#sullivanspade

[kadeuxhyeonju]

Bonds & Chains

@sullivanspade

TW: mentions of sex work (cut-off where mentioned)

Hyeonju had just finished conducting his business at the Forge when he had run into Sullivan—Sully, as he’d started to call him of late now that he’d grown more familiar with the Spade. He had grown a soft spot for the Specialist—Hyeonju had quickly realized that Sully was intelligent, soft-hearted, kind despite how on-edge he seemed whenever the Heart came face-to-face with him. Max’s efforts had helped a great deal in understanding what Sully was like. It had taken time and a great deal of effort to reach the point at which Hyeonju could now comfortably greet the Spade whenever he ran across him in the Joker or Spade territory.

Now, they chatted idly on the edge of Joker, near Spade territory just a bit off from the crowd of carriages on one side and groups of people  on the other. The two chatted idly about their usual business, Hyeonju excitedly describing his latest commission he had a blacksmith crafting for him. He enjoyed chatting with Sully, quiet and reserved as he was; it was pleasant. He never seemed bothered by Hyeonju who was quick to crack jokes and give silly advice to the Spade. Most people weren’t, but Spades tended to view Hyeonju as an outcast or nuisance.

Halfway through describing the process of designing the filigree and engravings of his commission, the Heart heard his name called. He turned, pleasant smile faltering when he laid eyes on the man who’d called for him. He knew this man—a 10 of Spade he’d grown up with, mocked and bullied by until he defected.

And then they’d known each other a different way.

“Master Sergeant Jacobson, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company.” Hyeonju’s voice carried a blasé air, but even he could hear the slight shake in his words. Not in front of Sully. Please, just go, he pleaded silently. But it was useless.

“No need to speak so formally, Hyeonju, my little fox.” The pet name sent a shudder through the Heart as memories best forgotten reared their ugly heads. “You and I are the same rank now. Strange to think about since the last time we saw each other, you were just a lowly 5 spreading your legs for anybody who’d pay at the Red Dragon. Makes me wonder, my little fox, do you still—,”

“That’s enough!” The shout was loud enough to draw the attention of passerby, their stares and mutterings obvious to the Heart. He didn’t dare look at Sully—not for fear of judgment, but pity. The normally calm and collected Hyeonju was nowhere to be found. He could only stand stock still. If only the gods would get him out of this mess.

[kadeuyongsun]

     in the span of what felt like seconds, things came crumbling down around him. his home, his sanctuary, his own damn self. and in those seconds, something broke, and he found himself with bruised knees and dirt under his nails. as a matter of fact, it’s the sight of said dirt that brings him to, if only for a moment. there aren’t many thoughts he’d deem coherent, but there are a few : ONE. is ara okay ? TWO. not my fucking house. AND THREE — there’s only one person i want to see right now. 

     each movement seems meticulous and calculated, as he rises to his feet amidst the destruction, and casts a glance towards the damage done. more damage than he could truly note, maybe another time, maybe later, maybe when he can think straight. he struggles to move, each step torturous, as if his whole body were made of lead and all he can hope for, is to sink once more into the earth. 

     he stumbles though does not fall, carrying himself carefully, pushing forward like he was taught to do. adapt, survive, overcome. a mantra, words that seem broken and feel worthless, though he can’t find it within himself to believe that true. 

     a hand reaches to push the hair from his face, slick with sweat and gods know what else. he can’t be bothered to think of that now. his eyes scan the crowd, people pushing and shoving, and he struggles to remain steady. he hopes, prays, fucking BEGS that sullivan has made his way here. please, gods, if you give me one thing, give me this — 

     solace is a strange thing to consider, a strange thing to desire, but it’s all he can think of. solace is not a place, but a feeling, no ? a feeling one gets when they feel safe. it’s when he feels a familiar touch that, for an instant, there is solace. solace among the wreckage, and perhaps those prayers have come true. 

     he sinks, though not by much, just enough for his forehead to fall against sullivan’s shoulder. he’s so familiar, so comforting, and everything sunny could want. everything sunny could want here and now, and every moment before, in between, and thereafter. 

     when he speaks, his voice is hoarse, “ i didn’t know if you’d come, ” his eyes are closed yet they still burn, and dirty hands grip the fabric of the other’s shirt. “ i didn’t know if you’d come. ”

                    —   (   @sullivanspade​.   )

[generalkwon]

@sullivanspade​

Saturday 15 August 2020; After Sunset Heart Territory, Zuihuo Joui’s Birthday Bash

Jihoon sat atop a bench underneath an ancient oak tree, one arm slung across the back of the seat while the other loosely gripped a hand-rolled cigarette. He was unsure how a tree was growing in the middle of this building but ‘magic’ seemed as deft an answer as he would receive. So much had happened tonight and yet? Nothing at all. It was truly amazing how conflicted the General felt about this soiree.

Not his lack of desire to be there, that held firm like a thorn in a pair of laced--up combat boots, but the uselessness of it all. Secrets fell easily as lies within these walls the longer one stayed into the debauchery. Perhaps that was the real reason highrankers loved these sorts of events - they weren’t so mind-numbing when and if one could separate the falsehoods from the slip-ups.

Then again, even the possible slip-ups often felt like planted seeds; meant to grow into elaborate schemes in the minds of their secret-keepers despite their lack of roots. Oh, the mind games. The tiresome maneuverings from the bored elite. 

Exhausting.

[diabyeolical]

🍎 🥝

🍎  :    how stable is my muse’s mental health?  have they been diagnosed with any mental illnesses and  /  or conditions?  do they have any undiagnosed mental illnesses and  /  or conditions?  do they or should they attend therapy?

Hanbyeol likes to think of himself as relatively stable and, in all honesty, he wouldn’t be far off the mark. Assuming he does have issues, they certainly haven’t affected him enough yet for him to notice it. He’s not been diagnosed with anything and has no reason or desire to see a psychologist in his opinion, especially since they tend to be more concerned with human matters as is. It’s certainly possible that therapy wouldn’t go amiss but Hanbyeol has no current plans to attend any such meeting.

🥝  :    does my muse have any  ‘  unusual  ’  habits, interests,  and  /  or talents?  do they hide it,  or are they proud of it?  

Most wouldn’t expect Hanbyeol to be particularly good at chess - he’s rarely one to sit still - but he is regardless. Hanbyeol is particularly strategic in general, and is good at visualising the moves he needs to make and the pieces of information that he needs to get what he wants. He sees no reason to hide this penchant of his, but he’s not quite out participating in tournaments either.

[kadeuyongsun]

   there’s a certain high that comes from his art, his craft — a high that can’t be replicated or replaced. it leaves him feeling on top of the fucking world, and there’s no drug that could match such a feeling. nothing that could ruin it. well, nothing that he’s found yet, anyway ; there’s still time to tell. sunny has chosen to not dwell too much on it. wouldn’t want to go and ruin his own night now, would he ? 

   there’s one person — and one person only — that he’s seeking out this evening. there aren’t many people in this world sunny would drop everything for ( to be fair, the only person used to be ara, so he’s making progress. and friends ? ) but sully, oh, sully has quickly become one of those people. though sunny has yet to admit it out loud, there’s a very special place in his heart reserved for the other. SUE HIM, ALRIGHT ? 

   perhaps sneaking up on the other is NOT on anyone’s list of Top-Five-Best-Ways-To-Greet-Someone, but it’s a little too late to back out now. he’s in it, this is it, his fate is sealed and there’s only one thing he can do : ACCEPT IT. pale fingers curl into the fabric of the other’s shirt as he grips his sleeve, giving a gentle tug to garner his attention. “ hey, hey, ” he speaks with a smile, practically vibrating, smiling ear - to - goddamn - ear ! “ come, i wanna show you something. you trust me, right ? like, i wouldn’t get you hurt or anything. at least, not intentionally. i’d be really upset if you did get hurt ... ANYWAYS ! c’mon, sully, please ? ”   //   @sullivanspade​.

[kadeuxhyeonju]

🍑

🍑  :    how meticulously does my muse look after their physical appearance?  do they spend a lot of time on their hair,  makeup,  grooming,  and clothing?  is there a particular reason why they do or don’t?  

Hyeonju values their outer appearance immensely. This is for a number of reasons, the first being his upbringing in Spades. His mother was adamant that those of the Lee household present themselves in an honorable fashion--this meant dressing in freshly pressed uniforms and polishing his combat gear until it look brand new. It was so deeply ingrained in him to keep clean and look dinner party ready, that even now he gets a tad anxious if even a hair is out of place.

The next reason is his father who believed in extravagance as a man born and raised in the luxurious district of Hearts. Hyeonju admired the way Hearts denizens draped themselves in bright, but still traditional fashion. When he became wealthy enough to afford the clothes he had so deeply coveted, he went out of his way to buy bold colors. The only thing about his clothing that indicates former Spade is the uniform styling of his attire, preferring symmetry and darker tones to take center stage with only a few flashy pieces to make the outfit pop!

Lastly, he spent far too long rank 1 in a district that values wealth above all else. The fact that he can now afford to make himself appear however he pleases brings him immense joy and is a physical indication of the journey he’s made since defecting. High-end and fashionable, Hyeonju looks the part of a 10 of Hearts and he intends to keep it that way.

[generalkwon]

🍒

🍒  :    how much does my muse value companionship?  do they constantly keep people around them,  or do they prefer to be alone often?  do they have or desire to have many friends?  do they see every meeting as an opportunity to make a new friend?

Companionship is very low on Jihoon's radar. Actually, it would be more accurate to say it's in small text as a footnote of a footnote in the dusty book of his life. Most of the time the Ace is alone and prefers it that way. The list of people he doesn't mind being around is: Maxine, Sullivan, and that's it. And as (relatively) close as he is to those two, Jihoon is still their superior which creates its own problems.