Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

An Indi RP blog for Dust, from Dust: An Elysian Tale

[crystallomance-archive-deactiva]

She laughed a bit, although there was a tinge of warmth in her cheeks disguised by her skin tone - he had a very nice smile, she’d admit.

A really nice smile, actually.

“So I’ve been told. It is rather impressive, isn’t it?”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

“Very much so,” Dust agreed with a chuckle. “And like I said, white hair suits you. It makes your eyes stand out even more.”

As an afterthought, he added, “Not that I’m any qualified judge of human appearance...or appearances at all...”

He noticed that he was still holding his hat, and placed it back on his head. “Now you know, at least.”

[crystallomance-archive-deactiva]

She shook her head, laughing a bit, but it was a gentle, sympathetic laugh. “I was expecting a face. I didn’t know what kind, but a face. And you have a very nice one.” Her brow furrowed a bit, but the smile didn’t diminish. “You look closer to my age than I thought, actually.”

She returned the hat with a small nod. “I don’t think it was expectation so much as them just being nosy. People don’t like not knowing things, even if it’s none of their business.”

Her smile turned a bit playful. “And I can say for certain now that you look good, Dust.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

The swordsman was unused to compliments about his physical appearance -- mostly because he near constantly hid it -- and the fact she could see his face made it harder to brush off. “You think so?” he mumbled in surprise, “Well, that’s...thank you.”

The playful tone helped ease his mind, however, and his lips curled into a half-smile.

“...you know, I’m not used to being able to see all of you, either. Your hair is even more impressive than I thought,” he joked.

[twinsoulsswordsman]

cor-crystallum:

“I’d be a pretty presumptuous person to be disappointed about something like appearance.”

Honestly, she wasn’t sure why he wore the hat, but it always bothered her when people couldn’t respect other’s decisions on how they presented themselves.

Still, she gingerly removed the hat from his head, and smiled softly at him. “What’s to be disappointed about, anyway? You look fine to me.”

Dust dipped his head slightly to make it easier for her to remove the article of clothing, especially given she was, in fact, shorter than him. He wasn’t aware he was holding his breath until a few moments afterwards when she commented.

Blinking eyes now free of any obstruction, he looked at her for a moment, wondering if he’d see disappointment that he wasn’t interesting to look at, or even anger that he wasn’t hiding something under it.

Instead, he was rewarded with Lorelei’s gentle smile.

“With how curious everyone has been, I thought that -- you’d be expecting something more.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

She walked up to the swordsman, reaching into her jacket as she did so. "Can I have your attention for a sec, Dustbunny?" When he turned to her she pulled out a camera with a fairly bright flash attached to it. The picture taken, the sprite places the camera back inside her jacket. Nobody said what kind of flashing she had to do.

Aaaaaaaaaaand now he’s blind. At least, temporarily. “What was that?!” He demanded, unnerved and more than a little angry. It was the brightest magic he’d seen for a long time.

[crystallomance-archive-deactiva]

"Well, they got me too. But I'd rather only you saw."

She’d gone back to her novel - well, everybody knew now, so who cared? - when she looked up at him.

“Dust, you don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with it.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

“It isn’t that I --” Dust exhaled, putting a hand under the hat to pinch his nose. He supposed denying things and making a bigger deal out of them only made everyone more curious, and suspect something was more amiss. He wondered vaguely if she thought he was scarred or disfigured.

Which was not the case. Outwardly, at the very least.

“ -- with you, it’s fine,” he finished clumsily, clearing his throat. “I just hope you aren’t disappointed.”

He dropped his hands to his sides, allowing her full access to remove the hat at her leisure.

[twinsoulsswordsman]

Yo, let us respect that the swordsman is uncomfortable showing his face m'kay? M'kay.

“You I like. Thanks for trying, friend.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

I DARE YOU TO TAKE OFF YOUR HAT!!

Dust was running out of embarrassing secrets about himself...at least, ones that outweighed it. 

“You humans are a tenacious bunch, I’ll give you that...” he murmured, sighing. “Fine. But since who sees me without it hasn’t been specified, at least I get to choose that.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

Take off the hat. TAKE IT OFF.

A grumble. “Fidget isn’t...entirely off the mark when she calls me shy.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

Go feed Fidget an energy drink.

No, that would not end well. Ancestors, that wouldn’t end well.

“...I sometimes forgo buying new equipment so I can buy something sweet Fidget will like. It’s the least I can do for her.”

[crystallomance-archive-deactiva]

“Good posture, your voice sounds fine, and you’re using humor! … Okay, I can’t tell much more than that, but I’m still happy you’re here. Well, not in this world, you’re obviously a good distance from home, but - I appreciate your company.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

The swordsman chuckled a little at that, the smirk softening into a smile. “I knew what you meant, and thank you.”

[roleplayaskmemes]

Dare my muse to do something, if they refuse, they have to admit an embarrassing secret about themself.

[twinsoulsswordsman]

cor-crystallum:

“You look healthy, that’s always a good sign!”

“If you can tell that from my chin and hands, you must truly have a gift.” 

[crystallomance-archive-deactiva]

She smiled softly at him - she’d heard that last part.

“Hey. Whatever it takes to get you back home, I’ll be happy to help, okay? You’re not alone here.”

Sometimes the words she knew to say were the ones she truly, desperately needed to hear.

[twinsoulsswordsman]

The swordsman went quiet for a few moments. Since his creation, he’d been alone in some form. Though he had Ahrah and Fidget at his side every step of his journey -- something he was very grateful for -- even they couldn’t truly understand what it was like.

But Lorelei...

Though her situation was admittedly different than his own, she still could understand better than anyone else. 

“You’re right. I guess I’m not,” Dust murmured, turning back towards her. “...I know I may not be the best at this, but, if you ever need me, I’m here. You’ve always been willing to help. I’d like to do the same for you.”

[crystallomance-archive-deactiva]

I dare you to tell Dust he's cute.

“Dust, you look good today!”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

“...I’m not sure how you can tell, but thank you.”

She was obviously just being nice.

[twinsoulsswordsman]

They were on about his hat again? Were humans in general just that curious?

But they were forcing Lorelei to tell personal secrets in exchange for her refusing. And he couldn’t abide that.

“Lorelei...I’d rather you just come over and take it off...”

[bleedingflames-archive]

“Dustbunny, if I wanted a reaction out of you, I’d have asked y’myself and not hidden behind any gray masked cult members.”  She smirked at him, her eyelids lower as she leaned back against the wall.  “Although I can guess the whole ear scratches might be included in that mysterious foreplay routine.”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

Dust choked, immediately leaping back and well beyond her touch, gritting his teeth. He was sure he was red underneath his hat; all the more reason to keep it firmly in place.

The swordsman gritted his teeth, snorting in frustration. “You’re just as bad as them.”

[bleedingflames-archive]

“Me?”  She opened her eyes wide in what she hoped was an innocent look.  Not that she was guilty in this case but her impish nature tended to make people think the worst.  If the glare had any effect on her she didn’t show it.

“Now why would I put them up t’that?”

[twinsoulsswordsman]

“Because you just said you made your entertainment. Or might have well said it.” He frowned deeper. “Even now, you’re having trouble hiding that grin of yours.”