Aaa thank you so much for asking! Was not expecting this so now, I give you my current obsession, Avowed! Featuring Kai and my envoy, Feylis, post game so expect some spoilers! Also posted on AO3 (Link below!)
Teach Me How To Dance
Kai watched as Feylis spun around the dance floor in another person's arm. It wasn't her first partner, nor the last if anyone had any say about it. From the moment the first person asked her to dance, Feylis had been dragged out time and time again.
Everyone wanted a chance with the one who saved The Living Lands. The Aedyrn that stood up to Aedyrns.
Feylis, the godlike of Sapadal. One who cured the Dreamscourge and defeated Lödwyn without even raising her weapon.
It was all anyone could talk about.
"Now why is such a strong, handsome man like yourself sulking off in the corner?"
Yatzli sat down next to him, placing her drink next to his. Kai barely glanced at her, giving her a shrug and taking a sip from his drink before turning his attention back to Feylis. Who apparently had a new partner.
Kai nodded towards his companion, but did not respond. He was too enamored by Feylis as she moved. Whether it was on the battlefield, in diplomatic relations, or out on the dance floor, every move and action was done with grace and a smile.
How could he be so lucky?
"Trying to keep your reason a secret are we?" Yatzli teased. She sat up and leaned across the table to get a view of where he was looking. Kai made no attempt to hide it, which is why he barely moved when Yatzli let out a little squeal and patted his arm excitedly. "Kai, you scoundrel. Why aren't you out there with her?"
Yatzli was the second to last person Kai wanted to admit the true reason why he stayed away from the dance floor.
"Now why would I waste my time over there, when I have a perfectly good view here?" Kai looked over his shoulder to Yatzli. "Means I can't miss a thing."
Yatzli snorted. "I thought you and Fey had already talked out your relationship? The way you two stare at each other, I hadn't even expected to see either of you at this little celebration."
The glint in her eye was all Kai needed to see to know what she was implying. Kai thought about saying something witty in response. It would be so easy to brush off her comment, act like that wasn't what he had desired from the moment Lödwyn had collapsed and Feylis looked up at him with those pink eyes.
Sparkling like gems as she smiled at him.
"If you don't make a move, you know someone else is going to get that nice piece of ass and do something with it, don't you?" Yatzli smiled as she watched Kai's grip tighten on his drink, his shoulders tensing up at her words. "But since you don't seem inclined to do something about it, I think I will."
Before Kai could stop her, Yatzli was up and moving, her pink furry ears unmissable even in the huge crowd. Soon she was on the dance floor pulling Feylis away from her partner. Kai stared transfixed, as Feylis bent down to hear Yatzli, who was talking animatedly and pointing in his direction.
There was a moment of fear that went through him when he locked eyes with Feylis. She was too important to waste time on someone like him, yet he found himself unwilling to look away and even raising his drink towards her in invitation.
What was he doing? Why would someone like the Envoy decide he was worthy enough? Whatever attention they showed each other in their travels could just be written off as that? Its not the first time two people in travels decided to keep each other company.
It was these thoughts that filled his mind as he watched Feylis break away from Yatzli with a laugh and make his way over to him. Even as she was greeted by many, all she did was wave off the others, her attention in the end focused on him.
"Kai," he lifted his glass at her as she sat down, "I have just had the most intriguing conversation with Yatzli."
Feylis wiggled her eyebrows at him, almost making him choke on his drink from laughter.
"And what gossip was she trying to spread this time," Kai said once he had recovered. "If I have to remind you about the last time she tried to gossip about me—"
"You certainly showed me how wrong, though maybe in that instance, right, she was." Feylis said, taking a sip of her drink and looking at him with knowing eyes.
Kai was the first to break contact, hoping to hide the heat he felt rising up his neck. Memories surfaced of that night. Feylis's hot touch against his skin. Her lips wrapped around—
"But no, this is nothing as spicy as that." Feylis laughed and set aside her drink. "I was surprised that her gossip was downright innocent. She implied that you don't know how to dance."
"What?" Kai was taken aback by Feylis. "That I don't know how to dance?"
Feylis rested her chin on her hand and nodded. "Indeed. So is it true?
"What if it was? Are you going to offer to teach me some Aedyrn court waltz?"
"More like a tango," Feylis teased, tapping her bottom lip which immediately drew Kai's attention. When he finally remembered himself and forced his eyes up, Kai was greeted with a wink and Feylis standing while offering her hand to him. "But we aren't in an Aedyrn court and I am not wanting to stick with tradition when I just made myself an enemy of the very King I once represented. So, how about instead of me teaching you, we learn together?"
Kai thought about it, truly thought about it. He was never one to dance, not before, during, or after his time in the navy. And in the last 6 years, the thought would have never crossed his mind, except to see others move when he didn't want to be alone.
"I think with the present company, learning won't be too awful." Kai took her hand in his, bringing it up to brush a soft kiss against her knuckles when he stood. "I can show you a different dance later. If you want."
Not dropping his hand, Feylis closed the distance between them, bringing her free hand up to his chest and trailing down his bare scales. The sensation made his heart race.
"I think I would like that very much," Feylis whispered, her voice dropping low so only he could here. She lifted herself up on her feet, leaning in close as if to kiss him and Kai was unable to stop himself from trying to close the distance so they would.
Feylis smiled and suddenly the space between them was there again, though their hands were still interlocked.
"Tease," Kai murmured, trying to calm his racing heart.
"I know," Feylis responded with a laugh. "Now, lets go dance."
All she had to do was give his hand a gentle tug and he followed. Without question or reserve, Kai knew he would follow her anywhere. And after having done just that not a few days prior, what pain would a little dancing cause him when its with the woman he was coming to care for?
Howdy hey @pheedraws , I'm your bloody valentine for this year's event held by @carlosoliveiraa !!
I had a really fun time learning about Ilona and her tense history with the rest of the family, but especially that with Heisenberg. I hope I managed to capture their push-and-pull kinda dynamic, and I hope you enjoy this! <3
Let me know if you'd like a more permanent copy of this, too! I'm always happy to provide a PDF version of the writings I do :3
Under the cut for length! (this ended up being almost 2k words hehe)
The coldest of the winter months had finally approached, thickened blankets of snow encapsulating the quaint village and its surrounding wilderness. Winds howled through the distant trees, sinking low into the narrow pathways between buildings, carrying a flurry of snow with it. Crystalline sculptures shimmered in the sun's overcast light as they fell, drawing attention to the way they'd gathered in a nearly blinding landscape. Dark stonework was accentuated by the vibrant snow, just as the flourishing pine needles were. Gnawing as the chill that lingered in the air was, there was, too, an odd comfort to its overwhelming presence. A comfort that, as the sun eventually began to settle behind the horizon and the village began to grow quiet, encouraged a few intriguing residents to take in the stillness of it all. To wander through the sparse lantern glows and out into the moonlit wilderness, abandoning the set paths for something more organic; less explored. Distant lycan howls set the boundary for it all, warnings of what may happen if one were to straggle too far away from the epicenter.
Yet even that comfort did not explain how, or why, Ilona found herself in the fields adjacent to the run-down, albeit functioning, factory on the village's outskirts.
There was no comfort in the metallic whirs and groans. No comfort in the prospect that, should fate decide to be a particularly cruel mistress, Ilona run into the factory's owner—or one of his creations. It was still up for debate which would have been worse, frankly. The hostility of the mechanical beings was simple in its nature. Programming kicking in as rusted mechanisms sputtered to life. A mere reflection of their created purpose: Defense. Lord Heisenberg's hostilities, on the other hand, were bred of arrogance. Full of malcontent. It was intentionally designed to get under the skin of whatever poor soul ended up on the other side of that wolfish grin. Yet that, too, proposed another discussion of whether it would have been better to be maimed physically, or walk away with a wounded ego. Regardless, the answer was lost as well-placed speakers crackled to life. As that grating, smug voice rang out across the field.
"Well well, what do we have here? A late night visitor, all the way from her mighty home in the comforts of the village. And what do I owe the pleasure?"
Dark eyes narrowed. "You don't. I was just leaving."
"Is that so? I don't know, might be dangerous to head back so late. Heard there's lycans about." The fact was spoken as if it were a rumor, words shadowed by a low purr resonating from the man's chest as he teased. It earned nothing more than a scoff and the roll of the woman's eyes, back turning to the building as she began to make her way down the field.
That was, until a series of rustling in the treeline created a pause. Brought Ilona to a stop as her annoyance only grew. There was no proof of it, and it was something so unlikely to consider, yet she couldn't help but clench her jaw at the prospect that—by some account—Karl had set something up to lure them. Or was it so simply as him setting up his fancy little radio, and daring to open that mouth of his? Whatever it was, two paths lay before her: Take her chances and throw herself to the 'wolves', or begrudgingly wait out the pack's hunt in that cursed factory. While the first option was infinitely more tempting, there was a weariness beginning to weigh on her shoulders. The biting cold that began to properly creep under the layers of cloth and tug at her skin; it was enough for her to begrudgingly turn herself back up the path. And hearing the static of the speakers was enough for Ilona to almost consider turning back once more. Instead, she simply glared to the closest one, sat upon the corner of the decrepit brick.
"Don't even. Just shut up and open the door already."
And, as instructed, the rustled mechanisms groaned as the factory's doors slid open, allowing the warm air from within to bleed out across the shrinking distance. Allow the whines and creaks to overwhelm the immediate landscape alongside it, subtly encouraging a quickness in the woman's steps. The lycans had heard it, too. Paused their consumptions to perk their heads toward the sound, feral eyes fixated in wait. Yet no meal came to them, and they'd simply returned to the chilled leftover at their claws' end as Ilona found herself walking right into the hands of her…
Adversary? Acquaintance? Whatever it was Heisenberg was today. And, based on the way he'd sauntered out of the distant shadows, allowing the dim light in the entry to illuminate him, it was leaning toward the former.
The brim of his worn hat concealed his features from the light, yet there was a subtle sort of glow to those fixated eyes of his. A near-clear view of the wolfish grin that stretched his skin and scrunched his nose.
"I would ask what pleasure I owed, but something…" his voice trails as he steps closer, leering at Ilona, "Something tells me it would be a wasted attempt at conversation. What could possibly have your petals so ruffled, buttercup?"
He knew. She knew that he knew. And yet, he pressed. Instigated. Ilona sighed and waved off the idea of giving him fuel. Of airing her grievances. 'It's because I'm stuck here. With you of all people.'
"It's not important, Karl." But there was no harm in a little nudge. A subtle jab that would get just far enough under his skin to keep things calm enough for the time being. Just far enough to cause his lips to curl and teeth to bare. Still, he did well to conceal the bitter feeling at being referred to so… personally.
"Oh, I'm sure it isn't. Surely it's nothing, if that pout of yours is anything to judge by. Or the little furrow of your brows." It seems he, too, is returning the nudge. Both in the metaphorical sense, and in the literal, especially as a gloved finger comes to roughly jab at Ilona's shoulder before he draws back.
It brings a more prominent scowl to the woman's features as she sighs, head shaking as she looks around for something—anything—else to preoccupy herself with amidst the mess. Piles of unsorted scrap are all that await her, and the prospect of scraping her hands against the rough metal isn't exactly appealing. So, instead, she simply pretends Heisenberg isn't there. Walks past him to, with some hesitation etching into her muscles, find a different area to plant herself in. Perhaps somewhere with a piece of proper furniture. With something less grimy to entertain her as the moon traverses the night sky and leads the sun along with it. It'd be too much to ask for a corner of the factory without Heisenberg, or his influence, especially as he trails along behind her, but at this point taking her chances with (another) Soldat would be preferable to the grating voice and smug laughter. Thankfully for both of them, much as neither would admit it, it doesn't come to that. Rather, through some rather subtle corralling on Heisenberg's part, the duo has found themselves in his personal alcove. Amidst the messy workbenches, scattered papers, and a rather intriguing wall of connections between the ragtag group. Red strings illuminating the relationships between their fucked up little family. Stiffened pieces of scrap that appear to have been thrown, and with quite some force, to decorate the spaces around Miranda's portrait. And, amidst the others, a smaller portrait of hers. A recognition that she was, willingly or otherwise, an important part of the dynamic. One that sat unmarked, highlighted by an uncertain air.
Friend, or foe? Ally, or enemy? To spare, or to tear down with the rest of them all? In a way, there was almost reassurance in that hesitation exhibited by Heisenberg. Something about the fact these waxing and waning feelings were, in a way, mutual. An intriguing series of questions echoed in her head as she'd stepped over to unpin her visage from the board. To allow her fingers to trace the weathered edges of the film as the candlelight found them. Heisenberg watched, biting his tongue for once and simply opting to bring himself back to organizing the remnants of his current project.
"So you do like me?" A tease, highlighted with an essence of genuine curiosity.
"Alive, perhaps. Jury's still out on if it goes any further, or if that's where the answer stays." Too, a tease, though there was a lingering bitterness in his voice. A seriousness that betrayed him. As it stood, he had no idea whose side she would fall on. And, albeit deep, deep down, that lack of clarity made him uneasy. Still, he did well to mask it, turning to lean with his back against the workbench, wrench twirling between gloved fingers. "For now, I suppose I could say yes."
Ilona's arms fold across her chest. "It never is quite a straight answer with you, is it?"
"Of course not. How else do you expect I keep everyone on their toes?" That wolfish grin of his spreads across his features once more, his own arms mimicking the movement of hers. "Especially now. With so many hours to kill. You wouldn't want things to be boring, would you?"
"I'd almost prefer it." Still, there's a subtle shift in her tone that betrays the minute enjoyment she receives from their bickering. A hint of potential for missing it, should things lead them astray from one another's path. "Fine, keep me on my toes all you'd like. Just don't be surprised if it grows tired. After all, not everyone is as devoid of basic manners as you are."
"So you've said, and so I continue to ignore."
Neither would expect any less from him. From one another. And as the hours passed, it remained just as so. Ilona attempting to mind her business while perusing the various work-in-progress projects scattered about. Karl finding himself particularly itchy with the urge to bother her, remind her how unfortunate the circumstances were to be stuck within his domain. A few back and forths. A few nudges and prods. Little things that ultimately left the two ever envigorated as the sun rose and the woodlands cleared, allowing for Ilona to return herself to the Village.
And for once, the two had parted on fairly decent terms. How long that lasted, only time would tell.
Soooo much love to @pheedraws for this beautiful piece that's had me in my feelings for days now. I love it so much, I don't even have the words. Thank you for this gorgeous moment for them. They deserve their happy ending.
I would like to know more about these June drabbles, please!! 👀🌸
Hi Phoebe!! :) Hope you had a great week and that the weekend is a good one for you!
Thanks for dropping in to ask about the june drabbles!! I have fallen behind on them, but originally they were intended to be a collection of short fics (500-2k words... hahaha I think I exceeded that more times than I stayed within it but hey who's counting, right?) that would be posted daily. As of right now (12:20 am on June 18) I have posted 12/18 + one that @something-tofightfor wrote for our collaboration series Aphelion (I am working on a companion piece to her drabble, and hope to have that one ready within the next day or two.)
The others that I am focused on right now so that I can catch up? Fries - Pride - Flower Crown. They are for three different characters. And without context, here are three pictures to give hints as to who and what they are about:
If you wanted to catch up with the ones I've posted so far, you can check them out here!
#project hail mary
#lana del rey
#iron lung
#photography
