#support: sumia

[sweettoothforhire]

» make believe

starter for @fortuitousflowers

The days and nights were slow in this illusory beach. He wonders when they’ll return to their bodies, if this really wasn’t their bodies... 

Having his demands be answered was convenient. He wanted ice cream? Bam! Ice cream. Lollipops? Here you go sir. Candies? Have a bowl! His needs were provided without much effort from him. And maybe that was the problem. Having nothing to do apart from enjoying himself made him entertain more selfish thoughts lately. It did very little good to the conflict at the back of his brain, but every now and then, he lets the thought play out. If he was going to stay in Make Believe Beach, he might as well enjoy it.

Come mid-afternoon, he heads back near the ocean with the intent to relax, maybe tan his back this time around to even it out. He packed a blanket and some snacks, all he needed was a spot-- ah.

By herself, relaxed and engrossed over yet another book was the Knight of Flowers. He’s already smiling even if she’s not doing anything. He slaps himself for it, shaking his head to wash out the automatic-like response. That was weird. It’s the heat, maybe.

“Stumbles.” He’s already sitting down, basket of snacks placed down as he invites himself in, “Scoot over, I don’t have a blanket.” Where did his own blanket go? He threw it behind him, of course. Her own blanket can fit the two of them just fine.

He lets out a loud yawn and stretches out his arms, the time for a siesta upon him. Last time he slept in the beach, he ended up burnt with a teddy bear tan on his chest. Never again. He plops both arms down, one resting just behind Sumia. He scoots closer and takes a curious peak at what she’s reading, the side of his head now resting on her shoulders. I’m just sleepy, he thinks idly, pushing other notions away as he gets comfortable, “What’re ya readin’?”

[jehannandancer]

» an early morning encounter

During one of the missions outside of the monastery that Tethys volunteered to assist, the Jehannan dancer finds herself awake too early into the morning. The sun hasn’t risen yet, and most people were still asleep. Save for those that kept watch, she assumes, eyes adjusting after freshly waking up.

She feels rested enough and couldn’t find it in herself to go back to sleep... They should be departing after breakfast, and from then on, another arduous journey on horseback. It will be some time until she can stretch her legs freely and move about.

And it is with that reason that she feels now was the perfect time to ‘exercise’. Enjoy the freedom while it lasts before she’s forced to stay in one position for a long period of time.

She exits her tent and finds a quiet spot in the camp. It wasn’t too hard-- most were still asleep. Once she does, she begins, foot arched and heel touching the ground, an arm extended above as if reaching for the dark skies.

It starts off slow, but eventually, she kicks off.  

She never tires of this feeling, no matter how many times she does feels it. Her braid whips around her waist, bracelets letting out a slight jingle, as she moves along the music in her head, a clear rhythm followed, her feat continuously moving. Every time her body twists, and for each time her heel strikes a different part of the ground, Tethys is filled with elation, enjoying herself in her self-indulgent performance.

It felt like such a short moment, but even so, sweat starts trickling down her neck, her routine nearing its end. After a single twist, she leaps from the ground, only to land on her left foot. Quickly, she raises her right leg upward, balance now solely on her left left as she attempts a vertical split. She arches her back and bends her right knee, toes almost touching the back of her head.

She locks her breath in her chest, not a single sign of trembling in sight as she stays in her pose for a good few seconds. 

[forlornwyvernrider]

💐💐💐💐💐 A bundle of carnations, in light red and white, are left for Gerome. A note reads: Dearest Gerome, Happy birthday! I heard white carnations will bring you good luck. Do any grow in Valm? I never got the chance to ask your mother when we travelled together. Well, either way, try your best at your studies! If you need help with anything, don’t hesitate to call on me. Signed, Professor Delmirev. (Kidding! You can call me Professor Sumia. (　◠ ◡ ◠　) )

The day was ending and it had been eventful, to say the least. He’s... overwhelmed, happy, and overall, grateful to have known such thoughtful people -- even Severa.

When he comes back to his room late in the evening, arms full of gifts and boxes stacked together, he didn’t expect for there to be more. He puts the boxes down and picks up the flowers and the note that came along with it. He should have guessed it came from the her. The floral readings isn’t something he believes in nor cares much about, but he knows her fondness of it from what he recalls from both childhood memories and Cynthia’s stories.

The flowers he favored among others wouldn’t have survived for long, let alone thrive in this environment, but he has an appreciation for them still. They smelled fresh and gave some life and color to his otherwise dull room. 

The note he reads right after, short but sweet like the one that wrote him (she’s right around the same height as her daughter, now that he thinks back on it...)

Professor Delmirev. 

Calling her that felt odd, and it made him imagine a mortifying future with Cynthia as a professor, too. Professor Sumia would do.

He’s been taking lessons with Cordelia both as a fighter and in flying with pegasi, and while there was without a doubt she’s amazing at what she does, Gerome is found wondering what kind of input Sumia could give him. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad to allot more time into studying flying with the winged horses... 

He puts the note away, now left with gifts, thoughts of home, and curious questions about what he should do moving forward. The night was young, he had time to think. He looks at his window side where the bundle of carnations rested, and sighs with content. 

On a normal day, he’d stay awake until much later. Tonight, after all that’s happened, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to just rest.

[sweettoothforhire]

» wouldn’t it be nice

For @fortuitousflowers cause her inbox is a dum dum

🔥 🌙 - He can't remember much from what happened, but the feeling was there. The dread from getting imprisoned again, the desperation to get out - to get everybody out - and the want to just... live. The rest of they day came by so fast. All he did was hide from the sun and chow down on popsicles. Come nightfall, he went out of his hiding spot to go to the bonfire to toast some marshmallows but sees Sumia first. Unlike most of them, she seemed to be enjoying herself easily.

There was some music present. A bit of cheer amidst confusion and return to their ‘norm’. Some people thought they were dreaming, some like him we’re plain confused.

He’s not a killjoy. She wasn’t in that strange time with the rest of them, and he doesn’t want to drag her there even through just a story. If anything... he’s just glad they all made it. He’s not so sure about Stumbles. She probably thinks this was just a dream or if she experienced something similar herself. Only one way to find out-- 

He sneaks behind her, and quickly spins her around, holding her by the waists, “Got ya!” 

Up close, he gets to have a good look at her. No injuries. No trauma hidden behind smiles -- unlike her daughter. She seemed very much like the Stumbles he last saw a few days ago. Maybe it was the exhaustion from being on the brink of exhaustion -- and even death -- over the last couple of days, or the relief that everything was favorable again, but he wanted to hug her and just... collapse. Probably be out of commission for the next few days and be a vegetable. He’s tired of thinking too much. Tired of worrying. Usually, all he had to worry about was his own hide, not other people’s. He wanted to tell her all about what happened, how her daughter’s probably grieving about Cat Eyes, how he didn’t do much of a good job at keeping her safe...

He doesn’t, but he does squeeze her a bit, a small smile akin more to his usual smirk, “No use standin’ around looking lost. Wanna dance?”

[sweettoothforhire]

» peguwus

starter for: @fortuitousflowers @lareinacordelia

Mission Task Board: Spring is here, and so are baby pegasi! The pegasus foals are equal parts playful and skittish on their spindly legs, and they need to be trained to be groomed and led early. Their wings are too soft and downy to fly yet, but they’re still cute! [ Flying +1 ]

Spring... bah. Spring made him sneeze a lot. A bad nose meant you don’t get to enjoy food as much... so Gaius had to be extra careful not to get any sniffles. Stay away from any allergy triggering areas, maintain social distancing-- at least, that was the plan until he got his hands tied with ‘duties’. One ear pulled by the the Mother Hen, heart pulled by the Mother of Pegasi, Gaius found himself in between the pegasi the Ylissean besties. Sometimes, when it’s just the both of them and they’re not in the middle of a damn war, the two looked like giddy school girls when they’re together. He’s like that third friend to balance out their mushy sweetness-- all while eating actual sweets.

He bumps Sumia, hip to hip, keeping it casual, discussions meant for another time saved for later. For now, this would do. “Psst, Stumbles. I thought you already came here with like, a hoard of these buggers, why’s there a bunch mo-- ouch, OI!” One of those said buggers bit his hand just as he tried to offer it a sugar cube. The hell’s their problem?! He’s being generous! He retreats his hand and puts himself behind Sumia, bitten hand waved around as if it will actually heal it. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

“Keep that one away from me, ‘delia, I swear to Seiros its out for blood!” He points at the culprit, eyes squinting as they meet eye to eye. You don’t want my sugar cubes? FINE. Defiantly, he threw the cube to his mouth and ate it for himself. That’ll show em.

[sweettoothforhire]

» a burst of color

starter for: @fortuitousflowers

Mission Task Board: Bright colours in the marketplace have caught your eye: a ‘piñata’, the merchant called it. Hollow creatures made of paste and colourful paper strips and filled with a… surprise. You like surprises, don’t you? They explain the rules of the game, and you pass over a gold piece to give it a try. [ Lance +1 ]

The cold winter has officially passed, the makeshift beach has faded, and their bodies have returned to where they should be, normalcy now back. 

Gaius remembers, however, both the good and the bad. He remembers running around those damn hallways with injured students left and right,fighting a scorpion and an alligator all while tripping and falling in the sky and to much, and even how everyone mourned over Cat Eyes last heroic feat. Then there’s recollection of the beach, some shenanigans, tons of food, a dance, an almost kiss, the rain, an actual kiss... 

It didn’t help time was distorted when everything returned back to ‘normal’. He wasn’t here for the start of the school year, and time since to have moved backwards. No one he knows mentioned it so far, and if he’s the one that does it, he’ll be called a loon. That was too much trouble, and like in all things, he goes along with it. Adapting was once of his specialties after all. 

There’s one thing that bugs him and wants to clarify, amidst everything else that happened. He’d e more than happy to shrug off that winter hell, and consider the beach as just some fantasy. That’s fine, it might as well just be a nightmare and a good dream respectively. What he wants to know though is... if he remembers, does she?

It’s the pegasus wings on her hair that gives Sumia away in the middle of a busy crowd, in an already bright and colorful marketplace. That, or it’s just so damn easy to spot her and ignore everyone else. He gravitates towards her, pushing one person after the other until he’s right in front of her. There’s a crowd gathered, something about a price to be won -- or was it a surprise? bah, he’s not really paying attention. He takes a step forward to stand beside an unsuspecting Sumia, both arms folded across his chest as he looked forward to pretend interest on the spectacle. When some rando started swinging a bat around while blindfolded, Gaius finally speaks after a quick side head bump to the beloved flower knight of Ylisse. He wanted to reach for a hug but in this crowd and if it’s unannounced? He’d get smacked right before he can say a word in. 

“Whatchalookin’ at?” As he looks away from the spectacle and towards miss Honey, miss clumsy-kisses-in-the-rain, an easy smile forms, and right after, he winks. “Apart from me, of course~♪”

[sweettoothforhire]

» piemageddon mission report

@fortuitousflowers

Someone has been MIA during the whole dessert war, and Gaius took on the responsibility of giving her a heads up of what happened, let her catch up. After all, the ringleader was her dear daughter -- future daughter?? -- and she might want to know.

That, and he really just wanted an excuse for a lil something.

“Hey, Stumbles! Guess what your daughter did while you weren’t around?” When he does find her in the monastery, he comes bearing gifts. He won’t really bet on her guessing what it is Cynthia did, no. Even if she does manage to get it right, he already plans to give her a taste of what transpired in Garreg Mach one sunday morning...

She’d love it, he thinks. It wasn’t one of those dispensable pies used in the game, no, he actually made this one. A flaky pie crust (this one is a must!), a big, fluffy whipped cream up top, and for the filling, creamy coconut with a hint of vanilla. There was an extra dose of sugar too, but c’mon, it’s his creation. It’s a given.

And said creation goes from being hidden behind Gaius’ back, to Sumia’s face, the Thief-turned-Knight making sure to hit her right in the face, that way, she’ll get a good serving, heh. 

“Whatchathink? Tasty, yeah? Made it myself.” He chuckles, no remorse at all from what he just did.