#starswept

[quantumnova001]

So I still don't have much motivation to do digital art, but traditional doodles don't seem to be as tasking so we doing that! Here is a StarSwept ship doodle for Dandy's World.

[sunhalf-a]

@starswept​    /    kalim & piper!

“Does it have a name?”  She’s smiling, content in the warm night air, as she leans back on the flying carpet the two are currently sharing.  When they have bad dreams — either of them or, as tonight, both of them — a ride always helps.  The nerves from the nightmare are almost entirely gone now.  She presses close to her boyfriend’s side, a hand around his waist, gentle, just wanting to touch.  “Your carpet, I mean.”

[uniquemagics]

@starswept : The scarabia kitchen hadn't seen too many lively days since Jamil's daily cooking duties weren't necessary anymore; however, on this day, a savory aroma wafts through the kitchen, signature to the now frequent meetings between Kalim and Ruggie. Veggies and seasonings lay strewn across the counter, forgotten now that their soup was almost ready. One of Ruggie's grandmother's many recipes. Kalim stops his stirring for a second to finally taste it, not an ounce of hesitance in his movements. He trusted Ruggie's directions and his—no, their—magic.

"Oh !" Kalim lights up with something warm, something akin to shock and delight in equal measure. His eyes turn to Ruggie, as if to share his elation with him. "Ruggie, it's soooo delicious !"

He dips the spoon back into the soup to get some for Ruggie, holding it out for him to taste, a hand under poised under the spoon to catch any spillage. "Here, try it."

If Ruggie’s honest with himself, this — cooking with Kalim, he means — has become one of his favourite routines.  It gets him more food, more chances to show someone his cooking — since when did he care about showing off? — time away from Savanaclaw and Leona’s bitching, time with Kalim — since when did he care about that?  It’s a nice reprieve, he guesses; Ruggie’s spent his life on guard, expecting the worst of everyone around him, scraping by.  It’s exhausting, and it continues to this day; Savanaclaw isn’t known for being gentle with its members, and that’s putting aside that Leona has shown himself willing to kill him.  But around Kalim, there’s none of that — Kalim’s too good and too guileless to be a real threat, and the noble boy’s never had to be on guard that way, other people always carrying that burden for him.  Sucks for them, sure.  But it gives Ruggie a break, a chance to be something other than ready - for - harm.

Soups are tough.  Finding the right seasoning balance isn’t something that can be done by amateurs, and Kalims’ first few soups showed it.  Too little, turning it tasteless, or too much, turning it inedible.  But Kalim’s expression and exclamation, eyes shining, has a smile sloping across Ruggie’s mouth to match.

Another reason he likes this : Kalim’s so honestly excited to learn.

Kalim dips the spoon back in and then offers the contents out to Ruggie — he’s startled, just a bit, blue - grey eyes widening.  One of those things only somebody like Kalim could offer so easily.  Feeding someone means something back home; it’s an intimate thing, quiet.  Ruggie’s smile turns into a grin, and he nods, leaning forward and down to taste what the two have made.

It’s perfect.  Ruggie feels himself soften at the taste — at the moment — at the act of being cared for the way feeding someone implies.  It’s a vulnerable second, he thinks.  He wouldn’t risk it with anyone else.  He wonders why that is.

His eyes flit up to Kalim’s before he straightens.  Something in his face has the noble boy blushing, just a little.  Ruggie laughs as he rises back to stand.

“You’re right, it is pretty good,” he says, voice caught between proud and excited.  It is very good, a pleasant warmth down his throat, making a home in his chest beside the other pleasant warmth already there.  He feels — a few traumas younger, maybe.  Weird how that only seems to happen with Kalim.  “Our best yet, I think.”

Kalim’s answering grin is so huge and so proud it’s impossible not to mirror it, to let his own smile stretch.  This — seeing Kalim smile like that — has become one of his favourite routines.  He wonders why that is.

[makovu]

@starswept​ asked: At 11, Kalim has finally reached the age where his father allows him to tag along on business meetings, this particular trip being in the Afterglow Savannah at the royal palace. Something about the King and cargo exchange and many things Kalim couldn't care to listen to. His excitement revolved around seeing the younger prince, the one a bit closer to his own age. They seldom see each other outside of magift games and formal events where their parents are involved. This time it's different.

"Leona !! There you are." There's no doubt Leona heard him coming, what with the sound of his fast footsteps practically bouncing off the walls. He finds the prince in front of a board of a game he's not familiar with.

"What are you doing?" He asks without preamble or greeting, attention captured. "This looks completely different than mancala. Are you playing by yourself?"

LEONA IS FOURTEEN and his older brother is newly king — their father’s already - shaky health took an abrupt downturn not too long ago that rattled the palace and kingdom alike and led to him abdicating the throne to his eldest son to ensure someone was able to effectively rule. normally leona would sit in on a meeting like this, with all his interest in politics and his desire to learn, but now he doesn’t see the point. he doesn’t want to watch farena fuck this up and be reminded that it doesn’t matter what he’d do.

SO THE SECOND prince is playing solo chess in one of the halls of the palace, in front of all its large, open windows overlooking the savanna of the nation’s namesake. his sensitive ears pick up the sounds of the young scion’s rapid running footsteps sounding down the hall, but he doesn’t look up from his game. “ it’s very different from mancala, ” he responds, and for a moment that’s all he says. his green eyes, illuminated by the midday sun spilling in through the windows, are focused intently on the board that’s rather sparse when it comes to pieces — all of them white, too. he moves one of them a few spaces to capture the same - colored pawn before finally lifting his eyes. “ ‘s not even proper chess. just puzzles using the pieces and how they move. ”

IT’S SOMETHING to exercise his mind and to better his grasp of the board in extenuating circumstances. and it’s not like he has anyone to play with right now, anyway. he has his doubts about if kalim could even understand the rules, let alone how the pieces move. he never once lifts his gaze from the board.

[unblot]

@starswept​​ :    📝 ( kalim & jack or kalim & malleus pls !! )

( a piece of paper torn from a notebook & found in a savanaclaw waste bin on christmas morning 2020. there’s a lot of lines scratched out & the paper looks worse for wear. otherwise the writing itself looks pretty neat. )

December 24, 2020

The Christmas party was alright. Less crowded than I expected it to be. I ended up leaving early since it felt weird staying I ended up feeling tired after all the commotion. Ace, Deuce & Epel wouldn’t get off my back. Didn’t really feel like being teased by them tonight so I just went back to the dorm. 

I kissed Kalim tonight. Ace hung up a bunch of mistletoe everywhere & we got caught under it. Felt weird. Never really kissed anyone before. But it would’ve been cowardly to run away. It could’ve been worse I guess. I’m glad it was Kalim at least. I know I can trust him not to tease me for something like this. If I had to kiss someone for such a stupid reason, I’d want it to be him.  Still think mistletoe is a dumb tradition. Couples don’t really need an excuse to kiss each other. All it does is make awkward situations like this.

Should probably talk to Kalim tomorrow if he’s not busy. Sure it looked bad that I just ran off after kissing him. I probably owe him an apology. I forgot to give him the present I got him last night. Hopefully he hasn’t gone home already.

journal entries  //  accepting

[exceptone]

@starswept​ : The morning hours in the Land of Hot Sands feel quite pleasant, and Kalim and Piper aren’t the only ones out to enjoy them. The Silk City is brimming with both locals and tourists either rushing to their next destination or taking in the sights before the sun rises too high in the cloudless sky. Kalim is usually a fan of the bustle and life, used to moving through crowded bodies with ease, but today he’s not alone.

The third time they’re separated in the crowd, Kalim slips back to Piper’s side and slides his hand into theirs. That’s where it belongs, after all. The curious eyes on the heir go unnoticed, lingering to take in the stranger so close to the boy. Never is he usually without Jamil, so the scene is quite unusual to those that are familiar with Kalim.

“I keep losing you ! Sorry about that.” He laughs, a chime that falls into the surrounding noise. Though he never entirely loses her. The thing about Piper is that he’s always able to find her, see her brighter and clearer than anyone else around. “Oh ! We should go ride one of the boats down the canal ! It’ll be faster than walking, and it’s incredibly fun. Would you like that ?”

It overwhelms — not in a bad way, not at all, but it still makes it a little hard to breathe; Piper’s growing had been spent in the small worlds of other’s estates, small balls, and their own home.  And very often / overwhelmingly, in the end, in the even smaller world of their own room, that only got smaller as they grew and parents took books / barred the window / locked the door / took the sheets they used to make a rope.  Night Raven College was the most populated place they’d ever been since they were too small to truly remember, so this is ——

Good.  Exciting.  But their breath catches just a bit when they separate again, and it’s hard not to feel too small / jostled / like their chest is too tight, like the world is too much.

He finds her hand after just a moment, though, as she knew he would — and her heart skips / calms, any latent pain dissolving immediately with the feel of his hand within hers.  Her eyes widen, if only for a moment, but then — she smiles, warm and sweet, and squeezes his hand back.  It’s nice to be here, by so many people, but it’s best with Kalim to ground them, to make them feel safe.  “It’s okay,” she replies.  “We always find each other.”  They do / they do / she’s so grateful.  Maybe that means they were made for each other.  Piper’s doesn’t believe that they deserve that, but Kalim is trying to help.  Piper wants to be helped, and they’re learning to let him.

Unlike him, she notices the looks; their eyes lower, and their smile goes sweet and pleased and a little flustered, cheeks darkening.  It’s...nice.  That he doesn’t mind being seen with them, that he doesn’t view them as embarrassing or humiliating or something to hide, they way Mother and Father always did.  That he’s willing to hold their hand.  The idea of people here knowing that they’re together —— it makes her happy.

Happy enough that when he offers a boat ride, she nods and grins and leans down to press a kiss to his mouth.  It’s quick, easy, she can feel the eyes on them widen — but she’s never claimed not to be a little bit possessive, to want a little bit to be possessed.  She wants everyone to know : he’s mine, and i’m his.

And I’m his.

She pulls back, still grinning, and her smile widens at the stars in his eyes.  “Yeah, I’d like that.  I’d like anything I did with you, though, Kalim.”  He flushes and it’s so cute and they love him so much, they’re so happy to be his.  “You know that.”

[ovrblot]

        once he was asked ( in a manner which spoke of condescension and a pathetic attempt at cruelty ) whether he ENJOYED running after kalim quite so devotedly. a loyal, steadfast dog. and he, displaying no annoyance nor offense, merely said what he always says : he is a servant of the asim family, to run after the young master is simply something required of him when KALIM AL—ASIM is evidently determined to make his life a living hell. well. he hadn’t said the latter part. nor had he said that no one in their right mind would enjoy running after fucking kalim ——— oblivious, thoughtless, ridiculous kalim.

        ❝   ——— there you are,   ❞   he’s well trained, he must be for he is a viper !! he speaks in a calm tone that belies none of the rage nor frustration that simmers just beneath the surface / merely a trace of the exhaustion that he ( forever and always ) feels, something that is marginally acceptable. far more so than furious screaming.   ❝   how many times do i have to tell you not to run off?   ❞

@starswept​ // sc.

[gnawingteeth]

@starswept​ asked:    Kalim finds Jade during lunch, greeting him in a much calmer manner than his usual "run & accidentally hug" maneuver, thanks to the black box in his arms. The intricate, teal waves carved into the wood's surface are easily seen, and the glass pane set in the top clearly shows the assortment of tins inside, each filled with various tea leaves. "Happy birthday, Jade !" He chimes as he sets down the gift. "I thought that maybe you'd like to taste some of the teas from my home country."

it’s almost a surprise in itself when kalim does not run directly into jade like he normally does, instead approaching in a way that’s altogether much calmer. he’s holding a black box, too, and that gets set on the cafeteria table before jade. he blinks, turning his head to look up at kalim curiously. his attention shifts back to the box, finally taking a moment to take in the details — his fingers trace over the waves carved and painted into the wood, eyes taking in the assortment of tins on the inside. “ thank you, kalim, ” he says, and he offers kalim a small, warm smile as he looks back to him.

these are varieties and blends that would be exceptionally difficult if not impossible to find here near the school, and he would be lying to say he’s not excited at the opportunity to try them for himself. “ i’ll be sure to let you know what i think. ” although maybe it’s best he try them for the first time on his own so he’s not forced to relive the sugar incident.