#;message received

[nearriver]

https://uquiz.com/quiz/YKnfg3/what-are-your-hands-covered-in-except-i-psychoanalyze-your-issues-with-love

What Are Your Hands Covered In? Except I psychoanalyze your issues with love

Stars.

They burn, don’t they? And yet you still hold on. The flesh on your palms peels back, your fingers burning down to bone. Your tissues char and break away, your blood boiling inside your hands. The heat rushes up to kiss your face and chest, a sunburn in the dark and yet–yet you hold on, because they are beautiful. It hurts, but you see only the beauty of the moment, none of the pain. All of that suffering is worth a few moments of brilliance, isn’t it?

[nearriver]

Celestial Glass Globe created by Swedish Sculptor Edward Hald, circa 1929.

A gift offered by a ghost of a presence wrapped in neat white paper, unseen eyes slightly crinkled from a gentle smile. Someone clearly regarded him fondly to gift him such an exquisite piece.

One moment, nothing was there beside him. The next, a sizable wrapped up piece was next to him. Who on Earth could have slipped on by without him noticing? No matter, if they chose to remain anonymous, then that was quite alright. He'd more than likely try to figure out on his own who went out of their way to not make their presence known.

As he carefully unwrapped the paper, he very quickly realized what may have kept them quiet. His eyes lit up at the piece, bringing his hands away as he would hate to add more fingerprints to such an exquisite piece of art. Was this the real one? Surely not, but he also had never heard of replicas of such a thing either. It would explain the anonymous nature of the gift. He'd have to look into it if anything had been stolen recently from the museum.

But do not get him wrong, as cruel as it may sound to art lovers like himself, he would not be returning this piece if it turned out stolen. This was a gift for him; it wasn't his fault they hadn't provided a receipt to take it back. A cheeky smile crossed his features at the thought. Who around here would know? He'd be keeping this one away from prying eyes; a place that only he would be able to view and the rare few who have the opportunity to enter.

Grey eyes studied it further, carefully examining the different symbols of the zodiac within. Such an exquisite form of art; it was nice to know that this had brought the art of glass engraving back to life. He'd have to make sure to find a good display case to keep it safe from dust or somehow being accidentally broken.

A shame he wasn't able to directly give his gratitude to the gifter, but he did leave a little note in hopes it would find its way to them.

Thank you for the wonderful gift. I will cherish it for the rest of my days.

N.

[nearriver]

A quiet melody, two short notes then one longer, lilting up, then soft taps against rain-cold glass. A blackbird is perched on the ledge of a window, inquisitive and out of place. What brought it here? ...And why does it have something glimmering under its claws?

The light tapping did quickly garner his attention away from the papers he was mindlessly staring at, having vaguely heard the soft melody but had initially presumed it had come from elsewhere. He wasn't able to make the connection of what the tune and the bird had in common; although he'd have to look into that as it could hold some clues. The window had been cracked, just enough to let some air in but keeping the floors from becoming drenched by the rain that had come through.

He slowly lifted it all the way, doing his best not to spook his curious little visitor. What does it have? His eyes went between the faint shine and the bird. Of course, he wasn't about to reach and take the mystery object away without knowing the intentions. Had someone sent this bird here, almost as if a spin on a carrier pigeon? Or was it merely taking a rest on the ledge?

He raised a finger as if to tell the bird 'one moment', uncaring if that made him seem as though he had finally gone completely mad. Birds were quite intelligent creatures, he wouldn't be surprised if it understood.

He returned with some cut-up berries and sunflower seeds, placing them on the window with a smile. An offering for a potential offering; or it could simply be a mere snack if the bird saw fit.

[nearriver]

Go on, play a tune...

Oh? He studied the vintage nature of this piano curiously, as if pondering what could be played on it. He even tapped a key to test the tuning on it, visibly satisfied that it wasn't terribly out of tune. Significantly fewer keys than a traditional piano, but Near could tell this was clearly intended for children that had only started to learn the instrument. More toy than instrument, in his opinion. No matter, he would still oblige with the request with a simple tune.

His fingers moved freely to begin playing the melody, smiling gently as if pleased with his choice. Or perhaps it was more of amusement? It could be difficult to tell when it came to his expressions, at times, unless one truly knew him well.

🎶 Mary had a little lamb...🎶

It certainly wasn't his first choice to play, but he was making due with the limited amount of keys he had. Maybe he needed to bring out a traditional one to play some of the better songs that he had in mind. For now, classic childhood melodies would have to do. As the first one ended, he started up with a second as he allowed himself to get lost in the sounds.

🎶Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques...🎶

[nearriver]

https://uquiz.com/quiz/X0vySp/what-type-of-lonely-are-you

What type of lonely are you?

loneliness of the mask

you're a good actor, a good liar. your masks are intricate and hand-carved. for your lover, you wear a mask of softness, quiet words uttered in the night. your friends, a boisterous laugh, always a joke at the ready. your professionalism at work and school is steady, allowing the occasional lapse to make a small joke. you have to keep them interested, after all. you have to please them. you are manipulation itself, your head is so full of your intricate webs there is nothing left. you might be the loneliest of them all, seeing as there's no one left behind your facade. you lost your real face long ago.

hey so he didn't like this!

[nearriver]

https://uquiz.com/quiz/UaCiWz/what-flower-color-defines-your-soul

What flower color defines your soul?

White Flowers

“Traditionally used in bridal bouquets or during memorial services, white flowers range in meaning from purity and innocence to sympathy.”

he will never escape the white aesthetics; it will always find him in some capacity across universes

[nearriver]

https://uquiz.com/quiz/eWDHo9/which-dnd-class-suits-your-personality

Near;

Druid

You’re a thoughtful and reflective person who cares a lot about the natural world. You’re generally open-minded and non-judgmental, though there are some beliefs or opinions that you won’t be swayed from. You’re in-tune with your intuition and you know yourself pretty well. You may spend a lot of time in your head, observing the world and thinking about what you’ve observed. You seek peace, balance, and try to avoid confrontation unless absolutely necessary.

I was surprised at first by this, but some of the description does match him quite pleasantly, actually. I'd always thought he'd be more of a rogue, perhaps!

there's two bozos under the cut iykyk ;)

Mello;

Fighter

You’re a practical and determined person who goes after what you want. You’re very competitive and may be a bit of a perfectionist, always challenging yourself to do better. You’re not an especially flashy person and you don’t care about status or luxury unless it’s something you’ve earned. You’re grounded and focused on the real world, more concerned with what is than with what could be.

"Very competitive" I don't even have to read further than this lmao

Matt;

Sorcerer

You’ve got a lot of self-confidence and most of the time you have what it takes to back up your own claims about yourself. You’re a charming improviser who can sometimes whip surprising and creative solutions out of thin air when it’s needed the most. Some people might underestimate you, or think you’re just shallow and self-centered, but you have a lot of potential inside and you would love to shape it into something incredible.

Charming improviser? Yeah, that feels like him. It's ironic for the "lazy" one to get a lowkey hard class to manage, haha