𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

indie twst rp blog for idia shroud

[stygia-n]

𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐞? 𝐈𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫…

independent IDIA SHROUD from TWISTED WONDERLAND

selective. oc, au, duplicate friendly. not spoiler free. — penned by cee. — banners by muraenide.

- about - guidelines - tags -

[muraenide]

Something he noticed about Idia is that while the man himself is a natural actor, his ability to lie is almost non-existent. He places both hands over the dough, over Idia's hands, and decides to play his game.

"You poor thing," He purrs, "I could only imagine how harsh the Masterchef classes have been on you." He rolls the balls of his palms, guiding Idia's hands to knead into the dough. He knows Idia is trying very hard to not form eye contact right now, but Jade shoots him a wry smile and grins, not bothered by it in the slightest.

"I see where your mistakes are. We don't typically knead with our fingers. It's easy to get the dough caught in your nails that way. Try using the balls of your palms." He takes Idia's hands by the wrist and scraps off any remnants of dough stuck between his fingers, then pulls those hands back before pressing them down onto the dough again.

While doing so, he couldn't help but admire Idia's soft and delicate hands. Ostensibly, these hands belong to someone who rarely did any housework, nor do they belong to someone who ever set foot into the kitchen. It suddenly became apparent why Idia was terrible at the Masterchef's beginner classes. Part of Jade wants Idia to put his mitts all over him, to feel the sharpness and tenderness of his nails.

In a matter of minutes, all specks of flour had disappeared from the edges of the bowl. The walls of the bowl are also clean, save for the bundle of yellow dough in its center.

"That's a little better now, isn't it? See, it wasn't that hard ~"

[stygia-n]

Torture.

Absolute torture.

If Jade was actually trying to teach Idia anything about baking, it fell on completely deaf ears. In fact, Idia thinks he may have blacked out in the time it took them to finish kneading the dough. It feels like his soul has vacated his husk of a body entirely and is watching from above, how Jade seems to have no qualms about putting his hands entirely over Idia's to guide them in the right motions.

He has to admit that the ball of dough now sitting in front of them is now looking awfully smooth and round. Idia fails to hold himself back from poking at it and marveling at how it bounces back. He'd hated how the flour stuck to his palms and fingers. It almost distracts him from the fact that a certain someone is still standing behind him, practically pressing into his back and close enough that his breath tickles his cheek. He's basically trapped between the countertop and Jade himself. If Idia turns around, the other student is going to see how flushed his face is all up close and personal. Rock, meet hard place.

"Now what? Tell me there's no more kneading..." Whatever god is listening, please. Idia wiggles slightly in this position, clearly fidgeting because of... reasons. "If it wasn't hard, I wouldn't have asked you to do this. Not of all us are blessed with culinary skills."

[kkriitters]

idia's reminder of reparations was met with a tired blank stare. that hadn't been what miri was talking about and he was sure idia knew that - that was that, and this was this. two totally separate things. but if he didn't want to dwell on it, neither would miri ; he instead took his own phone out from his pocket and swiped through it to get to the store app. a few quick searches of the games shown to him and he set them to download before stuffing his phone away again. he'd look at them more closely later.

the silence wasn't really unwelcome, honestly. it gave miri a moment to slouch over his knees and just breath for a minute - neck bare and the collar out of sight. he pressed his forehead to the tops of his hands, which gripped his knees, and let out a small amused huff -barely audible. idia was so quick to dismiss the very games he was so eagerly raving about just a second ago..!

"lemme play them first before i decide if i like em or not." came his somewhat muffled reply. he may not be a game champ like idia, but that didn't mean he would give up before he even got into it! he let himself stay like that a moment longer, only lifting his head back up when another question crept into the quiet of ramshackle.

miri raised one brow and gave a questioning expression. what was he gonna do..?

"go. . . back to class, on monday..?" he replied as if that was the most blatant answer, not worthy of even being questioned. a slow incredulous smile tugged at one side of his lips. "business as usual, yeah? grim still wants to become "the best mage ever" and he can't do that without me." they were a package deal by this point, and as strange as their tenure at NRC had been thus far he doubted crowley would change his mind about letting a beast attend all on his own. "it's not like i'm leavin' twisted wonderland any time soon, just cause you removed my collar.

that," he pointed towards idia's bag, where that horrid device lay dormant; "bein' offa me just means i don't gotta worry about losin' my head anymore." while it may have also functioned as a kind of homing device too, he didn't really think that mattered with him being in a whole different world. there was no way entech could track him here, no matter how advanced they were back home. he brought a hand up to rub at his neck. "y'know how anxiety inducing it was t'always make sure nobody fucked around with that an' set it off? it's not like i coulda just came out and told em either: "hey, don't mess around so much or you'll blow my fuckin' head off!". tt.." he scoffed first, then gave a small humorless laugh.

"man... early on, leona fuckin' grabbed at me and i swear i saw my life flash before my eyes. not cause of him, but yknow." his close fist raised and opened up to emphasize an exploding motion. it wasn't really funny, but he still managed to laugh about it. "little things like that... i guess it's part'a bein' in school? everyone's so damn touchy." he shrugged his shoulders and slowly stood up. he stretched his arms over his head, loosening his limbs after having stayed still for so long. "must be nice to be in ignihyde - and you got that tablet. nobody t'touch you randomly." where once miri may have thought he didn't mind the touches, he'd come to realize that just because he didn't mind them didn't mean he liked them.

"... but... if y'mean what i'll do now." as in the immediate now. "i think. . . i'd like ta go watch the sunset." he looked at the window of his bedroom, noting that it was close to that time but not quite yet. he had enough time to wander over to the cliffs just behind ramshackle, a place he visited often on his own when he needed time to himself, and sit for a while. he'd probably do that until the sky grew dark and his phone inevitably buzzed with texts from friends inquiring where he was. miri's expression in that moment softened and his gaze seemed far away - like he was looking past the window and the sky outside. he very slowly pried his eyes away to look at idia. "... you're free ta go back to your dorm whenever." he was probably itching to get back to his solitude, right?

"or do whatever you wanna." miri turned to leave first, fine with leaving a rather open ended invitation or dismissal in the air.

[stygia-n]

Idia has to rolls his eyes and sigh. "Pivotal life-changing moment and your first thought is going back to classes, talk about anti-climactic" he mutters, but it's not like he really expected much coming into this random encounter. He often wants to dig a hole in the ground and bury himself in it, but he can't really say he has ever wanted to have his head blown off. Though, he has to admit that he might even be a little jealous of Miri. Surely it must feel good to have such a weight lifted off one's shoulders. Wonder what that must feel like.

He even grimaces when Miri mentions how touch people are in this school. Now that Idia can testify. Extroverts and people like Leona who have no shame truly are the bane of his existence. Perhaps Miri and him have a little more in common than he initially thought.

Idia's gaze follows Miri's to the window, where he notices the sky is just starting to turn the lightest shade of orange and pink. Sunsets weren't the worst thing in the world. As Miri turns away to leave, Idia lets him take a few steps out of the room before picking up his things and following from behind.

There's a good few feet of distance between them, a gap sizable enough that it makes conversation almost impossibly awkward. From an outsider's perspective, Idia looks much like a ghost or a wraith, slouched in his jacket, quietly trailing behind Miri to wherever he's going to watch the sunset he spoke of. Why? Idia couldn't even really tell you if you held a gun to his head. Maybe he's just hoping Miri doesn't jump off a cliff and wants to keep a clean conscience after today.

[muraenide]

Whoever carried him back from the river had not been the most delicate of individuals, but fortunately, Jade had been too worn out to bother himself with the bumpy ride home. Those hands had been mercilessly harsh when handling him, but his past experiences with people tell him otherwise: there was kindness in them, mixed with a decent level of frustration. There was only one person he could think of who wouldn't want him dead the moment he was caught vulnerable.

An open assault between two rival gangs had been rather common in Twisted Wonderland ever since blot destroyed the world. Jade Leech had not been holding himself back ever since. He perished any thought of humans and the 'rules' they established while they were still within power, quickly proving that humans were the most submissive species, helpless when they weren't protected by societal order.

And as a result, he puts his life on the line nearly every single day protecting what's his. To fight for dominance, for territory, for land, for power. If he had to be frank with himself life now wasn't any different compared to the Coral Sea, but he gets to enjoy the thrill of almost dying every time a crossfire breaks out.

It's a pity he couldn't die today.

"Could you be... gentler..." His voice comes out rather coy as he sits up, pressing a hand to the side of his head. Tendrils of darkness tickled the edge of his vision, and it had been for a while now. Jade wasn't quite certain what they were, but he had always been a rather terrible patient. "...Idia-san? I'm still your junior by a single year." The chuckle that comes out afterward is masked with pain. Jade coughs up blood, further smearing his fluids all over what appears to be Idia's mancave which he spends most of his time in, but he somewhat miraculously does as he's told, moving to the chair like a limped puppet as his mismatched eyes followed the mechanism moving around the house with rapt attention.

Playing coy with the mechanic was a futile attempt - Idia always seemed immune to his charms whereas others have succumbed to it effortlessly, but rather than being angry at the obstruction, Jade welcomes the challenge.

"How badly am I hurt, may I ask...?"

After all, there is no mechanic in Twisted Wonderland at this age and time more skilled than the blue-haired Shroud in front of him, the last member of his family, or so Jade heard.

[stygia-n]

Idia has to stop himself from rolling his eyes right in Jade's face. Trust him of all people to find the energy to attempt being coy when he is basically two inches from death's door. If Idia didn't kill Jade himself for being so insufferable, the sepsis from being left out on the street would have done the job just fine.

"You can pull the 'one year my junior' card when you act like it," he all but grumbles under his breath, heaving Jade into place on the chair where Idia can lean him back and get a proper look at the damage.

Disclaimer: Idia's not usually this crass with clients, or even with his friends (the few that he has), but since the day they met, Jade had been determined to crawl under his skin until their dynamic had devolved into... whatever this is.

He pulls his hair back into a quick ponytail, and starts examining the rest of Jade's (still fully biological) body for any more injuries. A few cuts, and some bruised ribs, maybe broken, but nothing he couldn't handle for now, but he makes sure to set up a scan on the side to check for any internal injuries.

Idia has already pulled up a chair of his own and started working on Jade's mangled arm. manually flicking off the touch sensors so he wouldn't feel any pain. Cybernetic limbs are near indestructible, moreso the one that Idia personally outfitted him with, so for Jade to be in such a condition... Idia shakes his head with a sigh, and gets back to piecing the synthetic muscle fibers back together. He's, unfortunately, grown used to finding Jade half-unconscious on his door, but he doesn't remember it ever being this bad. Instead of picking his fights wisely like a normal, sane, person, he must have taken the brunt of the damage with that arm.

"Ha, you have the gall to ask a question like that?" Idia huffs, blowing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, and glances up at the screen where it's scanning Jade. "You'll live. Probably. I'm a mechanic, not a doctor, you know. I'm going to have to start charging for extra services." A pause. "What happened?"

[stygia-n]

The neon lights glint off the respirator strapped around Idia's face. His grunts echo in his ears with each effort he puts into heaving this heavy body across the street, just to make it into the safe confines of his shop. The whole process is made even more difficult by the fluids dripping down this man's arm, smearing all over Idia's hands and causing his grip to slip.

It seems like an eternity later before the door slides shut behind him, and he all but drops the man onto the floor of his abode. Idia stands above him for a few seconds, panting and huffing, hands on his knees as he struggles to catch his breath. He really should be doing something about the blood leaking onto his floor. If there's one thing Idia prides himself on, it's keeping his workspace clean. He gets a lot of distinguished clientele in these parts. It wouldn't do to have the tiles stained.

With another grunt, Idia grabs the toolkit off a nearby shelf, one that he's started to keep stocked for situations just like this one. He kneels down beside the half-unconscious man and slaps his cheek lightly. A pretty face. If only its owner wasn't so insufferable. "Wake up, shithead. You're going to have to sit yourself up in that chair over there so I can fix you up."

cyberpunk au starter → @muraenide

[stygia-n]

"Idia. Look at this." Jade could feel his heart fluttering when the other boy's eyes were alight with stars. He hands Idia his smartphone. He'd finally beat the level with Idia's recommendations and techniques. In fact, his account came up on top of the scoreboard. And... he can't believe he's doing this... "Are you happy for me? You're r..." He stops himself and brings a hand to his lips to lightly cough. "I mean... Ikr. Your technique is so pog. Thx very much for the help." And there. He did it. And yet why does it feel like he's committed some scandal of the highest degree?

"Oh?" Colour Idia pleasantly surprised because it seems that all the tips he's given to Jade over the past few weeks has started to come to fruition. He takes Jade's phone and holds it above him from where he's lounging in his bed. Indeed, he can find nothing wrong at all with Jade's score, everything seems to have been executed to near-perfection...

Idia nearly drops the phone on his face, and his nose smarts just slightly as he manages to catch it before it fully smacks him. He stares at the other student, mouth open, entirely dumbfounded, before he bursts into the loudest series of cackles.

"One of us, one of us!" Idia chants through his laughter as he clutches his sides. Never in his life did he ever think he would hear those words come out of Jade's own mouth. It's so wrong but so meme worthy. "You're learning the way, Jade-shi~ I've never been more proud."

[stygia-n]

don't mind me i've just finished the new savage tier in XIV and also got sucked into once human just before school is about to start so... activity is spotty but i am slowly working 🤌🏻🙏🏻

[stygia-n]

"I know you're not a fan of greasy food or anything that causes much of a mess, so perhaps this will meet your needs." He sets down a dark oblong plate with a faint smirk, clearly somewhat confident in his choice. "Tangy crushed pepper steak frites, with a melon soda float courtesy of our limited time menu. Please enjoy."

"Oh, to what do I owe this pleasure?" A particularly pleased grin spreads his across his face when he sees the plate and its admittedly delicious smelling contents. Idia's not usually one to care much about things like flavour and texture, but even he has to concede when it comes to food that comes out of Mostro Lounge. The slightly spicy and sweet tang from the frites tickles his nose, and the drink looks colourful and quite adorable.

Idia immediately pops one of the frites into his mouth. It's thinner and crispier than a normal fry, and doesn't leave a greasy taste in his mouth. It's washed down with a quick sip of melon soda, fizzy and refreshing, and the scoop of ice cream on top is a perfect addition for Idia's sweet tooth.

"Hmm~" Food definitely tastes better when someone else makes it. The time and labour cost of preparing ingredients and actually cooking them doesn't fall on Idia, and he still gets to enjoy the end product! "Delicious, I could eat 19 more of these."

[muraenide]

"You... do know about him, don't you?"

When those words left the King's lips, Jade felt a strange unease blanket him. No, I'm afraid I don't. He mutters silently to himself. He might as well disliked what he's heard, but they'd just formed a pact, and backing out of anything would appear unprofessional.

"Three-headed Hound of Hades? Guardian of the Gates to the Underworld?"

"A H-hound...?!" He blurts out. He feels sweat breaks out of his temples and his palms. The documents never said anything about a hound. What hound, Jade means to ask, but a part of him knew the undeniable, there were only so many animals that befit the term, most of all... "My documents never spoke of anything about a dog—" Or perhaps, they did, but rather than 'dog' Cerberus had been called by its fancy titles such as Guardian of Gates of the Underworld like he'd been human or another demigod.

Not that it changes anything about the reality that Cerberus is not only a dog, but one with three heads. It'd be the equivalent of sharing a roof with three dogs. The one weakness of Jade's that he'd kept to himself and Floyd his entire life, in case his self-proclaimed 'relatives' used it against him.

He'd forgotten that dogs were the beloved pets of people on land. The equivalent of dogs - sharks - were feared and most certainly not regarded as beloved pets in the Undersea.

Something strange comes over Jade all of a sudden. His face and lips turned pale, far more paler than the skin of a merman who has lived away from the sunlight for more than three-quarters of his living years should've been.

"Perhaps there are servants you could delegate such daily tasks to? I'm sure our acquaintance could be delayed and left for another time...."

[stygia-n]

Idia comes to a halt, brow raised at this sudden change in demeanour. This oh-so distinguished Prince Regent looks fit to collapse onto the cold marble floor with how all the blood seems to have drained from his face. Idia briefly wonders if he should call one of the healers over.

Despite the initial concern, a realisation slowly dawns on Idia and an amused smile tugs on the corners of his lips. "Could it be you're..."

Idia brings a hand up to his mouth and clears his throat, hiding a chuckle behind it. It is hardly befitting for a King to laugh at a very serious concern of one of his newest guests. He's sure that land animals like dogs must seem quite terrifying to those who hail from the ocean. It's just more surprising that the Regent has overlooked this important detail about the Isle of Woe, given how prepared and sure of himself he had been earlier. Cerberus hardly has to physically patrol the gates anymore, what with new technology and security systems, so he's more or less half-retired already, and his grandmother would say it's made him grown soft, but it seems the Regent doesn't know that yet. Interesting. Idia wonders how far he can push this.

"I can assure you Cerberus is a very sweet dog," Idia says, and continues their walk, now with a sure goal in his mind. He turns slightly and gestures for the other man to keep up. "Better to see him now than later. Father used to like keeping him by his side during his weekly Audiences, either as a show of power or as a way to keep from getting bored... Either way, you have nothing to worry about. Just a quick little visit, that's all."

They eventually stop in front of a large set of heavy double doors, one that stretches far, far up above them. With but a wave of Idia's hand, they seem to swing open of their own accord, and the cool outside breeze greets them as they open up to a large outdoor area attached to the side of the palace. There, in the distance, Cerberus lays belly up in the grass, basking in the sun, two of its heads half-asleep with their tongues lolling out, and the remaining one perking up at the sound of the door.

Idia whistles sharply and the hound is rolling onto its feet and bounding over towards them, its steps so heavy that the ground shakes beneath their feet. Cerberus skids to a stop right in from of him and plops down onto the ground. It becomes apparent just how large he is. Idia gives the dog a little smile and reaches out to place a hand on the middle of its heads, giving it a little scratch. "See. Nothing to worry about. I won't force you to pet him if you don't want to, of course..."

[stygia-n]

character headcanon generator

Idia gets into Twitter discourse.

Idia has been canceled on Twitter.

Idia desperately needs a hug but doesn't know it and refuses to ask for one.

Idia does not know what sleep is.

Idia is in your house.

Idia fucked your mom.

tagged by: @mostrohost (ty~)

tagging: @ensxrcelled @kkriitters @k-alim

[stygia-n]

(From Grim)

“I’m tellin’ you- stay back if you don’t wanna get hurt! I’ll set you ablaze!”

"Oh, come on. I give the best pets, I promise!" Idia creeps forward slowly, hands slightly outstretched.

The way those fluffy widdle ears twitch and flick... Soooooo cute!

"I have tuna as a treat, will that sweeten the deal?" Totally not a bribe at all.

[kkriitters]

to be completely honest, miri had never been a very competitive person. he'd sooner admit defeat in a one on one than expend a ton of energy on something as juvenile as 'coming out on top'. so when idia chuckled and called his poor game score a skill issue, it ran off him like water over scales. no biggie.

rather than any real desire to prove himself, miri found himself more interested in idia's confidence. for somebody that usually shrunk away from everything and everyone, to see him preening and boasting was. . . nice. he found himself wanting to see more of that side of idia, if even just for the novelty of it.

"pfft." he blew an amused puff of air, crooked smirk not faltering. "i have great hand eye coordination. it's just for more practical things." like aiming a gun and pulling the trigger -- he kept that to himself. "but i get it, if you don't wana get wiped by me..." miri mused with a purse of his lips and show of examining his nails.

he stared at his painted nails a beat longer before raising his eyes back up to idia. a slow smile worked its way back onto his face.

"so this upcoming saturday... i'll pencil you in and we can see if you're as good as you think you are." not quite a question, but there was enough of an openness to it that the housewarden could refuse if he so desired. but after their little back and forth, denying miri a day to play games together was tantamount to admitting an early defeat. something told miri that even if idia would hate the thought of leaving his room for more than classes, his competitive gamer streak might push him to go along.

[stygia-n]

It's not that Idia has ever been a particularly competitive person, but something about the way Miri seems to be talking smack is a little bit irksome. He could hardly let someone who didn't even pass a simple rhythm game stage pretend like they were sooooo much better! Right? It's definitely not because he's actually somewhat excited to get to know another student that shares some of the same interests as him. Yeah, that makes sense.

Idia almost never has any plans on the weekends besides just staying in and catching up on his games. It's either that, or he's working on new parts for Ortho. The idea of having to actually go out on a Saturday is daunting, to say the very least.

"F-fine... But if people start staring then I'm leaving!" Idia finally declares, though he seems to be lacking some confidence. He assumes they'll be heading to an arcade of some kind, and Idia remembers the last time he'd performed in front of an audience... He'd felt so sick he thought he might throw up. All it will take is one round to show Miri, anyway!

[stygia-n]

He gently takes his hand and places it over his chest. "Something caught your eyes?" He says, while being completely aware that he's essentially naked, large tail lapping the water, taking his time as he enjoys the expression on Idia's face. "I've always found this form more freeing, wouldn't you say so, darling?"

The legs of his pants are rolled up to just below his knees, his feet bare as he dips them in the water. It's slightly warm, thankfully, and Idia is casually enjoying the way the water laps around his ankles, disturbed only by Jade's tail, curling loosely around them under the surface.

Jade feels cold under his touch, such a jarring difference to the comforting warmth of how he usually is, but Idia would be lying if he said it wasn't just as attractive. He wonders if Jade can feel how his hand is trembling even within his firm grip, perhaps even hear how loud his heart is beating in his ears.

"You..." Idia swallows thickly. His eyes roam and wander, drinking in every freckle and the different colouring of Jade's form, its shine and all his merman features. Idia's gaze even slips down to what's hidden beneath the water, the dark shape a suggestion of how large his tail actually is.

He reaches forward to grasp Jade's hand between both of his own, his heart skipping slightly as he leans over the water's edge. Idia has never been keen on swimming. "You've never looked better."

He had always thought that Jade looked beautiful, but looking at him now with the light reflecting off the water and onto that otherworldly-like skin, Idia finds he can hardly breathe. Gently, almost reverently, Idia lifts Jade's hand to his lips and presses a kiss to the back of it. It feels strange, slippery and weird, but... exciting most of all, to discover this side of Jade so intimately.

[stygia-n]

Once again the tsum has escaped from his confinements within the clutches of his human. He bounces up to Idia's Tsum and does a courtesy before a rose magically appears out of nowhere for the tsum to present it to the other tsum. The tsum then raises a stubby finger and points it to his cheek, apparently indicating that he wants something...

It doesn't even come as a surprise anymore when out of the corner of his eye, Idia spies an all-too familiar looking bean shaped object bounding towards him and his own tsum. Idia does, however, raise a brow at the flower clutched in its little paw, and raises them even further when it's proffered towards Tsum-shi with a smooth bow, gently, almost reverently. At this point, Idia's eyes are as wide as they can physically be when Jade's tsum points at his cheek, face almost smug as he puts forth his request.

Idia glances at his own tsum, whose face is scrunched up in what can only be embarrassment in the face of such boldness. He can't help but laugh to himself at this hilarious situation. His tsum, despite its trembling, actually jumps off his shoulder, then scoots over closer in a movement so brief one would miss it if they blinked before kissing the other tsum right on the cheek.

Can't believe I'm third-wheeling my own tsum...

"I wonder if Jade knows how forthright you are... He could learn a thing or two from you, I think." Idia sighs out loud, bemoaning the puzzles and riddles he always has to solve when it comes to figuring out what that guy is thinking. Not that it isn't fun in its own way for someone like him, but...

Someone behind him clears his throat and Idia nearly jumps out of his own skin at the sudden sound. He whips around and who else could it be but the man himself?

"You heard nothing..."

[stygia-n]

"Idia...what is this?" She holds up a bag of chips, making the abomination all theore prevalent.

"... What do you mean 'what is this'?" Idia doesn't understand the question. "You have eyes to see, don't you?"

"Limited edition, Doritos, Mountain Dew," he reads aloud from the packaging, very matter-of-fact. "Where'd you get that, anyway? You better not be going through my stash... It's limited edition for a reason."

[cokefltz]

[muraenide]

He studies the way the King's face changes. He's clearly going through the five stages of grief. Jade doesn't know what he's thinking about, but it's amusing how quickly he manages to get a strong hold of him and turn the tides in his favour.

If it's not for the sake of himself, it's for the sake of Atlantica. He recalls going through Atlantica's proposed allies back in the Coral Sea, the frown on his face deepening the more he reads through it — he mightn't be Atlantica's most beloved prince, but the Regent is nothing but loyal to his homeland. The idea of forming bridges between themselves and so-called 'allies', as the sharks of the land liked to address themselves, would be equivalent to setting up their own kingdom for their downfall. The frays of politics, though there were no weapons or armies, are just as perilous as the frays of a battlefield.

It's clear that they needed the Isle of Woe as much as they needed them. Jade can't ever bring himself to imagine what it would look like to elect the humans as their ally.

"Allow me to escort you," He steps back and bows. His royal tributes are in the other room. Jade had told them to stand down in case the King was going to deny him an audience, but things seemed to be going well so far.

"My people are awaiting our presence at the—" When his eyes lift again he finds himself staring into a small, polite smile that seemed to cost a much-needed effort from its owner. Jade blinked, slowly, in that spur of the moment, he'd forgotten what he was going to say. "Nevermind," He cuts himself off, "Simply follow me, if you may."

He leaves the King's room just in time to bump into Prince Ortho, who has finally guessed where Jade has gone after shaking him off.

"Your Highness," Jade smiles apologetically, "It seems we will be seeing each other quite often after today." Gracefully, robes flutter behind him as he passes by, leaving the Prince with an astonished look of disbelief, yet pleasantly surprised.

Midway through their saunter, he attempts to break the silence. "You never told me exactly," he begins, and when the King stares at him blankly, he adds, "About your pet. You mentioned something about feeding time just now."

He'd assume that the King would have kept a cat or two, considering how often he mentioned them according to previous meeting minutes. But Jade sincerely hopes it's not one too many, he's not a big fan of their ability to shed fur.

[stygia-n]

The raise of a brow. Idia quickly schools his expression back into a neutral one, somewhat confused by the Regent's abrupt pause in his sentence. He's never had the fortune of meeting with other merman dignitaries before, so he chalks it up to some kind of strange mannerism or the other. Or maybe there's something on his face...

With an only somewhat disgruntled sigh, Idia pushes himself out of his chair to fall into step beside his newly-appointed advisor. Only when the large double doors open does light flood into his study, the afternoon sun shining high and bright through the palace's grand windows. It's only at this point that Idia is able to give the Atlantean Prince a good look. Fair skin, sharp features, upturned eyes each of a different colour that are almost hypnotic if Idia looks into them for too long, and a pleasant, polite smile that so far hasn't come close to leaving his lips.

It's almost embarrassing how much more kingly he looks compared to Idia, who looks uncomfortable even wearing the robes of his station. Granted, the Isle of Woe is not known for its grandeur and extravagance. Idia's daily robes are a simple shade of black, hemmed with gold and cinched together by a sash of dark blue around the waist; noble in its own right, but the way it hangs a little too loosely off Idia's thin frame suggests an entirely different aura. It's certainly a far cry from the handsome robes and elegant demeanour of this Prince Regent.

They spy Ortho coming down the hall towards them, and Idia immediately wants nothing more than for Ortho to whisk him away and save him from this ordeal, but as they pass by, he can only offer a sheepish shrug and a silent promise to explain everything later, before his attention is once again demanded by the man beside him.

"Pet? I guess you could call him that... He's more like a friend of the family." Idia rubs his arm as he speaks, a nervous habit he had developed ever since he ascended to the throne. "You... do know about him, don't you? Three-headed Hound of Hades? Guardian of the Gates to the Underworld?"

"You can pet him if you want, when we go and see him. Despite the legends, he's quite friendly once he gets to know you. It's probably best that he gets used to your scent sooner rather than later anyway, if you're to be staying with us." Idia seems to light up ever so slightly as he talks about the dog, his eyes brightening and the ghost of a genuine smile on his lips. "Ah, but he only likes being pet on one of his heads. Father used to tell me how Cerberus swore his companionship and eternal loyalty to me when I was born, but one time I was playing fetch with him and it became quite destruc-"

His voice suddenly trails off when he casts a sideways glance at the prince. "Are you... okay? You look a bit pale..."