Renewed Disgust
Note: for readings sake everything that Ertoth 'says' will be interpreted how Rnthyu receives them, not how it's being 'spoken' like asks answered by him are.
Her first night back, first look through a new lens.
It's been quiet tonight, though far more people than Rnthyu was used to, even a few coming in here and there to make sure she had been able to find everything she needed was a lot of people for her. Some of them had even called her Dr. Ktorre.
She'd never been addressed with that level of formality at her last station.
Even if her horns were emitting more spores than normal here in the city the air still felt nice. Things weren't always damp or humid here, she'd learned that after leaving her window open the morning she moved in. She’d be able to actually leave books out without risk of damage if she wanted fresh air.
As the night continued to tick toward dawn the honeyblood hunched yet again over her desk, inputting her latest observations into the database. While she didn't expect any more visitors, hearing the door to the observatory open she still turns, almost hoping someone new will walk in and she'll be able to meet another unafraid of her.
She would have no such luck, however; the figure ducking his head under the doorframe is one that instead made her blood run cold.
Why's he here— her mind hissed the thought as she quickly turned her back to the wall, watching the towering seadweller make his way across the room toward her. Those stupid chains adorning his fins clicking as he leaned down to be closer to her eye level— She could already feel the makings of the headache he’d no doubt bring with his vague way of speaking.
"Rnthyu."
"Ertoth...."
"You're doing what tonight?"
"The same as every time you barge in here."
Every muscle in Rnth’s upper body tenses as the words leave her mouth. While she's said far worse, it's still better for her to not try the heirs wrath; she's seen first hand how easy it is for him to put down anything in his way.
"That wasn't an answer for the question."
Her blood boils for a moment— Why should she even answer? She's always doing the same thing here. She's always studying the stars. Not like there's anything else for her to do—
Not like she had friends planetside.
"I'm.... Looking at HP Tau.... Seeing if I can learn anything new...."
Rnth feels Ertoth's eyes on her, the lowblood shrinking down to be somewhat hunched, keeping her eyes from meeting his; there's always something about the way he seemed to consume her presence and the very space between them that makes her uneasy. Taking a deep breath she goes to speak, but he cuts h—
"Look somewhere else, then."
"Wh... I can't just do that. I have places I'm required to-"
"Somewhere else. You've done it."
She couldn't argue with him; Rnthyu had often thrown off her assigned research to follow her own goals. Even if everything always got done in the end, trying that somewhere new might not be the best first impression.
"Later- I've only just— Wait...! How did you even fi-"
"I asked them."
Them? Who's them? Her old coworkers? Someone he knew within the Fleet itself….?
Would nowhere be safe from him?
He'd already found her home before she'd left... Who knows how long he'd actually known about it beforehand.
Her mouth opens to speak but the words die on her lips, the aching pain of tears stinging her eyes adding to the panic in a way.
Calm down. He probably likes it when you get stressed out…. Otherwise he wouldn't keep coming back like this.
"You insist on work, but do none."
"I... Was in the middle of it when you showed up."
"I'm distracting you?"
His tone is almost joyful, like a child after you've told them you're going to the park for them behaving well.
"No..... Not distracting." Terrorizing, more like.
Ertoth frowns, the top of his blindfold coming down slightly as his brow furrows. Moving away from Rnth he finds a place to sit as always, leaning against a table face in hand while he watches her.
At least it's likely security was already warned... Rnth thinks to herself, trying with shaking hands to go back to her work… She still had hours to go before she could leave.
He always stayed until she left. But how she hated leaving... Abandoning things in the middle of research was always awful, but to be away and not have to stay the whole morning trapped there with him—
Spiraling Web
Journals (ongoing) | A Nightmare | Renewed Disgust | The Hour Glass Turns
It had been months since Ertoth's vessel has a mind within it, months since the being of stars had been to Alternia in any meaningful capacity. Spiders kept him aware of the star and her horrific partner-- The visage of it too grotesque for even one considered eldritch in a mortal mind... How the star had been able to handle or even touch him without repulsion was confusing, but her emotion for the creature was never his mind.
Ertoth had been busy himself with a new visitor of his system, a strange moth of red and browns that carried the scent of autumn both familiar and foreign, the same taste of foreign the beast at his stars side held... But this was his hunt, his prize, even if offers had been made.
Alternia had its star falls, his star in her adoration of them planned time with her companion for this one. An outing for the pair who had had it so easy these last few moon cycles.
He watched the stars fall with eyes made of the same dust, with limbs that could ensnare a world below so simply if it was death he wished. But such carelessness would rouse other beings of the world, and those not native always seemed to be drawn here. To this Alternia and its deep forests, deeper seas, and unknown cosmos beyond. He had been himself after all, though by a woman and not the planets nature.
He saw the god, that immortal creature of some dying world go to them; to his star and her creature. It would not help... Gods are something beneath him; They need the material, the people mundane. A mouth to speak their existence... Even a creature of wishes may not be able to stop this path.
It was simple as ever. There was no way out for her, his claws already dug so deep into the fibers of her being he couldn't be ripped out without damage to the star herself. A new glittering light for his sky. A new starling to gaze upon and bring him more power to protect the mundane.
As the last 'star' falls through the atmosphere he begins to fall as well, slipping from beyond the worlds atmosphere as bare eyes of colors unthinkable turn toward the lovers in their comfort.
All he needed was a moment to draw her eyes to him, to remind the dormant dust rushing through muscle, bone, and heart who they came from. There would be more soon if the girl didn't have her mind about her as well.
He watches them cower, pick up and run from the burn from the pressure of a being unknown, swirling galaxies within empty sockets following their escape underground.
Where will you run now, little star?
Your stardust remembers mine, so don't keep me waiting with this feeling.
