innerbeast

[innerbeast]

"what's wrong with 'em? they're cute colors!" he's a man of a few lighter pinks and yellows, himself. even so, he knew the moment he asked he'd not receive a direct answer -- yuri could at least humor him with one!

it leads dar'khol to stare down at the fabric left in his hand, thumb idly rubbing over it as lips jut in a mild pout. "you helped raise the lil' shite, i wouldn't be surprised if they took off just to get at me. 'daddy's' lil' arse pain is what they are."

speaking of, the warrior's eyes flicker away at the sound of a passing chirp, allowing a stretch of silence to see if it continued. luckily, nothing followed. just a sound of acknowledgment, he'd assume. "pro'ly 'cause i've a bit more taste in th' ink that goes on my body! sentimental, aye, but tasteful. 'sides, bib 'nd boo got first designs, if i ever."

"i get where you're coming from, but pastels?" for a bird raised by dar, of all people? yuri's doubt holds a teasing lilt as he pinches the mint cloth between his fingers.

he'll be honest, though -- yellow, green, whatever -- he couldn't care less as long as dar's satisfied with it. what he does care about is the pensive undertone in his partner's voice, snagging yuri's brow into a furrow.

"you really think they'll last a day out there without us? giving the puffball too much credit, i'd say." still, quiche is going to leave the nest eventually, right? that's just a fact of life. and yet... he holds back a sigh, favoring levity, "honestly, with how sentimental you are, i'm surprised you haven't suggested matching quiche tattoos yet."

[innerbeast]

she's won herself a perked ear, miqo'te glancing over the rim of his glass with piqued interest. battle prowess alone had earned the woman a soft spot, but to hear a little more about what she dealt with was it's own type of treat.

behind him a gentle wag is set in motion, glass set down once more followed by a soft, 'ahh'. leaning forward, an arm is propped atop the table, knuckles a cushion for his head to lean again. "oho, so we've got some things in common, eh? th' bigger th' better, truly."

"ya've got me curious 'bout your shapeshifter -- sounds like a fun dance, if ya ask me. i've faced my fair share of th' whole list!" there's a snort before he continues, "and i don't know 'bout hilarious," there's a pause, expression shifting to one of near-careful consideration, "flatterin', maybe. if i could stand th' bastard crazed enough to fuse with a dragon a few thousand fulms long." ( ... we'll ignore what excitement existed, there ).

"ah, right -- that ain't as common a term here. i'd... typicaly call 'em primals, myself." he'll blame the booze on his fumbling with terms. "more or less th' same things... powerful bein's of worship. deities, gods -- whatever ya wanna call 'em."

@innerbeast [x]

“I’ve got a few, usually scrapping with things three times my size and winning.” She snorts, drumming her fingers on the table while she watched him teeter on disaster.

If it weren’t for that tail, he’d have toppled over multiple times by now… Guess he should count himself lucky.

The drinks were flowing, but she barely seemed affected, having downed just as many as him and still keeping her lucidity in tact. Either she was skilled, or not entirely human… But either way, it made for some great conversation now that he was slightly tipsy.

“Could talk about the guy that turned into a sabertooth, then a scorpion, then a T-rex and then a skyscraper sized House fly… but- The wyrm fight sounds hilarious. Ya gotta tell me what an Eikon is, though. Sounds like a nuisance.” She definitely had a vague memory of Zenos muttering that term too, was it some kind of weaker monster?

[innerbeast]

🍻+ “ What Do You Really Think... Of Life? ”

drunken confessions.

for a time, dar'khol says nothing. eyes trained on led-eyes. there almost seems to be a subtle unease creeping across his features, but whether it was towards the robot -- woman? -- speaking to him or the question asked, he wasn't sure.

regardless, it has him tilting his head. allowing it to hang above a shoulder as eyes peer away; off into an unspecified corner while lips sat perched upon his cup.

"it's--" comes a mumble, brows knitting together as he works through a booze-filled fog. eventually the word tumbles into a hum; a long note held as his head shifts to hang over the opposite shoulder.

"... priceless," he decides, "somethin' i can't -- don't want to -- think 'bout losin'. even with my stubborn arse jumpin' through all seven hells -- life's a beautiful thing. in all it's forms."

there's so much to it, within it. like many others, he clings to it. selfishly so, at times.

"it's somethin' worth fightin' for, somethin' worth 'ppreciatin'. worth..." the words that follow next sound almost unlike him; uncharacteristic. a revelation he almost tried to turn away from. "-- slowin' down for."

dar'khol finds himself grimacing once the words leave his mouth. he quickly replaces them with a grumble and another gulp, cup put against the counter with a sounding thud. "why th' hells' d'ya ask, anyways? what's me gettin' all sappy s'pose t' solve."

[innerbeast]

“ what scares you more than anything? ”

drunken confessions.

dar'khol's cheek presses into his palm, elbow sliding against the table ever slightly from the pressure. dual-toned eyes remain fixed on a glass half empty, a finger from his opposite hand tracing circles over glass rim. once, twice, thrice... he keeps going with it, that simple motion.

laughter had shaken his lungs minutes before, face holding a lingering ache form the smile previously adorned. none of that remained, now. not after a question like that. the mood in its entirety had shifted, sunken. dar'khol doesn't look away from his glass, he doesn't stop his tracing, either. not until he finally speaks, but his tone is far lower -- quieter -- when he does.

".......... would ya remember?"

silence. only for a beat.

"were an eclipse t' roll through at this very moment, were i to vanish beneath its cast shadows... would ya remember me? that i was here." pausing, dar's hand slips onto the table; away from his glass. the other curls its fingers, nails pressing crescents against his cheek. something that would hurt, even if slight, to ground him.

"... th' efforts i've made, th' things i've said, th' laughs shared. my face, my voice -- even just a smile. ya'd remember all'a that, right?

i wouldn't be forgotten....? "

...

"........ lie t' me if ya have to. then, ask me somethin' else -- anythin' else." and do ignore how quickly he downs the rest of his drink.

[innerbeast]

🍻+ "Got any good battle stories?"

drunken confessions.

"i miiiight," he coos, a chuckle slipping between grinning teeth before another sip is taken. "but th' better question is: d'you?"

with a flicking tail, the warrior reclines in his chair. an arm propped over the back, a planted foot pushing to tilt him into an idle rocking motion. warmed by the drinks as he was, sitting still remained out of the question.

"i could offer ya many a tale; pick your poison, doll. ya name it, i've pro'ly done it -- how 'bout a man turned wyrm for th' sole purpose o' personal entertainment? t' offer a challenge worthy of satisfyin' a spark on both ends." waving a hand, dar'khol lets his chair fall back into place. eyes fall shut, briefly, as he humors a sigh before lifting his glass.

"... or somethin' a lil' more mundane, like a felled eikon, or somethin'."

maybe he's had more than he should.

[innerbeast]

“ do you believe in love ?”

drunken confessions.

" 'course i do."

it's grumbled against the rim of his mug, narrowed gaze sharply cast at questions speaker. certainly not his first choice of drinking company, but she was fortunate enough to have found him a few pints in. there wouldn't be much of a fuss, the current buzz was too comforting.

" hard not t' believe somethin' i'm full of. 's what keeps me goin'; keeps me fightin' 'nd strivin' forward." throat clenches briefly to swallow down a mouthful, mug eventually lowered. enough to catch the silhouette of his reflection in the remaining ale.

"family, friends... those who b'come somethin' a lil' more. 'course i believe in love -- i'm surrounded by it."

[innerbeast]

drunken confession.

your muse is drinking with mine and has been given the chance to question my muse anything they want to know. some may be triggering, others won’t. send me a 🍻+ the question you want to ask my muse for a tipsy, drunken ( honest ) answer.

“ what’s holding you back in life ?”

“ is everything alright? ”

“ when did you choose to give up ?”

“ what’s the kinkiest thing you have ever done ?”

“ how many have you slept with ?”

“ what’s your biggest secret ?”

“ do you believe in love ?”

“ what’s the meanest thing you have done ?”

“ what scares you more than anything ?”

“ have you ever considered running away ?”

“ do you love me ?”

“ what’s your dirtiest fantasy ?”

“ who hurt you ?”

“ what made you this way ?”

“ is there anyone special in your life ?”

“ why are you always smiling ?”

“ what lie have you told that hurt someone ?”

“ if you could do anything in world, what would it be ?”

“ who are you, really ?”

“ is there anything you regret ?”

“ what’s your biggest regret ?”

“ tell me about your first kiss ?”

“ what is your deepest, darkest fear ?”

“ is there anyone you regret kissing ?”

“ have you ever cheated, or been cheated on ?”

“ what is the most embarrassing thing in your room ?”

“ who have you loved, but they didn’t love you back ?”

“ is there something you have never told anyone ?”

“ when was the last time you cried ?”

“ how come you keep running away ?”

“ have you ever made someone cry ?”

“ if anything, what makes you hate a person ?”

“ what takes for you to fall in love, trust someone ?”

“ do you believe in true love ?”

“ what have you done that people would judge you most for doing ?”

“ do you regret letting me close ?”

“ is there someone you have a crush on ?”

“ what is the strangest place you have ever had sex ?”

“ tell me your most awkward date story ?”

“ do you ever get scared ?”

“ what do you really think of life ?”

add your own for further development.

[innerbeast]

from within do the beasts chains rattle; shaken and twisted, pulled taught with ever-present tension. a longing seeped within a suppressed roar, a hunger embedded in fangs held shut; it was left wanting. dar'khol's surging fury only helped to whet that lingering appetite.

through a clenching throat does the warrior breathe, strained air released in a rolling growl. the sound all but muffled beneath a looming shadow, eyes rising under pinched brows. even with a shifting stance, the miqo'te remains still; planted.

he has been in this position once before. he has heard all of this before, and yet...

and yet,

this repetition; this retelling of a meeting once held -- a reunion once shared -- causes his heart to stir. beneath rebuking flames, buried under straining hesitation, their lies a spark. a spark he so agonizingly wished to ignore. to snuff out. erase. that gentle tingle of anticipation he had set free once already, at worlds end. it was here again, within his grasp -- but a breath away!

"bound together," repeats the warrior in an airy huff, words left to linger between the two. there's a twitch in the corner of lips, dar's head rising in a familiar means to properly return his gaze.

"... i'm almost inclined to believe that, but i dare not humor ya with my admittance a second time." even if the words he's chosen does exactly that, he evades a direct answer.

he shouldn't know you, his mind echoes yet again, but he does. and deep down.... you're relieved. you want this.

with a heavy clank the door handle once grasped so tightly meets with pavement below, fingers left to flex before curling into a fist proper. like this -- presented with a challenge he's missed, with opportunity to relive that heated moment a second time -- he feels alive.

"perhaps i still seek somethin' in you, if th' stars wish to present me this chance. but whether it remains is yet t' be seen." what distance remains to be broken is stolen in one stride, head dipped sideways. given stare all but questioning; challenging.

"as ya are now, as they've left you... are you even worth the effort."

( show me that you are. )

the level of vitriol thrown his way is surprising—pleasantly so, after all his efforts to capture his beast's attention were thwarted in one way or another. zenos finds himself pausing to drink it all in: the shaken voice, the bristled fur, and the accusatory look in the warrior's eyes.

when the door handle snaps, he fancies it to be symbolic: an escape to a more mundane existence broken in favor of their ever-destined reunion.

"And yet, here you stand before me," he replies, and the voice is almost fond. "a living testament to the unbreakable will that has ensnared me so completely. Curse me as you like—rage if you must, until the fires consume you. I welcome it from the only soul who has truly challenged me and made this life worth living."

he shifts his stance, not quite pressing closer but moving enough to fill the outline of the doorway and block the rest of the alleyway from dar's vision.

"I sought something in you, once. As you did in me. In journeying to Sharlayan to seek you out, I instead struck a bargain with the woman who shares your gift..."

and so it went with the prince narrating the origins of his journey.

"...but midway in my journey across the universe, I find you delivered unto me by a different set of Stars. Can you not feel it, my friend? The pull, the inexorable draw that binds us together?"

he presents the question in the manner of one who finds the answer obvious.

[innerbeast]

forgive my delay on pushing out drafts! life being life, and all that, but i do plan on getting to things and eventually throwing them out there!! if things are too old, or the insp for the thread just ain't there anymore no worries o7 and sorry again!!!!

[innerbeast]

"snrrk--hah! if ya wanna move in that fast, who am i to stop ya?"

"feelin's are easier expressed with action, is what i'm gettin' at. converse with your fists, if ya gotta! it ain't a bad way of goin' about it. sometimes even th' easier route when you're down bad."

Sephiroth has no clue what this guy is saying.

"So, I should throw him instead? I can lift him pretty easily."

[innerbeast]

"sounds a lot like ya went 'nd tripped somewhere along the way, lad. gets real bad when ya start wantin' to hurl 'em a bit farther than with a mere swing."

"What does it mean when you can't stop thinking about a boy you really want to punch in the face because your chest gets super tight every time he's nice to you?"

[innerbeast]

"never did like th' unprompted gut feelin's."

[innerbeast]

against wooden floor sounds the thud of a bottle, having just missed the counter after slipping from a stunned hand. a miracle it hadn't shattered then and there, instead left to roll to a stop while its contents pooled around it and further still.

luckily, the glass that was meant to catch what the bottle offered was kept still; held firm against the countertop. well, firmly enough -- fingers that grasped it had begun to shake. eventually, they released entirely.

not even death had the sound of that door swinging open sound so sweet, sending a pounding heart upward. lodging itself within his throat to cause him to choke on whatever syllable was meant to escape him first. a name, a sob? both? who knows. heavy steps rushing forward were almost enough to drown it out, right up until they left the ground.

in a rushing leap dar'khol's full weight is tossed at the man who's barely had time to step through the front door properly. tossed, instead, into the miqo'te's arms -- his head quickly cradled as they toppled over.

dar's head is already tucked into the nape of yuri's neck, drowning in a familiar warmth, a familiar scent. gods, allow the stars to strike him now were this a moment of false hope, for he doesn't know how he'd recover were this all a ploy against him.

"ya can't keep doin' this to me..." mutters the warrior, at least. he knew neither of them had much say in the matter, that alone had his hold grow tighter. "you elusive bastard," ( i've missed you terribly ). // @darkenforcer

[innerbeast]

aw, he misses his nickname! that's cute.

[innerbeast]

"havin' had him patch me up often enough, i can second this! a bonified witness, if ya will."

' i'm a perfectly capable healer, by the way! i keep people alive plenty! and i bring them back if they die! '

[innerbeast]

"we aren't required to be havin' shots, now, are we?"

[innerbeast]