mperik

[mperik]

BEOMGYU Idol Human Theatre (2024)

[mperik]

Carter had never had a pet in his life, not because he didn't want to, he just wasn't allowed. He'd pleaded his case to his father before, but the answer was always the same: they're dirty, too much work and lifetime's worth of responsibility. Young Carter didn't think any of that was a bad thing, though, but the answer was final. That was until his best friend brought up the idea of adopting one together. He could hardly say no to him, not witht he way his eyes filled with stars when they talked about it. It was a big responsibility, but Carter believed in himself and in Erik, so he accepted. And seeing his best friend happy was all that he wanted, so how could he possibly say no? They'd talked, prepared and talked some more until the day came when Erik walked in with what looked like an oversized marshmallow in his arms. Something tugged at his chest and he was smiling before he knew it. C.E, their Common Era was home. "You really got everything, I see." He chuckled and got to look for the collar in the bag. There was something about listening to the way his friend talked to their dog that had him nearly forgetting what he was supposed to look for. He was so gentle it was nearly painful to watch and not melt at the endearing sight. "And so we can be careful while walking." The collar was adorable, a sparkly lavender and baby blue gradient with a bell and tag. He knelt down and put it on the excited pup, cooing at her bright eyes and pink tongue while trying to make sure the collar wasn't too tight nor too lose around her neck. "She's the cutest thing, definitely looks like you I'd say." Carter turned to look at Erik, the soft smile soon turning into a cheeky grin.

“It was you who reminded me to get it though, or else I would have forgot,” Erik replied, hands still gently scooping CE’s furry face and stroking her small round head while Carter fetched the collar. In the same low kneeling position, he cooed at the puppy, “It’s Papa who told Dada to get a pretty collar for you, he loves you so much, you see?”

CE got excited and turned her head to follow Carter once she noticed his near presence. She let out a chain of tiny, high-pitched barks and wagged her tail as Carter adjusted the collar, as if to give feedback on how happy she was with the new tightness around her neck. 

“Have you ever looked in the mirror?” Erik looked up to be greeted by his best friend’s cheeky grin, the one that soon reflected on his lips as he asked the question. 

Then suddenly, Erik lost the courage to maintain eye contact, so he quickly shifted his gaze back to CE, who had successfully wiggled her way out of his hands and started darting around the living room with her tiny legs. 

“She seems to like it here,” Erik could not help commenting, smiling fondly at the sight of their puppy exploring her new ‘kingdom’.

Little did CE know that she had another ‘kingdom’ to discover soon, as Carter and he had agreed that they would take turns to accommodate her depending on their schedules. 

Quickly, Erik pulled his phone out and took a few snapshots of excited CE, then switched to recording a short video of her running around. Their puppy seemed to demand Carter’s attention, as she kept circling and barking at him, even standing on her hind legs to paw his leg, her round sparkly eyes gazing at him with an ocean of anticipation. 

Erik could not help giggling and cooing at the scene, his smile grew so wide his whiskers-like wrinkles deepened on his cheeks. 

“CE, Papa Carter, look over here!” He called for their attention, signalling his best friend to look at his phone’s camera and pose “Say cheese!!”

CE (as in Common Era) is home

[mperik]

[...] "Thank you!" The demigoddess spoke, quite pleased. "I had never expected what happened to happen, though I guess that should be a consideration with as many powerful demigods are there." Angela was just pleased that no one was hurt. Siwoo had not been in the area either, and so, there was little desire of the demigoddess to find that individual. If found, she only hoped they got they help they needed. But, she was not foolish either. What came with those roses also came with a hidden camera system. Smiling, the demigoddess tried to skirt lingering on the issue that happened weeks ago. "Well, after looking at the remodeling for the bathroom, it seemed best to just do the whole cafe since I had to close anyway. Flower Mill needed a bit of an update. So, more modern with even more flowers. All real. It's astounding what a bit of magic can do."

Erik listened intently to the cafe’s owner's words, collecting the clues and connecting the dots. 

With the implication of the cafe’s new look being the result of an unexpected circumstance, along with the mention of  ‘powerful demigods’, they likely got something to do with the makeover of The Flower Mill. He did not have to know, that was for sure. But his curiosity was stirred up from its sleep, making him wonder what happened that made Angela refurbish the whole coffee shop despite the inevitable inconvenience following it. 

“Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think something must have happened to the bathroom, probably caused by a powerful demigod?” He voiced his guess, keeping his tone still at the level of harmless nosiness.    

Erik took a few steps closer to the flowers on the wall, his fingers touching the fresh petals gently as if he were afraid of hurting them. Turning his head to look back at the demigoddess, he smiled, his grey eyes went warmer in the cosy lights. 

“Sometimes I wish all that magic and supernatural powers could make are flowers, trees, and things that are pretty and non-destructive. The world would be a much more beautiful place to live, don’t you think?”

[mperik]

BEOMGYU | ETHEREAL

[mperik]

birthday gift for a star ✯

[ which is supposed to be a Submit but the link did not work :(( ]

Happy birthday dear @mpxcarter !

It was a miracle that Erik’s heart did not jump out of his mouth and poured itself onto the page. 

The letter he was writing, he had written it for a while. A long while, since this Valentine's Day. Or last Valentine’s Day. Or last, last Valentine’s Day. 

Erik truly lost count of how many years had passed. He knew he should have kept better track of it, the chances he got and the chances he lost, for counting was what he was good at. As good as the way he had done to the time spent away from Carter, away from his world, away from their world. 

Since when did he stop being over-obsessive about time?

Ah, since he moved to Mount Phoenix. Back to Carter, back to their world, even though it was no longer the world they had known. 

He stopped being haunted by time, but memories stayed strong. Carter’s birthday was a diamond among the rocks, sparkling bright without blinding his eyes. The northern star of his stormy sky. 

Love of my life

Erik’s low laugh spurted over the words he wrote. Cursive silver lines on a jet-black, silk-like surface. Who the hell would choose black-coloured paper for a birthday card? Well, Erik guessed, when it came to impressing his best friend, his own craziness was the limit. 

Among different messages on different pieces of black paper, one was eventually chosen to join in the silky black box. It lay atop the bottle of fragrance whose notes uncannily reminded Erik of Carter the other day, when he was on his solo cologne spree.  

He had sneakily placed the gift box in one of the kitchen cabinets, the one he knew Carter would open for the sake of his morning tea, just before he left his best friend and their puppy C.E. for an early morning class. 

The message happened to be the seemingly silliest among the messages he had written. But at least, it was concise enough, it got straight to the point, and it did not sound like Erik’s heart almost jumped out of his mouth and poured itself onto the page. 

“Surprise!!!!  Happy birthday, Arty~  It’s your turn to take Princess C.E. out today, so maybe wear the cologne to the park this afternoon around 6? I’d like to see if it can last a walk and a hearty dinner at Honeypot (and a homemade karaoke section?) See you and C.E. soon. And don’t be late! Sealed with a wink ;)  Erik ” 

[mperik]

[...] Mount Phoenix had been a blessing for the two injured demigods. So now, he wanted a bit of a break from the constant travel and battle of monsters. "Oh really?" He asked, though Erik did not seem like someone who would have anything to run from. "The island is definitely the perfect place to create a life. I definitely think I will be here for a long time, if not the rest of my life." The demigod admits. He had never really thought that far, but he did not see any lie in what he said. "Not physical strength. From my research, I am skilled in combat and weapons, especially with monsters. Supposedly, I'm heroic, but is that really a power?" He questioned. He did not think so, though he guess personality traits could be passed down from dad to son. At Erik's description of his, he turned to him. The other did not truly seem offended, though the words carried a bit of a sting. "You know, you really did have that evil villain vibe." Lupin jokes, trying to play along with them. "Though, I am really interested in your powers. Can you turn into a snake then?"

“Really,” Erik confirmed that his reason to move to Mount Phoenix was quite similar to that of Lupin, but did not offer further explanation. Lupin seemed to be a genuinely nice fella, but both their newly established friendship and the situation they were in right now did not encourage a deep conversation just yet. 

“It sounds like you are all ready to settle down here, that’s wonderful!” He supported the other man’s plan to possibly spend the rest of his life on the island, and this, Erik found more comfortable to share. “I don’t have any plans to leave the island soon, but still have to see where the wind may take me to.” 

Erik tilted his head lightly as he listened to Lupin’s sharing about his powers, occasionally nodding his head along as a sign that he was following what the other was saying. At the mention of combats and weapons, Erik’s eyes opened a bit wider in curiosity. “Oh, does that mean you can wield all types of weapons easily? And win all the battles you’re in?” 

A crispy laugh escaped Erik as the other demigod jokingly acknowledged his villain vibe, knowing that it should not be too far from the truth. He was not trying to look or act villainous though, especially not after he learned that Lupin belonged to the heroic divine bloodline. Surely, he would love them to be friends rather than any sort of opponents. 

“Supposedly, I can shift into an Egyptian cobra, that’s what the gods in the council told me,” he explained, still with a light-hearted smile. “But I haven’t figured out how yet, and I don’t know if I want to meet my father and ask about that.” 

His stormy grey eyes landed on the empty glass on Lupin’s table, and it did not take more than one second for him to offer. “May I buy you another drink? As a thank you for saving me tonight.”

[mperik]

It wasn’t a date. 

Not a date at all, but Erik had already asked for a no-work Valentine the week before. Not a date at all, but he had woken up early enough to be greeted by the dawn chorus on his way to the grocery store. There was still no way this could be a date, but he skipped the afternoon class for the sake of the beef stew simmering on the stove. He cleaned his apartment, made the table, and put the fresh flowers he got that morning in the most beautiful crystal vase he could find in the market. 

Red carnations. My heart aches for you. 

But it wasn’t a date. 

Erik lost count of how many times he forced his mind to stop wandering to the land of maybe-this-can-be-a-date bubble thoughts, for it was too risky. 

It wasn’t a date, but Erik got out of the bathroom squeaky clean, and almost over-blown dry his hair in the process of staring at the cologne bottles on the shelf. 

He re-emerged in the kitchen dining zone to turn on the rarely-used ambient lights, then kindle the cups of sandalwood-scented candles. The atmospheric illumination set the apartment’s owner out from his surroundings, something that his plain black tee and sweatpants of the same shade could never do. Usually, he was proud to be the dark of the starless night, like the scent he was wearing would imply. 

But it was not a date. And there was a star coming over for the dinner between two best friends. In a Valentine's evening of homemade beef stew, flowers, and candles. And a DIY gift. And his overwhelming longing to write his name on the glory of Carter’s skin. 

Red carnations. Alas for my aching heart.

Erik felt like he was walking on the clouds towards the ringing door. He opened it, and had to immediately summon all the strength of all of his muscle fibers not to jump toward Carter for a bear hug ~~and more~~.

“Still on time as always. Come on in, your Highness.” 

He lightly bent his back and made an inviting gesture, waiting for Carter to get in before gently closing the door. And suddenly, Erik felt nervous. 

That was just Carter, the best friend he had crossed the whole ocean to live a few minutes of walking away from. Carter was looking so Carter, in those years-old black, gray and white knit sweater that looked bespoke on his lithe frame, and the pair of black trousers that looked extra comfortable on his long slim legs. His coat and backpack, those Erik had rarely seen Carter without. The bottle of wine and the dainty red camellia on his hands. 

Is it really not a date?

Act normal, Erik, act normal. 

“I’ve seen you come all prepared, 100 points for Thorn!” He cheered like one of those professors in Harry Potter, and failed to suppress a chuckle at his own silliness. Erik felt like a few decades had passed since the last time he uttered their schoolhouse’s name, but the familiar sound of it helped to banish the Shy Monster that was threatening to eat him up. 

“Here, let me take care of them,” he extended his arms to welcome the flower and the wine bottle from Carter’s hands, probably this could be the closest he would dare to get to his best friend for tonight. 

“The beef stew is ready, it’s right there on the stove,” Erik gestured by turning his head in the simmering pot’s direction, then turned back to look Carter in the eyes, and instantly realized it was a bad idea. 

Damn, now Erik would love to blame the ambient lights and candles for making Carter look ethereal.    

“Uhm, can you get the beef then? I’ll put the flower in the vase and open the wine. Be right back!” 

Erik said, and without waiting for a response from Carter, he turned around and walked toward the dining table, as if the flower vase had suddenly become the most interesting object in the room. If his hands were not busy, Erik would definitely cross his fingers and pray that he would not go insane before this dinner ended.

Valentine ; ᶠᵗ ᴱʳⁱᵏ

Valentine's day, before C.E got home @mperik

It wasn’t a date.

It really wasn’t a date and he knew it, but, deep down he hoped that it was. It wasn’t a date, but the thought of spending such a socially meaningful day with him had something fluttering in his chest in such a peculiar way. It was all he could think about; what they’d eat, what they’d talk about, what he’d wear and what he’d bring… what he would do and what he would wear, what he’d think of him.

He caught himself right there. It was a foreign and familiar thought at the same time, coming slowly and all at once, caught in the wave of heat rushing to his face. How silly of him. It was no use trying to fight what he was sure was a raging blush, so he took a deep breath and finished his shift at the shop. The day had gone by incredibly fast and painfully slow at the same time, and the walk home turned out to be the same. His mind kept drifting and there was no erasing the excited grin he wore so proudly at the thought of spending time with his best friend. 

They’d already spent countless days together before, but not a single minute felt boring. Maybe that was the magic of being friends.

He’d gotten home in record time and he wasted none of it. He showered, dried his hair (that was perhaps getting a bit too long, but he made no effort to cut it yet) and felt the crushing weight of picking the right outfit. It wasn’t a date so he didn’t want to be too dressed up, but he wanted to show he’d put in thought as well – it was a push and pull between his excitement and nervousness that had him take out half his closet in an attempt to figure it out. 

It was too much in the end, and in an effort to not give up, he called the only person he could call in his time of need other than his best friend. “Just relax, glowstick! I know he’ll like anything you decide to wear.” Kaya’s familiar voice groaned from the other side of Carter’s phone as he held up options so she could help him decide. “That’s not the point here, worm.” He sighed and threw the shirt and jacket on his bed…where the rest of the clothing pile was. “Just wear something you love. I gotta go now, send me pictures~!” Maybe she was right? His eyes quickly shot to the time to make sure he wasn’t running late before digging through the mountain of clothes he’d built in a matter of minutes, looking for that one black, gray and white knit sweater he’s had for years and the comfiest pair of black trousers he owned. He looked like himself, and maybe that was enough. 

Carter checked the time again and rushed to gather the things he’d gotten for their ~~date~~ meet up. It was useless to tell him gifts weren’t needed, that’s just who he was, and he’d thought about it for a long time. Most people were easy to get gifts for, but Erik was different; he knew what his best friend liked, sure, but this couldn’t be just any gift, this one had to be different. Meaningful. They’d been friends for so long, and he’d kept journals since before they’d met, so it was naturally the only choice, except this one was special. 

As a token of friendship, of course. 

Once that was safely tucked away in his bag, he grabbed his coat, the bottle of wine he’d gotten for the night and the single red camellia he’d gotten as an extra after Kaya had told him to the day before, triple checking everything before taking a deep breath and heading out. His stomach felt funny, ticklish almost and each step he took to Erik’s apartment felt cloud-like. The walk was thankfully short, and the way to his friend’s door even more so. 

It was time.

With a deep breath, he managed to ring the doorbell and the smile that only came out when Erik was around appeared on his face once again.

[mperik]

BEOMGYU ✙ Concept Clip 'Light' Exclusive Behind the Scenes

[mperik]

❛ you really don't fear death, do you? ❜

Kaya’s question elicited a chain of soft laughter from Erik, his stormy grey eyes glinting in the lights of the game on the computer screen. He lifted his head to look at Kaya through the small window at the right top corner, laughter dying down into a cheeky grin. 

“Relax, it’s just a game so you won’t literally die, okay?” 

He and Kaya had won three consecutive rounds of this popular game against another team, mostly thanks to her smart moves to distract the opponents and his daredevil strategy to initiate the attack instead of dodging the bullets. Inevitably, his character ‘died’ more times than Kaya’s, but for the victory, he did not mind it. 

“One more time?” He spoke into his headset’s microphone, eyes shifting back from the clock on the wall to the demigoddess’ face on the screen. “Still have about 20 minutes to spare before I need to take C.E. for a walk.”

[mperik]

❛ i needed to eat. you do what you have to, to survive. ❜ Dakota shrugs but it’s clear the memory of what he did was unpleasant.

“I understand, and I don’t judge you for that.” 

Erik stated, simply and with a smile as gentle as the vernal breezes. He recognised the other man’s unease, yet chose to stay in the spectator zone and let Dakota process the feelings himself. While they had learned each other’s face and name through Erik’s visits to Honeypot, they were not yet friends, and even between friends, there were things left unspoken. 

At another time, Erik may consider digging deeper into Dakota’s psyche, to learn about the man he used to be. Yet for now, the son of Apep was happy to play the role of a good listener, also a loyal customer. 

“May I have another beer, please?” He asked, pushing his empty mug quietly back to Dakota. Pausing for a second, he then added. “And if you don’t mind, I would like a bottle for takeaway as well.”

[mperik]

BEOMGYU :: WONDER (original: adoy) @ FANLIVE PRESENT X TOGETHER 2024 DAY 1

[mperik]

a promised starter for the bestie @mpxcarter

To say Erik lost his sleep to this was a big fat understatement. 

He had been, for lack of a better word, obsessed. For the last couple of weeks, the thought of adopting a puppy had been gnawing at the back of his mind. No matter where he was, what he did, whom he was talking to, the imagery of him holding a puppy of his own kept running amok in his head.  

Pet fever, he decided to name it. He was having a bad, bad, bad pet fever. 

The only thing that stopped him from running to the shelter was this annoying reality, that he was technically living alone, although lately Erik found himself spent more and more days and nights being not-alone. Besides, he got a seasonally demanding job, a bunch of assignments for his last semester as a music master major, a youtube channel, a new social life on this island that still needed to be fostered, and a best friend who was the first and last reason why he moved to Mount Phoenix. Having a pet would be a cherry on top of that chaotic cake he was baking. But still, he was obsessed. 

And so when he got the confirmation from Carter that yes, they could adopt a puppy together, and yes, that meant they would physically, mentally, and spiritually share all the pet-related duties - from researching to choose the right breed, buying necessary pet supplies and accessories, naming the pet, to deciding who would mainly be in charge of bathing and grooming, and who would take care of cleaning up after the puppy and taking it out on regular walks. 

After the over-preparation was done, when Carter opened the door of his apartment for him to walk in with a furball in his arms, CE was home. 

“No, no, princess, your highness, you need to wear your collar first,” he spoke to the excited samoyed, who was trying to run away from his arms to go on her adventure around Carter’s apartment. He was kneeling on the floor, his lithe hands holding her frame, gently but firmly with determination, as he turned around and looked up to Carter with a sense of urgency mixed with suppressed excitement. 

“Arty, please help me put the collar on her, the one with the bell,” he asked, trusting Carter in knowing to search for the collar in the pet backpack, as his eyes had already shifted back to the samoyed. Lowering his head down until his nose touched her, Erik cooed, playfully. “Just so Papa and Dada know where our princess is running to, right?~” 

CE (as in Common Era) is home

[mperik]

CE (as in Common Era) is home

[mperik]

The times he walked into The Flower Mill may not been enough to make him the coffee shop’s regular, Erik admitted that. But he remembered the interior, the coffee taste, and the way charming staff greeted him as if they were long-time friends.

When the place had to temporarily close for some maintenance, it did not affect his life much, only the route to hunt for his morning coffee became a tad longer, and the coffee did not feel as much…wholesome. Being busy with his job at the PAC, Erik was left unaware of the cafe’s re-opening announcement, until he overheard two coworkers talk about it on their way out of the theatre. Suddenly, there was a gentle excitement rose in his chest, almost feeling like the feeling when one heard about a dear friend coming home from a week-long trip.

So he drove to the Flower Mill the next morning, to be greeted by a completely different interior layout. Shades of pink now dominated the space, including the big pretty bouquets adorning the walls and the new set of art-deco chairs and table. Compared to the surroundings, Erik inevitably became the odd one out with his all-black street-style outfit. But while he did not prefer pink, he found the new colour theme complemented the loving, welcoming vibe of the cafe perfectly. There must be so much time, effort, and money invested into this grand renovation, Erik concluded, as he took in the new interior design with admiration. 

His eyes soon landed on Angela, the cafe’s owner. He met her in probably all of his previous brief visits, and despite not having a proper conversation with each other just yet, Erik believed they had exchanged enough soft smiles and decent ‘good mornings’ to be each other’s friendly acquaintance.

“Good morning,” he greeted the pretty lady, his voice was, like always, soft like a breath of spring and warm like a hug, a stark difference from the way he dressed. He waited until Angela noticed his existence and reciprocated the greeting, her smile and politeness remained unchanged.  

“That’s absolutely fine! I can see why you took your time to reopen,” Erik’s smile grew wider as he said. The demigod swiftly looked around the place one more time, a compliment had already been on his lips when his dark grey eyes landed on her again. 

“I really like this new look on your cafe! Soft and elegant, like the way its name sounds to me. What inspired you for this makeover, if you don’t mind me asking?”  

The Re-Opening

Open Starter; Multiple responses welcomed!

Angela's last few weeks had been rather crazy. From what began as a chaotic disaster, the demigoddess managed to turn it into something positive, a chance to renovate a bustling cafe that she had been wanting to put more love in. In that time, she spent a week in Disney, caught Siwoo up on some rest, and finally managed to get The Flower Mill into a beautiful, lovely cafe. With the necessary changes done, it was time for her to open the doors.

Not long after posting the re-opening of the cafe, several regulars were already coming in the door. It was a lovely sight, one that let the demigoddess know she was doing an excellent job with her cafe. By now, she reasoned that it wasn't just the drinks bringing people in. There was something much more that made the city flock to her shop, and she could only place it on her lovely staff.

Lost in thought, the sudden voice called her to their attention. "Oh!" She gasped, but the demigoddess gave a small smile. "Welcome back. I am so sorry you have had to wait so long."

[mperik]

[...] The son of Aengus did notice the fidgetting but didn't comment on it, it wasn't his place. Everyone had their way to deal with things and as long as Erik was of good company, he had no problem with him going on with his habits. Even more, it was part of his charm.  "Really ? Maybe we should take a walk all together sometimes. And then get churros and hot chocolate, I haven't tried those yet ! Oona and I are big fans of the DanPatBbang stall."  Ailill smiled back. "Oh, that was such a lovely idea ! Let's do this ! And then we could have lunch somewhere, what do you think ?"

Throughout their conversation, Erik carefully took notice of how Ailill carried himself, the way his eyes shone when discussing music and performing, how the elder looked at him, and the change in his intonation when he talked about his young daughter. There were no lies detected, not even an attempt to hide who he was, what he was doing, what he may be thinking of. And there were no signs of judgment, no comments from Ailill about his exposed imperfection so far. 

Erik beamed, the smile touched the gleams in his grey eyes, making them gleeful. It looked like he had found someone who had high respect and acceptance for himself and others, also knew how to play with secrets without the need to ask too many questions. Even better, he interested Erik, and it looked like he also got the elder’s attention. A very, very good start indeed. 

"We definitely should hang out some time soon, you, me and precious Oona! I bet you two will love the churros and hot chocolate, I haven’t met anyone here who doesn’t, seriously. And you need to introduce me to that DanPatBbang stall, I haven’t explored what they’ve got to offer just yet!" 

To Ailill’s suggestion to have lunch sometime when it was convenient for them, which Erik hoped to be in the very near future, he nodded with a big smile. “Certainly, yes! I happen to know quite a few places that are ideal for lunch, some with really nice kid menus, mind you.” 

The chat went on for a while, until they both hit the bottom of their cup of coffee, perfectly marking the time to move on to their next tasks of the day. Ailill and Erik agreed on a date and time for their next meeting at the PAC, and also kept each other updated with the performance and timetable for practice sections in the meantime. Erik saw Ailill off to the main entrance, not forgetting to give the other a charming goodbye smile. 

“See you again soon, Aillil!” 

[ end ]

[...] Ailill was quite easy to get along with. It was just that forming bonds with others was a bit complicated for him for the moment. Death had taken his wife away from him and he was afraid to lose all the ones he could become close with. He feared nothing more than Oona being stolen from him. But with Erik, it was more than evident that there was or would be some chemistry between them. "Thank you. It's part of why I like Mount Phoenix. I don't feel the constant stress and frenzy of Seoul. It kinda reminds me of Dublin." He paused, looking for the right words. "Big city but livable, if that makes sense." His gaze fixed on Erik's face as he mentioned his apartment, his living room, his couch. Ailill wasn't an idiot, he was able to read between the lines and none of his students had brought up their personal spaces before. Especially not after proposing more public possibilities. "Why not ? It seems welcoming" he answered, his tone a bit lower than his usual one. Oh, Apollo ! Ailill had heard about some of the gods dwelling on the island and he had been quite delighted to learn about such an artist's presence in Mount Phoenix. He would very much like to meet him, maybe even sing or play music with him. "That would be great, if it's not a bother to him, of course." The staff cafeteria was truly a nice place, full of light and warmth. There was a few other persons there but none paid them any attention. It was nice, to be able to speak of more personal things in such a nice and peaceful atmosphere. The singer knew that some people weren't really interested by other's children so he decided not to bury Erik under the hundred pictures of Oona in his phone (there was even more on his laptop) so he put the device down after a few moments, taking a sip of his drink. He grinned as he answered. "Mmm… We like to talk walks, especially in the park or on the beach. I sing and play music to her a lot, my powers don't work on children, thankfully. Oh and right now, she's begging me for a puppy !"

“I guess I got what you mean, Mount Phoenix does carry a relaxing, serene vibe with it, definitely not like London,” Erik chuckled, could not help adding to his thought about the island city with a subtle smile. “For me, this place feels like a peaceful chaos. Everything and everyone can thrive, good and bad alike.” 

His grey eyes met Ailill’s in silent mutual understanding. The answer was clear, the shift in the other’s voice tone was noticeable, giving Erik a confirmation that Ailill had picked up the hint and intended to play along. The corners of his lips tugged up, and his smile was bright with innocence, but if looking close enough, one may recognize that the gleams in his eyes were borderline sinister. While it was still too soon to make the next move, he knew the elder was interested, and that satisfied him for now. “Brilliant! Just give me a call when you can arrange a time for the lesson, I’ll make sure my place is all ready to welcome you.”

Erik gave a light shake of his head as Ailill posed his concern about bothering Apollo. While he had not yet known the Greek god beyond the boundary of the employer-employee relationship, he got enough evidence to believe in the god’s readiness to help. “I’m confident that Pollo man will be happy to give you a hand, it’s right up his alley, and it’ll contribute to the success of the PAC, his own business, you see.” 

Erik let the coffee scent, the ambient noises of a few people talking in the background, and Ailill’s warm voice soothe his fidgety. While the son of Apep often presented himself as poised and collected, his tendency to fidget could be difficult to control at times, especially in one-on-one conversations with those he had just met. Luckily, Ailill’s calm aura made it easy for him to relax, and soon Erik found himself genuinely smiling at Oona’s photos and Ailill’s stories about their life. 

“Oh, I often take a walk in the park as well! Mostly in late afternoon, sometimes in early morning. Have you tried the food stalls just outside the entrance? There is one that sells churros and another sells hot chocolate, they’re my favorites.” 

His face brightened up when Ailill mentioned Oona’s wish to have a puppy. He leaned in slightly, his smile grew wider with pure joy.

“Hey, I also want to adopt a puppy! I’ve been wanting a samoyed or maltese for so long, but could not have a place for a pet until now. I’m thinking of adopting one with my best friend, maybe we can all visit the shelter sometime soon?”

[mperik]

Lupin chuckled quietly at the other. His hands only lingered long enough on them for them to get straightened up before the fell back alongside his body. He knew Dr. Feelgoods was a chaotic mess, but he hadn't expected on one of his first visits that he would have to come to the rescue of an old friend. A very unexpected reunion, though it is was one he did not mind either. "I am glad you are fine. You do not need to explain anything to me though. He seemed like the problem from the start." He spoke calmly, despite the adrenaline that still pumped through his veins. "I heard the regulars here can be an unsavory bunch, and I guess he is one of that bunch." The excitement in their voice elicited a smile onto his lips. "I guess we both should have realized that about the other, but it is still so odd to think about it, even now. Makes you wonder how many other people we have met that are the same." He reasons. He had met a person or two from his past already. Maybe, he believed that their divine blood brought them together. But, it was also likely the work of the fates themselves. "I have been here for just a few months. So, I am still pretty fresh. Sakura and I had ran into some issues that sent us to the island for help. I actually quite enjoy it here, so I stayed." He explains, finally reaching back over for his glass so nothing bad could happen to it. "I'm a child of Xbalanque. What about you, and how long have you been here?"

Erik’s face creased into a smile that was barely visible in the dim lights of the bar. Lupin’s comment about the brute got him to take a short trip down memory lane, and then came up with a conclusion. 

“It seems like I have a knack for running into unsavoury guys. Whenever I go, often there will be some sort of chaos happening sooner or later,” he shrugged, the light smile living on as an indication of his own acceptance of the unwanted ability. However, as if to counterbalance that rather grim observation, Erik quickly added with a brighter voice tone. “But I also got out of such situations still fine, thanks to the help of heroes like you!” 

He nodded in agreement with Lupin’s statement about the god heritage that they and an unknown number of their acquaintances bore in their DNAs. His still adrenaline-high brain swiftly conjured another hypothesis, which he did not hesitate to share with the other demigod. 

“I guess it has something to do with… how do you call it? Something like…the divine attraction? Like, have you ever experienced this impulsive urge to do something without any particular reason? Maybe it’s not really just a game of randomness that we demigods meet, and so, it’s very likely that we’ve met more demigods along the way than we thought we did. The possibilities are endless here, you know.”

Erik stopped his thoughts from running so that he could focus on Lupin’s answer, which he was delighted to learn about. “That’s great that you two have found a haven here, that’s pretty much the same reason why I’ve got to come and stay on this island as well.” Erik was far from being familiar with deities from his own and other pantheons, except for the major, arguably most well-known ones. Still, he dared to make a guess based on what he had learned and seen Lupin did, both in his celebrity past and the fight he had just engaged in few minutes ago. 

“Please correct me if I am wrong, but based on what I’ve seen in you, I guess god Xbalanque’s powers are related to physical strength?” 

When the question returned to him, Erik replied with ease, his attitude light-hearted and rather un-serious, not feeling the need to cover his evil of a divine father. “I’m a product of my mom and Apep. I heard them say he’s an evil giant serpent, an embodiment of darkness and chaos that was once defeated by Ra. A typical villain in the Egyptian pantheon, I bet he’s proud to be one.”

almost destined

[mperik]

There was a mild sense of surprise with how the demigod responded to her identity. While she was accustomed to the people of Kunlun genuflecting in her presence, it had been a very rare occurrence to see the demigods of this island bow or kneel to her despite her status and, honestly, the respect this young man gave to her nigh-immediately put him in her good graces. "Erik," she cooed his name with a warm tone, "a pleasure to make your acquaintance." When he looked around, he followed his search with his own eyes, perhaps also hoping to catch sight of the Greek god, perhaps to take less of this busy stage manager's time, but alas, neither could locate the deity in question simply by standing where they were. When Erik apologized for the god's absence, Xiwangmu simply lifted a delicate hand give a graceful wave, dismissing the apology; there was no need to trouble himself, and she nearly suggested she return another time, that is, until the young man asked if she would like a tour. That hand then found itself resting gently upon her chest as she had been touched by the offer. "If it is not too much trouble, then yes, that would be lovely," she replied, hoping that it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to him.

As the goddess said his name, Erik lowered his head, holding in that position a second longer than a usual nod, another indication of his respect for her. 

While he was far from having profound knowledge about the deities of other pantheons, as he still struggled to keep up with those in his, he managed to learn the major names of each. Remembering the rich history that went with those names, however, was a daunting task he had yet to make the time for. It was a shame Erik was not sure if he could ever admit, that besides recognizing Xiwangmu’s name, he had not yet learned in detail about the role she had been playing among the Chinese deities. But, that may explain why his curiosity about her reached a higher peak, and why he could muster the courage to suggest giving the goddess a tour around the PAC.

“No, no, there would only be joy and honour to have your presence here with us,” Erik quickly said, a charming smile blooming on his face as he made a polite gesture to invite her. “Please follow me this way.”

In a matter of minutes, he led them out of the theatre and back to the busy main hallway. The centre welcomed musicians, theatrical performers, and everyone who loved performing arts daily, seven days a week, so most practice rooms and dance studios were occupied. 

“So we have quite a few practice rooms around here, dance studios on the left wing, rooms for musicians on the right. And when we walk to the end of this hallway, you can see our gift shop on the right, and staff zone is just opposite it.”

Erik explained, his grey eyes shining in excitement, a shy yet enthusiastic smile on his face as he looked at Xiwangmu. He was genuinely happy to introduce his favourite workplace to her. “I believe they have tried their best to soundproof the rooms, but nothing can truly silence the love for arts, you know, so it can be a bit boisterous here at times, like today!” 

He kept a moderately slow pace so that she could take her time observing the surroundings, and kept a respectful distance from her as they walked side by side along the hallway. 

“Are you into performing arts, Doctor?” He could not help asking, eager to learn more about the goddess beyond her name. “Can you play any musical instruments?”