#sabans

[astrxlfinale]

❝ a shrimpy boy like you hardly looks the part of a hero. ❞

Hero.

There it was again, that one particular, mind staggering term that always found it's way to the front of his skull since becoming a Nameless. Somehow, the insult found itself a grace compared to the actual crux of this matter. Caelus' lips didn't hesitate in hiding their displeasure on the matter, yet, not for the reasons one would originally consider.

Heroism. The grounds of sacrifice, the ones that 'lead' and ensure the continuity of existence for all living beings that can't quite carry that mantle in many ways outside of faith. He lets that roll within the depths of the mind, instead taking the instance to draw up a coat clad arm, rising it higher as if to try seeing what Victoria caught in her gaze.

Yeah. Two could play the game at being a smartass. Grounds like this were a familiar ballpark after all.

"Hmm. Maybe looking more relaxed," A timed pause is given as those gilded eyes narrow towards her. "Is looking the part throwing up particularly uppity vibes about the whole ideal you're adjusted to? The ol' sprinkle of doom n' gloom? Or maybe if my face had that measure of weeeeeeary soul that would've sold an entirely different look?"

At this Caelus couldn't resist the abrupt, spontaneous bark of laughter that escaped from him. He can't help but admit that it does feel refreshing for someone to toss a bit of dirt upon his name. Even as the surroundings of this world at the cusp was looking critical. The veritable gold of having a conversation like this amidst a brief respite would be greedily taken by a Nameless.

"So, if this ol' timer here doesn't mind throwing those archaic ways back in my face here, what exactly would I be missin'? Not that you'd have too much hope in finding your ideal here." Caelus mused. Even as the stir of a distant, unknown rumbling upon the crumbling infrastructure serves as a brief pause between them, his posture hadn't slackened, nor did the seriousness of it all seem to perturb the peace of mind.

He'll handle it. It was the brand of confidence that could be seamlessly studied as arrogance.

Lowering his arm, the oddity donning this outfit that reminds him of the Arcadia's magical girl troupe would have his full focus for the time being.

"Should it be you as that example?" A challenge.

@sabans

[noctalaethra]

ㅤㅤ. ݁₊ ⊹ .𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 ݁ ㅤ 「ㅤ@sabansㅤ」ㅤㅤpresented a perspective: ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ⤷ㅤi've heard tales of your exploits . impressive , if they're true .

A lingering eyesight upon them after the compliment finally befalls,ㅤexpression quite unreachable beneath the softened glow surrounding the room.ㅤTales.ㅤMore exploits.ㅤRumors polished into something far larger than the truth holds or ever remains once enough mouths have the poison to carry them forward.ㅤExhausting how reputations came alive themselves after a while.ㅤA faint hum leaves the lungs of the femme as she lowers the glass slightly,ㅤindex fingertip tracing the rim of the translucent surfaceㅤㅤ────ㅤㅤconsidering how much of those stories survived contact with reality intanct.

❛❛ㅤㅤPeople tend to improve stories each time they retell them.ㅤIt makes survival sound considerably moreㅤㅤ...ㅤㅤglamurous than it actuall feels.ㅤㅤ❜❜ㅤㅤThere is no false modesty within the response honey-drenched and spoken;ㅤno performative denial.ㅤThere is something faintly weary in the way she may speak about it,ㅤnotoriety itself has become another burden carried too long.ㅤThe pinkette has never been enjoying pretending competence embarasses the likes of her,ㅤyet neither does she wear accomplishment arrogantly.

Amaranthine lifts towards the other,ㅤslowly,ㅤa blink of rosé hues similiar at those butterflies that fractures light like the blossoming spring beneath candles glow.ㅤㅤ❛❛ㅤㅤImpressive depends heavily on who's telling the story.ㅤTo some people,ㅤsurvival itself already sounds monstruous enough to become a living legend.ㅤTell me:ㅤWhich version did you hearㅤㅤ.ᐣㅤㅤThe flattering oneㅤㅤㅤ...ㅤㅤor the honest oneㅤㅤ.ᐣㅤㅤ❜❜ㅤㅤ

[cursedfortune]

Victoria kneels beside the open traveling pack resting between them, one hand disappearing briefly beneath folded fabric & old navigation charts before returning with a small glass vial clasped carefully between her fingers. Pale liquid swirls faintly inside as it catches the moonlight, thin fibers of silver drifting through it like stardust... “You know,” comes the murmur while extending it toward Mortem, “you have this terrible habit of looking at people like you already understand them before they’ve decided whether they want to be understood at all. That's a bit rude, don't you think? It’s unsettling… though I suspect that’s intentional on your part.” [ The vial settles lightly into Mortem’s hand, ] “Moonblossom extract,” [ a pause! ] “For the potions or enchantments... or whatever your sort tend to do,” / have a thing! <3

@sabans

The witch reclined lightly against the birch tree that was slowly exiting its youth stage. She felt Victoria's approach at this odd hour and was delighted to play host to the shiny curiosity. A hero like this didn't come around often, especially without Mortem's helping hand to forge them one way or another. So she was, admittedly, interested in learning about Earth's new champion.

She nearly teased the other about how she showed up at night again, as if these meetings were to prevent others from seeing them engaging. Was she embarrassed? Could she not trust Mortem to behave herself in public? Truth be told, it was wiser for Victoria to initiate when the witch was alone, save her that possible grief.

Hearing the woman claiming the way Mortem looked at others could be considered rude was met with an airy chuckle. The delight was sincere.

"Perhaps people should hurry up and figure themselves out." She joked at first, always prone to leading with humor. Or, at least, what she considered to be humor.

"Intentional or not, it's simply within my nature." Perhaps even a witch's nature in general. She never met a witch that didn't have that knowing look to them. Whether Mortem knew or didn't know something, it benefitted her to intimidate others by making them think she did.

At least the real answer was a more honest one.

She reached out, gingerly taking the vial from Victoria. Despite how direct Mortem could be, she always touched so softly. Until she didn't.

Her gaze lowered to the vial betwixt her fingers, turning it over before lifting it to directly catch the moonlight. So pretty. It wasn't that the hero was showing her something, it was a gift. The witch blinked as she registered that and then lowered her hand, her gaze falling back onto the woman. Did she truly come this way to simply... deliver a precious little gift?

It wasn't out of character, she supposed. Champions had that selfless, giving nature to them. Even if she didn't know Victoria well, she knew that was usually a given. The woman's saving grace was she wasn't a nonstop cheerful ray of sunshine and rainbows, which tended to grate on Mortem. If anything, Victoria was one of the more grounded champions to ever grace this world.

"...Thank you." It was a sincere expression of gratitude. Even if they may find themselves at odds, now and then, she bore no ill feelings. She recognized this as a gift, even if she didn't really know what for. But in terms of thoughts of what to do with it? She had plenty.

Her free hand extended towards Victoria, "Come. It's late. Let me brew you some tea. You can tell me all about your curious little habit of keeping such useful vials." She raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth quirking upwards.

[crimestruck]

❛ how long has it been since you've slept? ❜

𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬 / accepting !

🗡          — adequate sleep was tied to so much ; it almost entirely guaranteed your sanity. without it , you were risking cognitive decline. not only did it make you irritable but it made you paranoid , delusional and the problem was , ichiro could be both of those things at the best of times.

but it was his inability to let things go that hindered him , the unrelenting need to see the problem fixed before he could even afford himself a wink of sleep. his body , his mind , knew not how to let up. always pushing forward in a hungry ambition and the fundamental desire to reaffirm his power. when it came to those who wronged him , no one got away unscathed.

though it was obvious through his fixation that his mental state was fraying , obvious enough for the blonde to question it. crimson hues cut to her , brow furrowed as if she had just uttered an insult. “ like it matters. ” he grumbles. of course it matters and he knows it too.

@sabans ; victoria !

[cursedfortune]

“Eventually, someone will knock you off your pedestal.” / kick her ass Mort,

Questions/Comments. @sabans

"...Oh?"

It was a soft, questioning sound that left her. Black eyes watched even as her cheek pressed against the back of her knuckles.

That was a funny little comment from this one. Funny enough to draw a sincere little laugh from Mortem. Her lips curved into a sharp smile. It took only one sentence for the witch to know what this woman thought of her. Was it a right or wrong assumption? Yes. The answer didn't matter, how one perceived Mortem was rarely wrong, even if it may not also be entirely right.

"I'm counting on it." It was an honest reply, the delight in her voice as clear as those crystalline blue eyes this stranger sported. Pretty thing like this no doubt turned heads, combine that with the usual hero complex to protect others which likely came with a heavy dose of loneliness and sadness... may as well be chum in the water, people sensed it whether they realized it or not.

Mortem certainly did. But then, she knew what to look for.

Her smile split further into a grin as she stared unblinking at the nameless woman. There was no light to be found in her dark gaze, as if it had been swallowed by this witch's particular nature.

"But it won't be you."

[lunaferrous]

for what it's worth… you smell really nice.

close proximity prompts.

"..."

Not a word left her lips. Not. A. Word. She wore a scowl set so deep into her brow, she looked like a cat who was about to swat at her with her claws.

But never mind that.

As much as the woman might have said as much just to make light of an awkward situation, she wasn't in the mood for exchanging pleasantries, or sharing what product she used on her hair. She had her pressed up against the wall of the elevator, claiming what little space she had as a huge group of commuters filed in the through the door, packing themselves in like sardines. All of them, strangers and office workers...

Except for one.

There was a man who stood a head above the rest, horn-rimmed glasses and a tie made with Italian silk. That was her man. His head was slated for the chopping block, his soul hers for the taking--if she could just keep an eye on him, she might be able to suffer through the ride down to the lobby. Without any unnecessary small talk.

Hopefully the woman she had boxed in couldn't feel her gun hidden underneath her coat, strapped around her flank.

"... Lavender." She groused, holding herself steady as the elevator began its descent. If it would sate her curiosity, then it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. Even if it felt like pulling teeth.

"It's lavender. What you're smelling. Nothing that special."

@sabans

[wolfpackmuses]

@sabans asked: "some bastard tried to mug me. i handled it. / for Caden, if that's ok!"

From: Cyberpunk 2077 (Part 1) Starters

He narrowed his eyes for a moment or two as he gazed at her, hearing the words that fell from her mouth. Something about hearing that... put him on edge, for lack of a better term. Something about it, and just from what Caden had been picking up so far, made him a bit wary here and there regarding Victoria.

Not knowing a whole lot about her also made things a bit tricky, because Caden was still not entirely sure she could be trusted, if he was honest.

He had come across far too many people over the years who said they could be trusted in some way, shape, or form, only for him to be at the end of a gun a few minutes later. People really were not always out to get him, it seems, and he was being a bit more cautious because of that. So far, at least, she seemed like she wasn't the worst person he could trust that he had met, and yet... she went and did something like that. Not that Caden had an issue with taking out people who tried to mug him, or even her, it was more so just him...

Acknowledging that she was at least decent as a fighter. It had to be something he kept in mind for sure.

❝I honestly would be the first to say that I don't find that to be a bad thing at all, however,❞ he remarks as his gaze widens just a bit to continue glancing over at her, ❝I would have thought ya' would want to keep a slightly lower profile than that while bein' around here. Vantross Prime ain't exactly the typa city ya' would want to go around causin' trouble.❞

He sighed as he finally shifted his gaze from her and back to the distant structures of the city. At least being on the outskirts meant that there weren't as many people there who would want to go after someone for fighting off a mugger. Normally, that would have been... somewhat of an issue, surprisingly, within the city limits.

But law was not nearly as widespread the farther you got from the towering skyscrapers of the city center.

❝Either way... I still don't entirely know why ya' wanted to come here to begin with. I barely know ya' that well at all and, from how it sounds... ya' wouldn't want to be goin' to places that have a lot of activity. Seemed ya'd rather stay hidden, from my observations.❞

[ofvoidx]

q. when you love somebody, they'll always leave too soon. / for Diana/WW, if that's okay! @sabans from this prompt, always accepting.

when a friend engages in a conversation without much prompt, diana can't help but smile. IT'S A SMALL QUIRK TO THE CORNER OF HER LIPS . especially when she is standing without her adornment of a modern human, diana prince, curator and not quite the super hero ambassador. A WOMAN WITH A JOB . but right now she is standing in full armor, a sword and shield on her back. TIARA SHINING IN THE SUMMER SUNLIGHT . her arms are crossed so casually over her chest, a non-question.

━ diana let's a pause linger, just a few seconds, in case more needs to be said. the murmurs, rumblings, and noises of the city seem so quiet at this moment. BEING ON THE ROOF OF ANY HIGH RISE DOES NOT STIFLE THE NOISES ANYWAY .

"love will simply not fade if the person does, it may even remain a piece of you long after they're gone. choose love, choose to grow with the experience no matter the reason for the loss. death, anger, confusion. those should not make you."