wanted nothing to do with him, though, then he would respect his wishes. He watched Vian go, and made no move to stop him.

The Tenno left with nary a word or glance, and Alexius was alone. He donned his suit again, a little discouraged, but not downcast. He couldn’t find it in himself to have hard feelings about it. He understood, it was a brief moment. It wouldn’t prevent him from fighting alongside Vian again. He just hoped Vian wouldn’t resent him. Only time will tell, he supposed.

What a waste, he thought to himself as he left the Dojo and headed back to his ship, pulling the hood over his head. He certainly didn’t expect things to go like this… Here, he thought there was plenty of chemistry between them. Vian had caught Alexius staring on more than one occasion, so why would he turn down such an opportunity? 

He couldn’t let it bother him, he had more important matters to attend to. Already he’d wasted most of his day with that nonsense, it was time to get down to business. Returning to his ship, he set to fancying up his Nidus to lead a mission with Red Veil. 

To Vian, people only wanted one of two things from him– sex or service. That was all that was asked of him in the past, and all that he knew how to deliver… Relationships weren’t even a remnant of a thought to Vian– whether they be mere friendship nor romance. Someone like that would only drag him down, anyway. 

It would be until Alexius decided to reach out to Vian again that they would speak again.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Alexius occupied himself with missions and assignments over the next few days, but the occasional thought turned to how he left things with Vian. It shouldn't have bothered him—he wasn't expecting Vian to reach out or apologize, yet the silence nagged at him increasingly; neither of them had spoken since their sparring match at the dojo. Alexius didn't want to feel intrusive at first, but he wanted to clear things up now and explain himself.

It'd probably be better if they met on a neutral ground, and that the purpose of the meeting wasn't solely to talk; he had a suspicion that Vian might not come otherwise. He knew Vian affiliated with Red Veil. Perhaps they could go on a mission together. Red Veil and Steel Meridian, whom Alexius belonged to, were allies; a job from either syndicate would serve them both. He wasn't sure how Vian was going to respond, but that way, neither of their time might feel wasted. He wrote a message, real simple, and sent it.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

↳ Bold what applies!

⚔ FLAWS

moody | short-tempered | emotionally unstable | whiny controlling | conceited | possessive | paranoid | lies impatient | cowardly | bitter | selfish | power-hungry greedy | lazy | judgmental | forgetful | impulsive vengeful | stubborn | sadistic | petty | unlucky | over analytical

♛ STRENGTHS

honest | trustworthy | thoughtful | caring | brave patient | selfless | ambitious | tolerant | lucky intelligent | confident | focused | humble | generous merciful | observant | wise | clever | charming cheerful | optimistic | decisive | adaptive | calm

Tagged by: @operator-vian

Tagging: Whoever wants to do it

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

“I am not offended.” Alexius hovered on the word, his eyes closely watching the movement of Vian’s hand. The contact was… pleasant, how gentle it was. It wasn’t something he was used to. However, Vian’s touch wasn’t eliciting the reaction he was likely hoping for. It wasn’t through any fault of Vian’s, but Alexius felt no more arousal at the sudden proximity of their bodies than moments before. But he recognized the interest; that too was novel. “You’re not unattractive,” he admitted. “But I don’t think we’re quite on the same page.” He knew that wasn’t the response Vian was looking for, but Alexius felt obligated to tell him the truth of the matter.

Vian rolled his eyes, backing off and turning around, giving Alexius’ chest a firm shove as they parted. “Pfft, fine, whatever.” Vian had a tendency to be a little dramatic at times– that much was probably pretty apparent to Alexius.

He began to gather up his clothes, quickly slipping back into his suit and adjusting the hood. During this time he was completely silent, even when he began to leave– no goodbye, nothing, his eyes averted completely. 

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Alexius suppressed his frown, for what else did he expect? Vian had always been a loath member of the Tenno. Still, Alexius saw him, perhaps foolishly, as family—and it always stung when family rejected you. If Vian wanted nothing to do with him, though, then he would respect his wishes. He watched Vian go, and made no move to stop him.

The Tenno left with nary a word or glance, and Alexius was alone. He donned his suit again, a little discouraged, but not downcast. He couldn't find it in himself to have hard feelings about it. He understood, it was a brief moment. It wouldn't prevent him from fighting alongside Vian again. He just hoped Vian wouldn't resent him. Only time will tell, he supposed.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Halcyon

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Oberon had seen countless seasons pass, yet he couldn’t recall having ever been so cold in his life. Snow crunched underneath his hooves with every step, and the biting wind penetrated his clothes and seeped further into his bones with every passing. Whenever he looked upward to catch a glimpse of the pale sun, the imposing silhouette of the mountains was all he could see. The cold wood that he now traversed through was a far cry from the sylvan forests of home. He was a creature of spring and summer, wholly unused to the hardships of this land, but he had a purpose. Love often did drive one to extremes.

His beloved Queen, his Titania, disappeared years ago. Both King and Queen of the Fae were as fickle and capricious as their subjects, and prone to wanderlust—they went wherever their fancy carried them, roving the kingdom and gracing their subjects with their presence; throwing extravagant feasts and resuming conversations with friends that started seasons ago as if they had never stopped at all. It wasn’t uncommon for King and Queen to spend weeks or even months apart from each other, such was the vastness of their kingdom, yet they always reunited, their love undiminished by time or separation. At first, he thought Titania was merely diverted, engrossed by a new interest… but Titania did not come. A fearful Oberon sent agents to every corner of the sylvan realm, yet the last fae to see Titania claimed nothing was unusual when she left their hospitality. Titania had simply vanished without a trace. Grief consumed Oberon, but he held out hope that she would return; a hope that faded with the passing of seasons, and was supplanted by desperation. So Oberon set out, leaving the familiar trees and groves of his homeland in search for Titania. The kingdom would survive his absence, but he wouldn’t without Titania. With no trail to follow and no clue to Titania’s whereabouts, Oberon wandered without direction, scouring the land for any hint of his Queen’s presence. His journey had led him to here. He just needed to cross these mountains to the other side… if he didn’t freeze to death first.

On his shoulders he carried a lush grey hide, draped along his broad shoulders and down his back. From beyond the cape of fur, brilliant gold armor glistened in the light, leading down to violet fabric that flowed behind him.  Heavy steps carried Harka through the icy woods, withered and frozen brush crunching beneath his feet. The wind above howled past him in a flurry, rustling the trees, but even the most bitter wind did not phase him. 

Above, the sky had begun to darken. With the setting of the sun, came even harsher winds, near cold enough to freeze anything in its tracks; Even the animals most suited to live in such a climate were wise to take shelter. Harka would occasionally wander the woods and search for any animal he could help avoid such a death. Today he had found a pair of stags in a horn-lock, ones that would most certainly die if left in their position. Though Harka was frightening in appearance, the two deer begrudgingly let him untangle their horns, and off they went to their dens. As the sun set and darkness overtook the land, he would follow suit and return to his cavern. 

However, as he began to make his way towards his home, an unfamiliar aura beckoned him. Powerful and alluring– yet he felt its stress. It was not far, it seemed. Sure enough, nearing closer to his abode, he found a pale, horned figure. It stood braced against a tree, shivering from the cold– Yet Harka felt no sympathy for it. 

“You there.” Harka roared, the winds whistling violently at his command. “What business do you have in my domain?”

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Oberon sluggishly rose his head in the direction of the voice. He could make out the outline of a hulking, horned being atop a small ridge, but the snowfall and growing dark all but obscured the details. He normally wouldn't stoop to answer such an impertinent request, but he was vastly out of his element. He didn't even notice another presence until he heard the demand for action, so cold was he. He'd cooperate if it meant earning the respect of this creature so he can find someplace warm.

"I seek passage! Through the mountains," he called. He hoped, nay, prayed the other wouldn't prove hostile. He was in no condition to defend himself from any sort of attack.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Halcyon

@operator-vian

Oberon had seen countless seasons pass, yet he couldn't recall having ever been so cold in his life. Snow crunched underneath his hooves with every step, and the biting wind penetrated his clothes and seeped further into his bones with every passing. Whenever he looked upward to catch a glimpse of the pale sun, the imposing silhouette of the mountains was all he could see. The cold wood that he now traversed through was a far cry from the sylvan forests of home. He was a creature of spring and summer, wholly unused to the hardships of this land, but he had a purpose. Love often did drive one to extremes.

His beloved Queen, his Titania, disappeared years ago. Both King and Queen of the Fae were as fickle and capricious as their subjects, and prone to wanderlust—they went wherever their fancy carried them, roving the kingdom and gracing their subjects with their presence; throwing extravagant feasts and resuming conversations with friends that started seasons ago as if they had never stopped at all. It wasn't uncommon for King and Queen to spend weeks or even months apart from each other, such was the vastness of their kingdom, yet they always reunited, their love undiminished by time or separation. At first, he thought Titania was merely diverted, engrossed by a new interest... but Titania did not come. A fearful Oberon sent agents to every corner of the sylvan realm, yet the last fae to see Titania claimed nothing was unusual when she left their hospitality. Titania had simply vanished without a trace. Grief consumed Oberon, but he held out hope that she would return; a hope that faded with the passing of seasons, and was supplanted by desperation. So Oberon set out, leaving the familiar trees and groves of his homeland in search for Titania. The kingdom would survive his absence, but he wouldn't without Titania. With no trail to follow and no clue to Titania's whereabouts, Oberon wandered without direction, scouring the land for any hint of his Queen's presence. His journey had led him to here. He just needed to cross these mountains to the other side… if he didn't freeze to death first.

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

The warm water felt refreshing against his skin, but it was always the sound of running water that relaxed him. Alexius ran his hands through his hair, thankful that they even had showers. There was a time that the dojo had no such facilities; there was no need of them. But that was before the Tenno awoke from the Second Dream. Everyone would continue to use their Warframes, but there was a growing desire to have a place where they can relax outside of their Warframes. A semblance of a normal life. So, a few Tenno pooled their resources and made accommodations, available to all. Alexius would have to congratulate them again on the good work.

Alexius felt no unease with sharing the same space with Vian, even if they had different bodies. They were both men, and there wasn’t any gender segregation besides. Stalls existed for courtesy, but the Tenno shared the same washroom, and everyone knew well enough not to cause problems here. This, where a Tenno could feel most vulnerable, was a safe place.

He looked himself in the fogless mirror, noting the faint auburn hairs on his face and chin, a mere precursor to a shadow. He’d probably look ridiculous if he grew it out. He didn’t keep up with trends, but facial hair wasn’t exactly in fashion these days. He applied some gel to his face then summoned a razor, which materialized in his hand much like the staves did in the training room. It was only a minute or so before he was clean shaven once again. Satisfied with the smoothness of his face after inspection, his thoughts turned to Vian, who stood only a few stalls over, and wondered if he was done yet. No one else was present to his knowledge, so he felt safe raising his voice to overcome the ambient noise of the water. “Hey, Vee. Thanks again for coming. I know you usually don’t care for these kinds of meetings, but I appreciate it.“ 

No response broke the pervading pounding of water, but he didn’t think anything of it. Perhaps Vian had finished up. Maybe he had left already, and Alexius just didn’t hear him; he had never been the most attentive Tenno. If that was the case, Alexius wouldn’t take it personally. Vian got what he had come for, and there was always something needing to be done in the Origin System. Turning off the faucet and drying himself with the nearby towel, which he then wrapped around his waist, he headed over to the changing room. His suit should be clean and ready to wear by now.

He actually found Vian in the changing room. He was sitting on one of the benches with brush in hand, combing his damp, violet hair. He was also completely naked. Vian was lean-muscled and young, but his body wasn’t unmarred. Dark spider veins, similar to Alexius’ own, the blight that denoted one had been touched by the Void, ran between his petite breasts down from his collarbone and forked at the ribs. It was hard not to notice the nipple piercings. Alexius could feel his face flushing, more from embarrassment at having come in at the wrong time than arousal. Any hope of turning around before Vian had noticed him was quickly dashed when the other Tenno looked up at him. A pang of guilt hit him; he didn’t mean to breach Vian’s privacy. All Alexius could muster was, "Is this a bad time?”

“Not unless you’re offended by this, then no.”

He was sitting with one leg pulled up to his chest, body turned slightly away from Alexius. Upon the other’s entrance, Vian put his leg down and turned to face him, a coy grin crossing his lips. 

“But I doubt that.” Abruptly he stood, walking over to Alexius with dark intent behind his eyes. His arm snaked around the other man’s waist, pulling their bodies flush together. His other hand wandered idly about Alexius’ toned chest, fingertips tracing along damp skin, moving up to dance along his jaw. “Even someone like you wouldn’t be able to resist me.” He knew of Alexius’ current disposition… that being that he was most likely a virgin. Though he didn’t seem to be all that interested in sex, Vian knew how young men worked, Alexius being no different in his desires. Vian saw the way he looked, seemingly taking no interest… But there was surely something beneath it all. 

Or, perhaps there wasn’t, and Vian was just a hopeless sex-crazed idiot. Wouldn’t have been the first time he’d have been wrong about someone, but would he ever admit to being wrong? Heavens no.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

"I am not offended." Alexius hovered on the word, his eyes closely watching the movement of Vian's hand. The contact was... pleasant, how gentle it was. It wasn't something he was used to. However, Vian's touch wasn't eliciting the reaction he was likely hoping for. It wasn't through any fault of Vian's, but Alexius felt no more arousal at the sudden proximity of their bodies than moments before. But he recognized the interest; that too was novel. "You're not unattractive," he admitted. "But I don't think we're quite on the same page." He knew that wasn't the response Vian was looking for, but Alexius felt obligated to tell him the truth of the matter.

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Alexius met Vian’s eyes. “I believe you…” He was a little shaken, to be honest. It wasn’t often that he was so thoroughly trounced. Nevertheless, he was inspired to continue the exercise. He saw now that this was an area of weakness, and he would only become better if he kept trying. “Let’s go again,” Alexius said. “I don’t give up easily either.” He smiled then, the kind of smile one made when calling back to something.

The next two bouts ended similarly to the first—with Alexius’ sound defeat. But he put up a better fight those second and third times, having abandoned his usual strategy and opened himself to learning. He didn’t win a single round in the end, but Alexius felt he had learned a few things. He would’ve loved to keep going, but the culmination of their exertions had caught up with them, and by the end of the third round, both Tenno were sweating and fatigued. All it took was one look in each other’s eyes to come to a mutual agreement that sparring was over.

After Vian helped him to his feet again, a process that took longer than usual, Alexius braced his hands against his knees and surrendered himself to breathing. In all honesty, he hadn’t expected such a workout. That put a suspension to any further sparring today. He had defeated the other Tenno with comparative ease, unused were they to the rigors of combat outside their tireless Warframes. But Vian had clearly maintained his edge. He hadn’t a lesson to learn.

Wiping his brow, Alexius admitted, “You did remarkably well, Vee.” He paused to take a breath. “You gave me a run for my money. Thanks.” Alexius took a whiff of the air, only just realizing the heavy odor of their bodies. “We should probably hit the showers.”

Vian tried his best to keep his pride from showing through too much. Neither of them talked much during the last few rounds, both focused on their breathing. Once Alexius seemed like he was done, Vian eased back and let himself relax. The showers indeed sounded nice, they were both covered in a layer of sweat.

“Sounds like a plan.” He’d have thrown in a flirty comment if he weren’t so exhausted, but they’d been going for almost two hours now. Vian led the way as they made it over to the showers, quickly undressing himself and stepping beneath the flow of water. He listened as Alexius followed suit, turning his head ever-so-slightly to watch as the other man stripped off his clothes. 

To say he wasn’t interested would have been a lie– Vian was definitely interested, he’d made that much pretty clear from day one. He’d never go for someone who was weaker than himself, and although Alexius wasn’t quite as adept in hand-to-hand combat, he’d shown his prowess in plenty of other areas. Now the question was, how interested was Alexius in Vian? That much was yet to be determined, and Vian was just itching with curiosity. 

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

The warm water felt refreshing against his skin, but it was always the sound of running water that relaxed him. Alexius ran his hands through his hair, thankful that they even had showers. There was a time that the dojo had no such facilities; there was no need of them. But that was before the Tenno awoke from the Second Dream. Everyone would continue to use their Warframes, but there was a growing desire to have a place where they can relax outside of their Warframes. A semblance of a normal life. So, a few Tenno pooled their resources and made accommodations, available to all. Alexius would have to congratulate them again on the good work.

Alexius felt no unease with sharing the same space with Vian, even if they had different bodies. They were both men, and there wasn't any gender segregation besides. Stalls existed for courtesy, but the Tenno shared the same washroom, and everyone knew well enough not to cause problems here. This, where a Tenno could feel most vulnerable, was a safe place.

He looked himself in the fogless mirror, noting the faint auburn hairs on his face and chin, a mere precursor to a shadow. He'd probably look ridiculous if he grew it out. He didn't keep up with trends, but facial hair wasn't exactly in fashion these days. He applied some gel to his face then summoned a razor, which materialized in his hand much like the staves did in the training room. It was only a minute or so before he was clean shaven once again. Satisfied with the smoothness of his face after inspection, his thoughts turned to Vian, who stood only a few stalls over, and wondered if he was done yet. No one else was present to his knowledge, so he felt safe raising his voice to overcome the ambient noise of the water. "Hey, Vee. Thanks again for coming. I know you usually don't care for these kinds of meetings, but I appreciate it." 

No response broke the pervading pounding of water, but he didn't think anything of it. Perhaps Vian had finished up. Maybe he had left already, and Alexius just didn't hear him; he had never been the most attentive Tenno. If that was the case, Alexius wouldn't take it personally. Vian got what he had come for, and there was always something needing to be done in the Origin System. Turning off the faucet and drying himself with the nearby towel, which he then wrapped around his waist, he headed over to the changing room. His suit should be clean and ready to wear by now.

He actually found Vian in the changing room. He was sitting on one of the benches with brush in hand, combing his damp, violet hair. He was also completely naked. Vian was lean-muscled and young, but his body wasn't unmarred. Dark spider veins, similar to Alexius' own, the blight that denoted one had been touched by the Void, ran between his petite breasts down from his collarbone and forked at the ribs. It was hard not to notice the nipple piercings. Alexius could feel his face flushing, more from embarrassment at having come in at the wrong time than arousal. Any hope of turning around before Vian had noticed him was quickly dashed when the other Tenno looked up at him. A pang of guilt hit him; he didn’t mean to breach Vian’s privacy. All Alexius could muster was, "Is this a bad time?"

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

“I don’t plan to,” Alexius said. He would never willingly harm another Tenno, but he respected Vian’s ability as a fighter too—he wouldn’t hold back. After all, what was the point of training if one did not themselves? He readied himself. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Alexius let Vian come to him, taking note of his stance, which appeared solid. As soon as they were within arm’s reach, the fists started to fly between the two, and Alexius’ immediate reaction was to block… it was harder with fists, though. He fell into the unthinking trance of defend, defend, defend, but there was a growing sense that something wasn’t right.

Unlike many unarmed stances, Vian used an open hand as opposed to a fist, striking swiftly with the base of his palm. Relentlessly he struck at Alexius, his movements almost rhythmical. Just as it seemed like Alexius was getting comfortable with defending Vian’s assault, he changed his methods. 

The first hit he got on Alexius was in the stomach, which was quickly countered, but not without consequence. While Alexius was winded from the blow, Vian moved around his back like a whip, coiling an arm around the other man’s neck and pulling tight. 

If they were in battle, and using blades, this would have been a killing blow. As such, Alexius raised his hands slowly, showing his defeat, but that didn’t seem to satisfy Vian. Instead of simply letting go, Vian hooked a foot around Alexius’ leg, forcing him to fall forward onto the padded floor.

Vian hovered over Alexius for a moment, slowly retracting his grip around the other man’s neck, his fingers briefly running through Alexius’ dark hair as his hand drifted away. He rose to a kneel, tilting his head to gaze down at Alexius. 

“You’re pretty fun.” He teased, eyes searching along the other’s form as he began to recover. “But… with this sort of fighting, defending doesn’t work as well. Your arms can only cover so much of yourself.” 

“If I had a blade, every tender little bit of you would be torn asunder.” 

Vian wasn’t exactly very good at subtlety. 

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Alexius met Vian's eyes. "I believe you..." He was a little shaken, to be honest. It wasn't often that he was so thoroughly trounced. Nevertheless, he was inspired to continue the exercise. He saw now that this was an area of weakness, and he would only become better if he kept trying. "Let's go again," Alexius said. "I don't give up easily either." He smiled then, the kind of smile one made when calling back to something.

The next two bouts ended similarly to the first—with Alexius' sound defeat. But he put up a better fight those second and third times, having abandoned his usual strategy and opened himself to learning. He didn't win a single round in the end, but Alexius felt he had learned a few things. He would've loved to keep going, but the culmination of their exertions had caught up with them, and by the end of the third round, both Tenno were sweating and fatigued. All it took was one look in each other's eyes to come to a mutual agreement that sparring was over.

After Vian helped him to his feet again, a process that took longer than usual, Alexius braced his hands against his knees and surrendered himself to breathing. In all honesty, he hadn't expected such a workout. That put a suspension to any further sparring today. He had defeated the other Tenno with comparative ease, unused were they to the rigors of combat outside their tireless Warframes. But Vian had clearly maintained his edge. He hadn't a lesson to learn.

Wiping his brow, Alexius admitted, "You did remarkably well, Vee." He paused to take a breath. "You gave me a run for my money. Thanks." Alexius took a whiff of the air, only just realizing the heavy odor of their bodies. “We should probably hit the showers.”

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Alexius chuckled. “I’m afraid not,” he said, “But that was thrilling.” When he had first met Vian, having occasionally crossed paths once the Tenno were made into warriors for the Orokin, the other boy came across as haughty, disdainful of the other Tenno and hating what had happened to him. Little had changed since, but as he grew, Vian started flirting with nearly everyone—even Alexius had been a target for Vian’s teasing once or twice. Alexius didn’t mind, it never really flustered him. If anything, he found the attempts amusing, and not in the cynical way. “Do you still want to continue?” he asked, offering his hand once more, a faint smile on his lips.

Vian leapt to his feet, briefly shooting a pouty look at the other. “You think I’m gonna give up that easily?” He chuckled, holding his staff out and letting it dissipate once more. One could hear the slight irritation in his voice from being beaten, but Vian was good at masking it with his challenging tone. His personality took after his training– try, and try again. He’d keep going until he physically couldn’t anymore. 

“Let’s switch it up. I want to see how good you are with your hands.” Vian winked at Alexius before returning to his starting position, readying his stance. Here, he was fairly confident that he could beat Alexius. Vian’s normal melee weapons– a pair of daggers– were much smaller than a long weapon like a staff. Though he was proficient enough to use one against foes with lesser skill, fighting against someone who was actually trained in that sort of thing proved to be more challenging. This, however, was Vian’s ruling domain.

“Don’t go easy on me.”

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

"I don't plan to," Alexius said. He would never willingly harm another Tenno, but he respected Vian's ability as a fighter too—he wouldn't hold back. After all, what was the point of training if one did not themselves? He readied himself. "Whenever you're ready."

Alexius let Vian come to him, taking note of his stance, which appeared solid. As soon as they were within arm's reach, the fists started to fly between the two, and Alexius' immediate reaction was to block... it was harder with fists, though. He fell into the unthinking trance of defend, defend, defend, but there was a growing sense that something wasn't right.

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Alexius’ eyebrows faintly rose at the gesture. Nonetheless, he took Vian’s hand and let the other Tenno pull him to his feet. “Sounds good,” he said eagerly. Vian had proven an exciting match; his style’s aggression kept Alexius on his toes. He could feel the sweat rolling down his face, the dampness of his suit. “A best of three.”

The Tenno assumed their positions again, with watchful eyes and readied bodies. As soon as Alexius gave the word, the duel began in the earnest. Vian rushed at him with characteristic initiative. Madurai tried to control the battle through overwhelming force, driving the enemy where they wanted them to go. But Unairu were not easily moved against their will. Alexius focused his efforts at blocking Vian’s flurry of attacks, while keeping an eye on each other’s footing. He lost the second bout because he didn’t respect Vian’s ability to sweep his feet out from under him. He wouldn’t make the same mistake.

The battle wasn’t stationary, but Alexius made sure Vian fought for every inch. A few blows managed to make it past his guard, but they weren’t enough to slow him down. Alexius had won the first round through counterstrokes alone, trading blow for blow, but the same would not work again; Vian had warmed up, and he was faster than Alexius at his peak. There wouldn’t be enough of a window to hit him without taking three in return and, in the stagger that’d follow, open him up to more hits and cause him to lose his footing. A plan, the kind that only formed in the moment, emerged. He measured the speed of Vian’s swings and watched for the moment that his speed would start to flag. Vian would seem fast enough to the untrained eye, but everything that’d take a fraction longer would add up. Alexius defended until his chance arrived. Now.

He immediately picked up speed, put more force behind his blocks. He could feel Vian give way ever so slightly, unused to the increased resistance. Alexius pressed the advantage. He started attacking. The momentary hesitation at the change in pace was enough. Alexius struck Vian and there was no reprisal, before hitting him again, then again, until Vian finally deflected. Alexius caught the surprise in those rose eyes. Suddenly, the roles had reversed from just moments before, with Vian guarding against attack and Alexius directing the fight. Like any competent fighter, Vian was holding up, but he was so clearly unused to defense that Alexius recognized the flaws in his form. It wasn’t long before Vian’s guard broke, and the purple-haired boy was knocked prone onto the training mat.

Alexius looked down at his opponent, whose chest slowly rose and fell, taking in great lungfuls, and realized he was hearing the sound of his own breath too. That was… exhilarating.

Vian was momentarily stunned from the fall, eyes open wide, staring at the ceiling. His lashes fluttered closed and he took in a deep breath, a smile beginning to form across his lips. He let out a playful laugh, rolling over onto his side to face Alexius.

“Well then,” He mused, tapping his nails against the floor. “Are you as turned on as I am right now?” It was unsure whether he was being serious or not; Vian had a habit of being flirtatious in nearly all of his mannerisms, whether he tried to or not. Alexius was sort of a goody-two-shoes type, or at least that’s how Vian saw him. ( He wouldn’t have been very far off. ) This kind of comment was Vian’s way of testing the waters, as opposed to diving right in. As much as he didn’t care for Alexius’ good-natured attitude, he sure did love messing around with guys like that.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Alexius chuckled. "I'm afraid not," he said, "But that was thrilling." When he had first met Vian, having occasionally crossed paths once the Tenno were made into warriors for the Orokin, the other boy came across as haughty, disdainful of the other Tenno and hating what had happened to him. Little had changed since, but as he grew, Vian started flirting with nearly everyone—even Alexius had been a target for Vian's teasing once or twice. Alexius didn't mind, it never really flustered him. If anything, he found the attempts amusing, and not in the cynical way. "Do you still want to continue?" he asked, offering his hand once more, a faint smile on his lips.

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Demisexuality

me: sorry you have to be a level 10 in the significant other class to unlock my genitalia

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

“Staves first. After a few rounds, we’ll switch to grappling.” Noting that Vian smirked at the sound of that, Alexius finally rose to his feet and extended his hand. A sparring staff then materialized in his hand, constructing itself seemingly from nothing; a marvel of Orokin technology. The process took less than a second, and Alexius was left with a staff perfectly suited to his stature. Vian followed suit.

Alexius explained the rules. “We’ll try to take each other down. You lose if you’re put in a spot where the opponent would deal a killing blow.” He shouldn’t have to remind Vian about it, but he had seen his counterpart fight. “We’re not trying to hurt each other. It’s about the workout. Got it?” He could feel Vian rolling his eyes, but heard no complaint.

The Tenno assumed their respective stances, Madurai and Unairu. Alexius closely eyed his opponent, and Vian returned the same intensity. “Begin.”

Their staves clashed almost instantly, Vian having thrown himself at the other the moment they began. Behind his magenta eyes burned a contained fury, as fierce and unrelenting as the strikes he made against Alexius. The first round, he lost; Alexius had already warmed up, while Vian was fresh to the fight. Their fighting styles were indeed polar opposites, one having focus on wearing down the enemy, and the other focused on keeping up one’s defenses until their enemy was exasperated. 

The second round went to Vian, who stood over Alexius triumphantly. And yet, despite his cold exterior, he offered his hand to the other man… A formality he couldn’t even recall doing for his allies in Red Veil. Things like that went unnoticed to those of the syndicate’s ilk. 

“One more, and then we switch?”

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Alexius' eyebrows faintly rose at the gesture. Nonetheless, he took Vian's hand and let the other Tenno pull him to his feet. "Sounds good," he said eagerly. Vian had proven an exciting match; his style's aggression kept Alexius on his toes. He could feel the sweat rolling down his face, the dampness of his suit. "A best of three."

The Tenno assumed their positions again, with watchful eyes and readied bodies. As soon as Alexius gave the word, the duel began in the earnest. Vian rushed at him with characteristic initiative. Madurai tried to control the battle through overwhelming force, driving the enemy where they wanted them to go. But Unairu were not easily moved against their will. Alexius focused his efforts at blocking Vian's flurry of attacks, while keeping an eye on each other's footing. He lost the second bout because he didn't respect Vian's ability to sweep his feet out from under him. He wouldn't make the same mistake.

The battle wasn't stationary, but Alexius made sure Vian fought for every inch. A few blows managed to make it past his guard, but they weren't enough to slow him down. Alexius had won the first round through counterstrokes alone, trading blow for blow, but the same would not work again; Vian had warmed up, and he was faster than Alexius at his peak. There wouldn't be enough of a window to hit him without taking three in return and, in the stagger that'd follow, open him up to more hits and cause him to lose his footing. A plan, the kind that only formed in the moment, emerged. He measured the speed of Vian's swings and watched for the moment that his speed would start to flag. Vian would seem fast enough to the untrained eye, but everything that'd take a fraction longer would add up. Alexius defended until his chance arrived. Now.

He immediately picked up speed, put more force behind his blocks. He could feel Vian give way ever so slightly, unused to the increased resistance. Alexius pressed the advantage. He started attacking. The momentary hesitation at the change in pace was enough. Alexius struck Vian and there was no reprisal, before hitting him again, then again, until Vian finally deflected. Alexius caught the surprise in those rose eyes. Suddenly, the roles had reversed from just moments before, with Vian guarding against attack and Alexius directing the fight. Like any competent fighter, Vian was holding up, but he was so clearly unused to defense that Alexius recognized the flaws in his form. It wasn't long before Vian's guard broke, and the purple-haired boy was knocked prone onto the training mat.

Alexius looked down at his opponent, whose chest slowly rose and fell, taking in great lungfuls, and realized he was hearing the sound of his own breath too. That was... exhilarating.

[mordu]

More of my friend’s Operators. :3

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

It’s Alexius!

[mordu]

Drew my operator, Vian! ( Pronounced Vee-ah, with a sort of a French sound to it. Most people just call him Vee. ) I don’t have any plat to buy him anything yet, but I’m gonna end up spending like… too much money on operator options. Welp. :T

He’s canonically Red Veil affiliated, which uh, makes him not a very nice person. He’s actually kind of a dick, tbh. But I love him. :’3

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Though his eyes remained shut, a smile dawned on Alexius’ face. “An unexpected surprise!” His tone was honest and playful. Vian had always spurned the company of other Tenno; Alexius figured he would’ve ignored the invitation.

Alexius opened his eyes. Vian looked as punkish as ever, a clear expression to all that he was subject to no one but himself. His sparing uniform clung rather tightly to his form, but he seemed ready to go.

“The nose piercing is new,” Alexius said.

Vian nodded, “Yep, did it myself.” He said proudly, bringing a knuckle up to touch the cold metal. “Can’t remove it yet, or it’ll close up. So go easy on me, okay?” As always, his tone was as playful as ever. 

Slowly he moved towards the designated starting position, turning towards Alexius as he settled in his stance, legs drifting apart. He stretched his arms out above his head, parts in his spine popping as he bent back, and then returned to his normal position. “So what are our rules? Hand to hand, or do you want to start with something else?”

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

"Staves first. After a few rounds, we'll switch to grappling." Noting that Vian smirked at the sound of that, Alexius finally rose to his feet and extended his hand. A sparring staff then materialized in his hand, constructing itself seemingly from nothing; a marvel of Orokin technology. The process took less than a second, and Alexius was left with a staff perfectly suited to his stature. Vian followed suit.

Alexius explained the rules. "We'll try to take each other down. You lose if you're put in a spot where the opponent would deal a killing blow." He shouldn't have to remind Vian about it, but he had seen his counterpart fight. "We're not trying to hurt each other. It's about the workout. Got it?" He could feel Vian rolling his eyes, but heard no complaint.

The Tenno assumed their respective stances, Madurai and Unairu. Alexius closely eyed his opponent, and Vian returned the same intensity. "Begin."

[operator-vian-blog]

steadfast-tenno:

Alexius was a firm believer that a healthy mind required a healthy body. Since the Tenno’s primary means of interacting with the world was through their Warframes, it was easy to forget that they still had bodies of their own that now, outside of stasis, required care. And Alexius felt the need to remind everyone of that. He extended an invitation to the rest of the Tenno, to come and spar with him at the dojo. The request would’ve been unremarkable, if not for the stipulation to come without a Warframe. So far, only a handful of Tenno had agreed to his challenge. He didn’t blame them. He knew most of the Tenno felt uncomfortable, or more accurately vulnerable, inside their own skin at this point, and he couldn’t blame them; he felt indestructible as Rhino. But who would turn him down? Alexius could count them on his fingers.

He received that a few more Tenno agreed to train with him today, so he kneeled and waited, his eyes shut in mediation and his ears open for the next opponent that stepped through the door.

Vian didn’t normally like to take people up on these sorts of things. As much as he loved the idea of showing off– and putting his fellow Tenno in their place– he simply preferred to train alone, perhaps with a few bots. However, bots were just that– artificial. Vian knew well that they would never have the full potential and intelligence of a real person, even with the best programming. Because of this, training with them often became stale, and Vian would be forced to spar with the others of Red Veil. 

But even that got stale after a while. Vian had fought– and dominated– almost every initiate in the syndicate. He had memorized their fighting styles, studied them so much that he could pinpoint every stupid mistake, and take advantage of those flaws. Despite this, he hardly cared to even memorize their names. This of course, was not the case for his superiors, but he’d be hard-pressed to ever challenge his superiors to a simple spar. They had much more important things to attend to.

As such, Vian found himself itching for a fight, so when one was presented to him by his new ‘friend’, he couldn’t turn it down. They’d met some time ago on a Relay, and despite Vian’s dispositions towards other Tenno, had become friends. Vian used that word very sparingly, as he knew just how brittle that sort of thing actually was. To him, ‘friends’ were simply strangers who’s name you’d remembered, he didn’t care for them any more than anyone else. ( Which was probably the exact reason he never kept any around, and why the word ‘friend’ was such a fragile term to him. )

He stood out a little among the other Tenno at the Dojo, dressed in near pitch black regalia, his oddly shaped hood folded down to reveal his face. Fierce eyes searched for the correct room until he finally discovered it, and promptly slipped into the preparation room to dispose of his clothing. Now, clad in simply his sleeveless suit, he approached the kneeling Tenno with a prideful stride. 

A familiar voice would ring out through the air, “Hey hot stuff.”

[steadfast-tenno-moved]

Though his eyes remained shut, a smile dawned on Alexius' face. "An unexpected surprise!" His tone was honest and playful. Vian had always spurned the company of other Tenno; Alexius figured he would've ignored the invitation.

Alexius opened his eyes. Vian looked as punkish as ever, a clear expression to all that he was subject to no one but himself. His sparing uniform clung rather tightly to his form, but he seemed ready to go.

"The nose piercing is new," Alexius said.