#c: aiyla 003

[nyraxodeyer]

for: @aiylabaysal time & location: after dodgeball, outside the rec centre

Wet hair and laying on a towel in the sun could be the start to a great day of relaxation, or it should be, reality however decided against that wondrous image she had hoped and no amount of pretending would change that. But Nyra wasn't the one to give into such lofty imaginative scenarios anyway. The facts were starkly different even if they stemmed from the same beginnings. Wet hair, laying on towel in the sun was the resultant of a game that despite initial victory led to a exhaustively unwanted aftermath. Scales glimmered in the sun as she pulled herself onto her elbows, Aiyla beside her wearing much the same downtrodden expression, "Eventfully, wasn't it?" she breathed out, eyes roaming around the area where she had asked Meena to place her after the activity, her tail restricting her functionality, "You're more than welcome to wander by the way, I'll be fine here." She had been shocked at the tactics used, sprinklers of all things, and not just once too, a weakness exploited so easily, but such was the nature of competition but this wasn't what had her mood low, a combination of things really that she tried to cast aside, a poorly attempted thing. Still she willed a softer look towards Aiyla, "Are you doing okay?"

[masonxmahir]

for: Aiyla ( @aiylabaysal ) & Jas ( @cantfightmoonlight )

Despite the little nap he had taken during the gift exchange, tiredness crept around the edges, sleep faintly calling out to be let in. The event and everything that followed it, had been a lot. Running around hopped on artificial energy gained from energy drinks and candy would soon crash, but there were so much fun to be had, and he couldn't be that person too, to sleep before midnight not on this day, but without fireworks lighting the sky, he couldn't tell if the new year was yet to come or had past. Casting such thoughts aside, Mason had a plan for once and he'd be dammed to be distracted from it.

"This is on you, actually," Mason marched pointedly at Aiyla. Tracking her down had been difficult and not without a few threats but eventually he caught sight of the Fae Queen. "You did this." He didn't know specifically what this was either, just that they felt different since using the dark magic spell. With the bigger spell of the night cutting their tie with kindness and making an indifference settle that would normally would not be present, this one was much of the same feeling. He became unwillingly to share unless there was something in it for them. Even if then. "You could've let me be, but no, had to get all fuckin' righteous." Patience had never been their strong suit, wanting things done immediately or risk boredom had always been the case.

"I would demand an apology but we got things to do. And ya, I said we, since we're both in this mess." Could the blame lay with them, perhaps if one was inclined to look that way, but did Mason in this moment fault themself? Absolutely not. "I don't know much about this type of magic, just that it's been real nice to try it, but like..." It was a strange dichotomy to want to rid of this but also not care enough to wholly want that. Maybe one could stay and the other go? Essentially losing two major parts that made them them grew to be a weird mix. This numbness that he felt now could almost be pinpointed if he could focus. "...I gotta know more about this, so you're coming with me. Not an option by the way." He did from time to time turn to check if Aiyla was indeed following, he had no qualms leaving her like this, really, it would be easier but a fleeting part of knew this to be the right thing to do. Directionless again, Mason wandered to where last they heard Jas was. She should be here somewhere... but with the cool shadow portals in play, who knew if that changed.

"JAS, hey Jas!" Mason bounded up, finally spotting her, desperation he felt moments prior melting into a sigh of relief. "God, you're so hard to find." Unsurprising that she had black eyes too, in fact, he was banking on it. "Listen, so, I need your help...and her too," he pointed to Aiyla, "Since you know more about this kinda thing, I think I did something to us? Now everything is so different on top of things already being so different."

[dvsconocvdo]

Aiyla's casual display of kindness only soured Amrita's thoughts further. She was not worthy of these actions. Being invited inside, offered refreshments, it was all too much. Why hadn't the Council called for her again? She had fucked up again. Could they kick her out? As her thoughts went wild, she felt a frown spread on her features unconsciously. Clearing her throat nervously, she nodded. "Yeah. These are for you. I hope you like them. It's not much... Lemonade would be lovely, though. Thank you." Aiyla's house was as bright and sunny as the Fae Queen herself, and Amrita did her best to not avoid Aiyla's gaze for too long. "I, um, yeah I came to apologize. I... A few days ago, at the ball, I... definitely destroyed a bit of the hotel and casino and I know usually the fae are situated there... I just wanted to apologize. I'm really sorry. I was very careless and I'll be fixing it. I think Rae and I will go over to undo it..." Still an apology felt appropriate. Underneath the guilt and shame of destroying the property laid a deeper guilt... She hadn't been able to get Aiyla or Mason or Rohan out in time. After all that trouble and destruction, she had failed. "I know this isn't my first offense at this sort of thing, and I don't want you or the other leaders to think that it's going to be a habit of mine." Only after apologizing did Amrita move to sit down across Aiyla, avoiding the fae's eyes as she did so. She wanted to speak and ask about Aiyla's lemonade recipe, or if the fae was growing her own lemons, but it all felt too self-indulgent. Aiyla may ask her to leave after this, so Amrita should count her blessings, hence why she waited fidgeting with her fingers.

Aiyla had been tending to her garden, a distraction that was quickly losing it's appeal when she had a visitor come bearing a beautiful arrangement of flowers she could see through the window from her kitchen. Smiling fondly, she removed her gloves and welcomed a new distraction. "Of course not." She appealed to Amrita, pulling the door open to invite her inside. "I made some lemonade." She said while inviting Amrita into her sunny kitchen. "Fresh lemons, too." She offered while pouring them each a glass over ice. Aiyla sipped, "I'm assuming the flowers, are they for me?" She asked, "Let me get a vase for them, free up your hands." She said, moving through her kitchen to pluck a crystal vase from under the sink and fill it with tap water.

"I love having company, Amrita, but I have a feeling you're here with a purpose, right?" She'd assumed this had something to do with the ball, her hand in the property destruction that would take some time to repair. She sat on a pulled-out chair from her small dining table, inviting Amrita to join her by pulling out a chair for her. She wanted to see what Amrita had to say before responding to absolve her of whatever guilt she had that lead her to bring flowers to her door.

[kenzievaisman]

with: @aiylaxavci where: Danny’s home, Southside.

★・・・・・・★

                           Southside was small enough for Danny’s house to be closer than Kenzie would like. She passed the house to and from her walk from work, she’d look down as she crossed the street so her field of vision was tampered by her long braids. She wondered if Danny had got around to cleaning it up inside. That was the only reason why she glanced up. “Aiyla?” Kenzie stopped walking instantly, waiting for a car to pass before she jogged towards Danny’s house.  Was that...was that feeling in her stomach jealousy? No, no way. Left over residue of a territorial nature, perhaps. A learned reaction from the countless women Danny ran to instead of her. She laughed it away, confused and suddenly bewildered by seeing a new friend leaving the house. “What are you...” Danny, really? Aiyla was way above that mess of a man. Kenzie looked at Danny’s home and pulled a face. “Jesus, he really just...” Fucks everybody, she nearly said out loud.

[masonxmahir]

Giving another eye roll, Mason, despite not knowing enough French to be conversational, still knew enough to pick on the tongue, "Don't be so dramatique," he emphasised the word with an over the top accent, "And do not call me a child when you were out there hiding in the grass, that's only gonna make me laugh." It may have been their fault, but that need to do something to satiate the bubbling, burning feeling prompted them to take such a step and he would not apologise for how good it made them feel. Magic pulsed under their fingertips still and the very little self control proved only grew to near impossible levels.

"Calm the fuck down, would ya?" Mason couldn't help but snap back at Jas, knowing this wasn't their normal behaviour fazed them only a little before whatever the spell seemed to do took over thoughts and actions, "We're all in the middle of something." Huffing out a breath, Mason wanted to, just for shits and giggles, be deliberately slow and drag this out, he understood the need for urgency yet at the way Jasmine was speaking to them, accusatory and frankly thinking she was hot shit, he didn't like that very much. And he would've held the silence a little longer had it not been her mentioning their familiar.

Eyes narrowing, hands folding across chest in defence at the request, "Aren't you supposed be good at magic and this shit," he waved to the shadows that danced about, "Why do you need Cap? I ain't really in a giving mood. Which is the problem actually, and if you would've stopped demanding shit I would've told ya. That dark magic stuff, I dunno how but it took something from me, I feel different. I can't pinpoint what I lost, but...something at my core..." It was a strange emptiness, made them unlike how hey would be, kind and giving nature withered in the shadows and that gnawing feeling of wanting more of this magic replaced it. "Can't say it's all bad, it doesn't feel all bad. Affected her too," he pointed at Aiyla, "She's so snappy and dramatic now. " A favour for a favour, he scoffed, there was no reason to trust her and he wasn't about to foolishly give away Cap if that mean danger, "Why do you wanna find Cypress? 'Sides I don't know no one of that name anymore."

( @aiylabaysal )

Whatever horror Mason had inflicted upon her Aiyla did not expect the burning anxious rolling that would settle into every fiber of her being. The entire had been hell- she had lost track of all the horrors that had been inflicted upon her and the town but more than any physical pain this mental pain was by the worse. She would take hours of physical fighting over this feeling that she could not escape. Everything she had felt was flimsy, threatening to slip through her fingers with a single tug from a greedy usurper who would be bold enough to try and take it all from her grasp. Well over her dead fucking body- they would have to find her first. She was so certain she had found the perfect hiding place while figuring out how to cement her power and prevent any more of it from being stolen. She was so sick and tired of people taking from her.

Laying on the ground Aiyla hugged her legs to her chest, every bristle of the wind was a threat that made her body tense. No imagined threat was a bad as the cut of his voice. Aiyla jumped to her feet, "You stay away from me." She warned any desire to be gentle, patient or understanding slipped from her the moment she saw him. Her wings unfurled and she pushed off the ground away from the earth and trees and anything else they could use to hold her down again. She would be damned if she ever let her guard down around anyone ever again. "Me apologize to you. You are deluded." She frowned and kept space between them. She laughed, a bitter cutting sound slicing through her paranoia. "You want me to follow you to fix this that you selfishly caused?" She huffed and fluttered after him only if it meant she could do away with this strangling feeling of paranoid delusions. On one logical hand, she knew she was being unreasonable and on the other, all she wanted was to cling to the things she'd worked so hard for, the things that belonged to her. It was only hers and as far as she could tell everyone else was out to snatch it from her.

"Are you lost mon petite râleur?" My little complainer. She scoffed and glided to a stop still refusing to touch the ground, her eyes cutting around the room. Crossing her arms, she gave a sharp look to Mason, "Oh see it is your fault." She pointed, "Children playing with magic they don't understand creating chaos." She responded bitterly under her breath, "Jasmine?!" She called from above if only the witch would hear one of them and help undo this hell that had crashed over them.

@cantfightmoonlight

[nyraxodeyer]

Nyra simply nodded, "I understand your concern and really I'm okay," she reassured, "This is just…part of what it means to be a Siren. But yes, I understand why some others feel strongly about it." Others saw the turn as something shameful, even though she didn't, she knew why they felt that way and wouldn't tell anyone how to feel.

Noting the way tears continued to fall and emotions still swirling, Nyra's expression softened more, and were she able without it being awkward, she would likely wrap the girl in a comforting embrace. "No, I agree that he isn't senseless either, but he did act without sense in this instance. Entirely childish for a grown man. But - wait.. done with you?" she asked a bit baffled to hear such a thing, "Who is he to be done with you? I know he comes with a reputation, but do not ever diminish yourself to be just a thing for someone to use, you hear me? No boy or emotion should squash that." It had been entirely too long since the subject of crushes, of matters of the heart, she had to think on how best to assure Aiyla that she was not in the wrong here. "We can do that too," she said slowly picking her words, "Not outright, but we posses the skill to bend the truth to our will, to our bidding, it's also an option for us but in a way that it isn't for others. A skill we can develop. But being honest is never a bad thing, it's a good quality." Nyra knew herself to fall into the middle of the two, she can truthful and could, if she chose, to dance around the border when the time comes. "You shouldn't swallow it down, it would only hurt more. Emotions demands to be felt, so feel what you need to feel. If he returns and even if he doesn't, this, him ignoring you, is not because of who are are. It's a poor reflection on his part."

She closed her eyes when Aiyla questioned her, taking a moment to sit in her thoughts, in her memories before answering, "I don't think there is an overall definitive number. I'm a hundred and sixty seven, I run parallel to love rather than hand-in-hand. Most occasions at least. There have been a distinct few times when by luck or magic, lines crossed, when time also allowed for paths to be crossed. I remember five people that have impacted me greatly. All five I've lost to time," her smile grew sad at the thought, "But the universe moves on, so I had to as well."

Aiyla softened, "Yes, I love your tail too- it's a beautiful part of you, Nyra. And it should be your choice when it comes out. Even if you're not upset about it, which I'm happy for," she thought of the other siren's the ones who she knew were upset, "plenty of others are, and even if they weren't I'm upset-" she replied with a rasped sigh, "You should be able to choose what form your body is in at all times," Aiyla explained her position delicately. Having grown into her ears and wings with parents who didn’t understand what she was. Whose solution was to bind her back so she could not let them out, to look for ways to hide or alter how she was naturally. To take away her autonomy "It's your body and a wonderful strength that I admire about all Sirens. It shouldn't be used to get an advantage over on a game," she smiled sadly, "but if you are not upset, then I will not be upset on your behalf.”

Aiyla worked her bottom lip between her teeth; at the fear of sounding like an ingenue, she did not protest, even when her heart lept into her throat. She sniffled and shook her head, "I want to believe there is a reason he's not told me yet. Something to make sense of it all...I'd never thought of him as callously cruel. He's not senseless, not in all the years I've existed in the same orbit as he, had I thought a single thing about him was senseless," she explained, "I am having a hard time making sense of him now...maybe he's just done with me," she flopped back resting her hand over her stomach, "Seems an awfully cruel and juvenile way to end a..." she furrowed her brows, unsure of what to call what they had, or what they were. She left it unsaid, drawing a shuddered breath, "The most difficult part is it seems so unlike him and I thought him so candid that I must have forgotten how easily human men can lie," Aiyla whispered turning a tear-stained face to Nyra, "It's not fair, we're chained to the truth while others treat it like an option...I'm trying not to, trying to swallow it down, but I feel sick...like there is no room anywhere in me for anything else but these feelings...it hurts all over," Aiyla frowned, "I know I'll be okay, " even if she suspected it would be a long time yet before she got over the him of it all. She looked then to Nyra curiously, "How many times have you ever been in love?" she asked not as any admission of her own feelings, but in wonderment of the life her dearest friend and mentor had lived.

[hinge]

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