YOCB Week 6: Silver Serpent - Tarioush’s first crush
My entry for @yourocsbackstory week 6, almost late but oh welllll
Sunlight drifted in through the french windows bringing with it a pleasant warmth to the mansion’s drawing room. Tarioush was curled up in a plush armchair, sketchbook in hand, pencils and his trusty eraser on a nearby table. A few meters to his right Elise was play training with a dark green seven kilograms ball. Tarioush could barely lift it, but Elise super strength made the ball fell just a bit heavier than a beachball. Her giggles and running around as she chased the ball did nothing to disturb the peacefulness of the afternoon.
Tarioush moved his eyes from where his best friend ducked under a cedar and glass table and focused again on his unknowing and unintentional model. In front of one of the open windows stood Valen, one of Elise’s older brothers, playing the violin. A gentle breeze ruffled his medium length red hair and made his cream, vintage shirt bellow. His snake head stud earrings glinted gently as he moved. Tarioush blinked, willing himself to not be distracted, recently the older boy had that effect on him. He was fascinating to look at, slender and delicate, even more so now that he was feeling the music and gently swaying. His bright green eyes were closed, long lashes touching freckled cheeks. A soft smile graced his lips, despite the melancholy of the song, a smile that made his face look candid and younger than his 20 years of age. Valen had a carefree air around him, almost always barefoot, slim fingers deep inside the pockets of one of his many pairs of worn jeans and his dove companion, Caoineadh perched on his shoulder or head. A complete opposite of his twin, at least in Tarioush’s opinion. He felt as if he could always figure out which one of the two brothers was Valen, even if they were dressed the same and had the same haircuts. He’d done so before, as a guessing game with Elise, four years ago, when they were 8 and had just become friends.
Caoineadh let out a startled coo which did not fit with the melody. Tarioush blinked a few times in confusion. Valen had stopped playing and reached for the nearby light blue thermos which Tarioush knew contained iced tea. He kept looking, studying his gestures, as the older boy talked to the bird, scratching under her beak. The sketchbook lay forgotten on Tarious’s lap.
“Taaari!” came Elise’s voice in a stage – whisper from his left.
Tarioush jumped a little surprised, dropping his pencil on the hardwood floor, and he quickly bent over to pick it up. Elise was stating at him, bright green eyes, not unlike her brother’s, shining with a mischievous glint as a grin spread across her freckled, oval face.
“You’ve been staring at Valen for the past ten minutes!” she said, stretching her neck to see his drawing. Her smile widened. “
“Did not!” Tarioush replied. A blush started making it’s way up his cheeks, his tanned complexion hiding it a bit.
“You were!” the redheaded girl continued on, an excited giggle escaping her lips. “You didn't even hear me when I asked you about running to the kitchen for some snacks!”
“I was con… erm…”
Elise did not wait to hear his explanation. She quickly ran to her brother and latched onto his middle, sticking her pointy chin in the middle of his chest, staring up at his face.
“Valennnnn!”
“Woah, woah, strength check, strength check!” he warned, tapping her shoulder to let go, a painful grimace on his face.
“Sorry!”
Elise disentangled herself and took a few steps back, waiting for her brother heal the bruise before it got the chance to form. “Tari and I want muffins. Could you help us make some?” she asked, ponytail bouncing.
Tarioush bit his lip, baking with Valen meant he’d get flour all over his clothes, or in his hair at least. He ducked his head his head, unsure, but raised it back again when he heard the man’s cheerful approval, deep voice booming with hidden laugher.
“I’ll have to take this back to Eimear first!” he said reaching for the violin.
“I’ll take it! You help Tari get up! He’s been sitting in the same position for ages… again!” she announced grabbing the instrument from it’s stand and running out of the room.
Tarioush gulped as Valen made his way towards the chair hand outstretched.
“Need a bit of healing, mate?” he offered as the boy placed his took his hand and let himself be hoisted out of the chair. A refreshing, it a bit cold, sensation spread from Valen’s palm to Tarioush’s cramped legs, making the prinks and needles disappear. “Better?”
The boy nodded, without letting go. “Can we have chocolate milk also?” he asked shily, not really looking at his face, but rather at the light-yellow buttons of his unbuttoned shirt.
“What type of milk?” Valen asked leading the way towards the kitchen and stretching out his free arm so that Caoineadh could choose a place to perch on.
Tarioush tought for a bit. The O’Duinn fridge was always stocked up with several options of plant-based milk, and he loved most of them. “Walnut!” he decided as it had been a while since he drank that one.
Happy STS from writingamongthecoloredroses! What are the sleep habits of your OC?
Hullo and happy STS @writingamongthecoloredroses sorry for the late reply ^^
Some of the gang in Silver Serpents try to have sleeping habits, others have thrown that out the window.
Osgar and Tarioush have a ritual which involves, among other things, Osgar reading to Tarioush while they cuddle in bed. They go to sleep at about the same time each night, except weekends when they stay up until one or so in the morning playing video games. Tarioush is the early riser of the two si he tries not to disturb his husband while getting out of bed. They like falling asleep in each other’s arms.
Takeru has probably the healthiest habits of them all. He goes to sleep around eleven each night, avoids any kind of food or snacks after eight o’clock, only drinks water or some plant tea. He opens the window, no matter the weather, partly to let his falcon companion out if he wants to and partly because he likes the cold/cool night air while he sleeps. He braids his hair, or asks his cousin to do it for him, meditates for about an hor before bed. He is one of thise lucky people who can fall asleep almost instantly and altough sometimes he is probe to nighmares he manages that well. Altought in theory he should get enough sleep, he doesnlt find it restful. He got used to being on alert due to Vincent’s night terrors. He is still on alert despite Vincent not living with him anymore.
Elise is somewhat of a mess. During the week she tries to go to sleep early, but fails so she is always tired in the morning. She drinks tea before bed, but pairs it with peanut butter sandwitches because she used to wake up in the middle on the night craving food. She used to have nightmares and trouble sleeping so until 6 or 7 years ago she used to take some sort of sleeping pills that [redacted] made for her.
Vincent is lucky if he can get five hours of sleep, and that on weekends. He tried having a ritual, going to sleep at a specific hour, drinking some calming tea, no food etc. It worked until it didn’t. Between nightmares, night terrors insomnia and an avid refusal for narcotics he sleeps when he can. His dog companion, Schilo, helps with that a bit. As does if he is a place that he deems as safe.
Storyteller Saturday! What’s your most favourite piece of worldbuilding/character backstory that you’ve created?
Hullo and happy STS! Thank you for the ask.
Wordbuilding - In Raflec’s Story mating between kilveh [ magical beings ] and humans is highly discouraged almost forbidden. The resulting child is not a half breed as the kilveh geenes are too strong and overpower the human ones, however, the children are born with malformations. In Raflec’s case he was born with big and extremly heavy wings which also serve as his kilveh sign, but they are impossible to use. They weigh him down a lot, if he tries flying he can barely carry his own weight. If he tried retracting them in it is very painful and bloody which should not happen. The other kilveh with wings can make them disapear with just a minor inconvenience. I so dread writing the training he’ll have to do to hide them cause trips to gore land are not fun, nope!
Character backstory - this one is for Silver Serpent: Tarioush and his favorite book, Watership Down ( let’s ignore the fact that it is also my favorite book, shhhh). He adores for 3 reason: 1 the story, 2. it being a gift from Valen on whom he had a gigantic crush, 3. it was his crutch when he developed somethign akin to dislexia after the forceful removal of one of his abuilities. He’d read the story a few times at that point that he stood at his desk, in the O’Duinn mansion, trying to piece together what he remembered with the jumbled letters and words on the page that made absolutelly no sense. He kept at it and asked both the twins, Eimear and Elise for help. That first copy is battered and filled with notes and scribbles and he still goes to grab it when he wants to reread, which makes Osgar fondly roll his eyes and point to the other 10 copies and convince him to leave that one in its box.
Happy Meet & Greet Monday! What are your pet peeves? Why do these things bother you? Is there anything you do to avoid them? (You may answer for any character you’d like!)
Hullo and happy MAGM! Thank you for the ask ^^
I’ll go with Tarioush and Osgar from Silver Serpent and Bolin and Angela from Scales and Petals.
Tarioush *scrunched up face shaking a pencil tone a bit whiny* This! This stupid! Useless! Piecea of wood they dare call a coloring pencil! This thing does not colour or draw or anything helpful! It just bloody scratches the paper and ruins it! I like my fancy paper! Thank you very much! And this stupid things cost a shitone of quids and they ruin everythign! And do not get me started on those crappy supplies that leave no colour on the page and egain just ruin the paper *keeps shaking the pencil getting angrier and angrier* Okay, I get it, I am no professional;. I cannot do this fulltime! But for the love of -
Osgar *squints* Of?
Tarioush: Of Nathair, honey! I was not going to say the thig! I just want proper supplies! Is it that much to ask for?!
Osgar *sigh and takes the pecil away* Okay! You are gonna hurt someone, probably me. I will throw the bad ones away while you go have a cuddle with Fumi and... Sage! Can you help Fumi with Tari!
Sage *jumps from her bed and bites Tarioush sweater dragging him towards the bunny pen*
Osgar: Thank you! Now... my pet peeve... *sighs and links finges together tapping his index fingers* Religious words. My dad was a preacher, one that was way too into it. I had enough of them. Call it atheist anger, although that period in my life is long gone... The anger part, not the atheist one. Here is the deal... those words or phrases mean nothing, they might have some weird value for other people, but for me, nope, stopping having any meaning more than 20 years ago. I get that they make others feel better in some way, but it just makes me gringe everytime I hear a “bless you”or a “god will do x”or a Ï’ll pray for you”. Especially the last one... Thank you but no, Karen, I am good here in hell!
Both Angela and Bolin *making giant airquotes and in fake concerned voices* How can you do x with your chronic illness? You do not look Ill?
Angela: Yes, I can! And of course I do not look ill! I take prescriebed painkillers for my chronic pain and I am a ball of positive energy. What do you want me to do? Wallow and cry all day because my back and hips hurt and sometimes I can’t move much without my cane? Nah, mate! *mumble grumble something about not letting Axel have the last piece of chocolate cake*
Bolin: Yeah, it can gen frustrating fast. I am contemporary dancer with asthma. *sarcastic* Wow how is that possible! *rolls eyes half amused* I need to make a list I swear! And just point people to the answer instead of wastig breath I could be using for practice and keeping my title and reputation.
Angels *nods nods* We do not ask you about your medical history and what you can and can’t do, so do not ask us. It’s that simple! *carefully stands up* Come on! It is our turn to cook and I think you need more thornapple.
Happy Storyteller Saturday! Which OC is most likely to surprise the rest of your crew with "secret admirer" gifts?
Hullo and happy STS!
That would be Tarioush, but not for the whole crew. There are some boundaries he doesn’t dare [ at least for now] to cross with Takeru who is his boss and Vincent who is the leader of another deparment, so stil his supperior :)) and they both scare him to a point.
For almost everybody else in his office tho, yeah they get gifts :))
Soooo, honestly I’ve tried postponing doing this one because the lines few lines I wrote… I don’t like them! I mean they work, but they don’t spark to me if that makes sense. Anyway, in doing so things pilled up, and I was tagged by lovely people sooo yeah. Thank you: @isanyonetoknow @radley-writes and @elizabethsyson
Rules: post the last lines you’ve written then tag people equal to words in the last sentence.
Here we have my attempt at a somewhat action scene, juggling more than two characters, and a scared and overprotective rabbit father Osgar:
‘Everything all right Mr. Matsuda?’ Tari asked, pulling Osgar further behind him.
With a small nod Takeru both answered his question and greeted them. If his presence bothered him, nothing in his attitude showed it. Osgar could only be glad for that.
A short high - pitched cry made him jump. A falcon took flight from a nearby leafless tree and was coming straight for them. He felt Fumi pulling the lead. She was running towards the bird. Grabbing her in his arm he moved away from the sharp talons. The rabbit was making a fuss. She scratched his hand and the sleeve of his coat. He cursed, holding her closer to him, inside the coat. His breath came out in short gasps. He needed something to hit the bird with, something heavy: a rock or a long stick. A question popped in his head: How did the creature got there in the first place?
‘Hiei, ima dame yo.’
‘Osgar, wait! They know each other!’
He looked around confused. The falcon was now perched on Takeru’s leather gloved hand, it was his companion apparently. Big beaded eyes blinked lazily at him, not interested in the fright caused. With gentle movements Tarioush took Fumi from his arms, a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
‘She befriended Hiei on the several occasions I took her to the office. He is trained to not attack animals that have a human companion. I think he wanted to say “hi” he explained glancing at Takeru for approval, which he got by another head movement.
Prompt and event by @shaping-infinity and @cawolters Thank you, lovelies!
Children and Festivals
Word Count: 996
Disclaimer: I am bad! Bad! Bad! At writing kids. But my baby Valen is amazing with them, so this happened!
It was getting dark by the time they left the shop. He had sped an hour – an hour and a half browsing the shelves, searching and picking up ingredients and potions. His brother had lost his patience and left in the first fifteen minutes. They would regroup later to go home, after he had charmed a lady, or two, or three. He was magical like that.
The children had made camp in the small book section, a thick volume in Tarioush’s hands. Elise was reading over his shoulder, small, freckled nose scrunched. She did not like the book he had picked, but reading to him was fun for both of them. Valen watched them for a bit, a proud smile on his pink lips. Elise had taken the small Egyptian boy under her wing four years ago and had no intention of letting him go. ‘Come on, time to go!’ he announced, shaking one of the three heavy bags he was holding.
Elise rushed to him, boots thudding on the hardwood floor and red braids flying behind her. ‘I’ll help!’ She grabbed two of the bags and he let her have them; they were below the limit she could carry. For her, they were quite light even.
Tarioush hesitated before approaching them, the book still clutched in his hands so tight his knuckles were turning white. ‘Mr. D… Err, Valen, can I-‘
‘Already paid for!’ he winked and ruffled the boy’s dark curls, getting a bright smile in return.
Out in the street snow was starting to fall which Elise enjoyed, Tarioush not so much. He let go of Valen’s hand and pulled his thick, woolen scarf higher, his earmuffs and winter hat tighter. Elise was already at the end of the street by the time they started walking again. She stood facing right, bags forgotten at her feet. Valen walked faster; Tarioush having almost no problem keeping up. The girl had the tendency to run off without a word when something piqued her interest. ‘Tari, Tari! V! Look!’ she shouted pointing. Valen followed her finger.
The street, which led to a small market place, was crowded with people and covered in decorations, much more than the rest of the city. Strings of light were hanging from lampposts and here and there on firms and building facades. They were colourful and diversely shaped: from snowflakes and trees to animals and people. They sparkled and glistened beautifully, making it difficult to decide which to look at first. From mounted speaker came a nice melody, a carol maybe? He could not recognize the words and the people were quite loud so he couldn’t pinpoint the song exactly. Alluring smells came from the stalls: pastries, grilled meat, cinnamon, baked apples, mulled wine, tea and hot chocolate. He could count at least a half dozen of them, but there had to be more beyond the mass of pedestrian.
Elise grabbed Tarioush’s hand, pulling him along. ‘Come on! Let’s see what they have!’
‘Wait! No!’ And they were gone, slim bodies slithering between legs and big coats. ‘Shit!’ The bags were still in the middle of the pavement, too heavy for him to carry and hope to find them fast. ‘Shit! Shit! Shit! Mother of Snakes!’ Scrolling through his phone, he called his brother, only to be redirected to voice mail. ‘Of course you tuned it off! Git!’ He tried calling the children’s phones and gave up. It was too loud.
He found a bench and his the bags under it, then ventured into the crowd. His heart was racing. If they got lost nothing would save him from Mrs. Rashidi’s wrath; she did not like him to begin with. Calling their names was no use and more people were coming. He was pushed, shoved, his feet stepped on, got yelled at for blocking the way. Mumbled curses left his lift, a mix of English and Irish Gaelic. With shaking arms and legs he returned to the bench, the lump in his throat making it hard to swallow. The two twelve year olds were completely out of site
A snake shaped silver ring rested on his index finger. Prickling his thumb on its tail he pressed his palm on the hard, cold grown. ‘Find them! Elise and Tarioush. Find them and bring them to me!’ he ordered and his blood turned the reptile’s black opal eyes red.
Nathair crawled a few feet away his body growing, but remaining fairly small. He turned around looking at the human on the bench. ‘I give you permission!’ he hisses before changing the direction again and diving between the people.
Valed blinked. When he opened his eyes the right one was greened, the pupil slit. Everything was at ground level, boots, shoes, jeans clad legs and here and there the hem of a skirt or dress. He frowned willing, no wishing him to hurry up. The snake took a sharp turn. ‘Bingo!’ they said at the same time, Valen’s deep baritone blending with Nathair’s ancient hiss. In front of a small booth labeled Street Magic – whatever that was, tricks? Sleight of hand? Fake fortune telling? – a dark blue coat, long red braids; next to a thick dark brown cap and green earmuffs. The human sighed in relief, the snake hissing at the same time.
‘Natty!’ Elise cried excitedly when she saw the reptile climbing her leg. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I sent him!’ came Valen’s voice out of the sneak’s mouth. ‘Elise, how many times have I told you? Do not run off just because you saw something pretty or shinny!’
‘But -’ she began pouting.
Next to her, Tarioush was biting his lip, guilt all over his plum face.
‘No buts! Get back here! Nathair if you please?’
‘Certainly.’
Elise did not like it, but she knew better than to upset her brother even further. He was sweet and kind in general, but quite scary when he got angry.
