velmortis

[velmortis]

the daemon giggles and nods along , “ i suppose you will . perhaps if you continue to walk in on my mannequin meetings , it is just a sign that you ought to join in on them . after all , you are very talented , i think it could be fun to have a piece that comes from both of us . ” she hums . she does mean the last part . she likes violet , she would enjoy working on a project with her that is not necessarily for any specific client . she shakes her head , “ you would not get me into trouble by being late . we plan to be ahead of things specifically so that if someone is late or is ill or cannot come in for some other reason , we do not fall too behind . ” she shrugs . in the end , it is just a shop , even if valeriya holds great value in her shop after putting so much time into it . “ i appreciate that . ” though , despite her past , despite her temper , she would try not to take out any frustration on violet . another reason to be ahead . that way she does not grow upset at having to inform a client or stay late herself to make sure something is done on time . she values violet as a friend . she would make sure that she is safe — even if it meant having to protect her from valeriya .

a  small  smirk  tugs  at  her  lips  despite  herself.  ❛  well,  i  suppose  i'll  just  have  to  take  my  chances  then.  walk  in  unannounced  and  see  if  i  survive  your  mannequin  meetings.  ❜  her  voice  is  light,  teasing,  but  there's  a  flicker  in  her  eyes  —  a  trace  of  that  caution  that  never  fully  leaves. she  shifts  slightly,  letting  the  comfort  of  the  shop  (  of  valeriya's  presence  )  settle  around  her  like  a  shield.  ❛  fashionably  late  or  not,  i'll  try  not  to  get  you  into  trouble.  ❜  she  smirks  again,  this  time  softer,  almost  vulnerable.  ❛  wouldn't  want  to  test  your  patience  too  much.  ❜  she  knows  of  the  daemon's  fiery  past,  yet  she  doesn't  fear  it.  a  strange  thing.  it's  becoming  almost  normal,  this  sense  of  safety  around  people  who  have  walked  through  centuries  and  taken  lives.

[velmortis]

the erinys reaches out to stroke some hair from emilia’s face . “ allowing someone to help you is still a sign of strength . it's a difficult task . ” even if they don’t like to admit it . emilia is strong . valeriya has no doubt of it . “ sometimes those doctors are a little bit necessary . ” she nods , continuing to stroke her fingers through em’s hair gently . “ was it one of them who found you and helped ? ” the daemon asks .

valeriya is accustomed to being much more affectionate with those she is close to , but she tries to be careful not to overstep , or cause harm . and she would hate to cause further pain to emilia . “ yes , you do . ” she agrees . she’s glad that the lamia’s ego is still intact , though it’s unsurprising . “ mhm . ” vale reaches over to pick the croissant from the box , holding it out to emilia . “ i could absolutely bring you breakfast every day . i would like that . ” whether serious or not , valeriya would . she would not only get to see her friend every morning , she would also have an excuse to make far more pastries or whatever other breakfast food they decide they want than she needs . she shifts when emilia agrees to her staying for the day and moves to get comfortable beside her . “ then i shall stay and pamper you and spend time with you all day . ”

the erinys means well when she mentions survival , but emilia has a hard time agreeing with her . yes , death would have been a worse outcome , but it's not enough to stop her from feeling rage . ❛ not of my own accord . ❜ she's a prideful creature , there is just no point in denying this part of the story . ❛ who would have thought that doctors with insomnia could ever be a comforting thought ? ❜

for once , the lack of a hug is more than appreciated . the lamia never minds physical affections of any kind , but she's in no state for potential squeezes . ❛ i do deserve all the pampering . ❜ she sighs ⸻ her ego clearly remained intact , not that it comes as a surprise . ❛ a croissant with strawberries and cream ? ❜ chocolate brown eyes light up with all too familiar greed and she gives valeriya the faintest smirk when she mentions coffee . ❛ bring me breakfast more often . ❜ her tone leaves it unclear whether her demand is playful or real , but she gives her a single , serious nod in response to her question . ❛ yes , you may . you may get comfortable on the bed as well . you don't have to stay there on the edge . ❜

[velmortis]

he's always enjoyed coffee , ever since he'd first had it , preferably turkish coffee , but he enjoys a nice latte or cappuccino . for him , even thought everything tastes different as a vampire , he still enjoys it . now with some blood added at times . “ me ? ” he smiles a little . “ i judge for every little thing . ” he teases , pouring blood from his flask into her mug . “ i judge people if they attend an event that should be experienced quietly and make more noise than is necessary . ”

She smirked a little, her tone quiet beneath the rustling of the cafe. Truth be told, she had always been a coffee person. Black, sweet, it didn’t matter. Ever since she turned, despite her diet of blood, it never really tasted the same. She didn’t drink it much anymore, but maybe it was just the action. The repetition. Trying to feel normal in a sea of the unordinary. “And what about you?” Her chin tilted a bit, her gaze shifted along his frame as if trying to guess the answer before he spoke it. She did that a lot. Like somehow knowing the answer, might make it feel less surprising. “What kind of rules do you judge people for?” With that, she takes the now empty mug in front of her, and gently slides it across the table for him to pour.

[velmortis]

she can no longer picture her life without talia . the hybrid had become such a huge part of her world when she had been a child , and she had remained as such throughout her life . she had been furious that of everyone , she was the only one who had not given up on finding her niece , when it was her ex and his family's blood relative . valeriya could not imagine giving up the search for her own child , or for catarina or cosimo if they went missing . it's always been a difficult topic , even after all this time .

the daemone nods , humming a little . “ they do . and it really is lovely . it just is difficult to describe . i usually sketch things out as i talk to people to make sure we both are thinking the same thing if there is not reference photo . ” she shrugs . the dress will be lovely , now that she and the client are on the same page about things . so long as no dates change . “ of course it will be . i am the best . ” she watches talia adjust one of the flowers , humming . the bouquets always look best once talia arranges them . “ who cares about the season . chai can be drunk year round , so long as it is something you enjoy . ” she pulls out her chai mix , starting to prepare two cups , one for each of them .

it seems like valeriya is one of the rare exceptions . how is it that someone who married into the family cares more about having her around than her actual relatives ? a difficult subject , one the nymph attempts to avoid as she focuses on the person she calls her sister , the person she calls her aunt .

talia tries to interrupt her own thoughts , forcing herself to focus on the wedding dress . ❛ flower petals sound nice . ❜ she admits . everyone knows just how much she adores petals and blooms of all kind . ❛ well , you are the one making the dress . it must be gorgeous . ❜ fingers reach out to readjust one of the flowers in the vase and her eyes light up while the erinys lists her options . ❛ chai , please . i know it's not fall , but . . . ❜ it's one of her favorites . who cares about the weather ?

[velmortis]

he’s been such a wonderful friend to her — she’ll always have his back . he’s had hers through everything that’s happened , and she will have his . for her , it’s part of being friends . she is glad to have met him . even growing up with so many friends and family around her , there are not as many who she fully trusts so much now , when she still grows jumpy in some situations . she takes his hand once he gets the basket settled , helping to pull herself up so that he is not lifting her on his own , even though she’s aware that he’s capable of it . she settles on the branch once she’s fully on it , leaning against hero for a moment when his arm comes around her . she smiles up at him when he echoes her sentiment . “ i know . ” she does .  she returns the smile . the farm is always peaceful , quiet . a safe space for anyone who visits . even if it’s full of memories that ceren is not fully ready for . the land had been in her family for generations , same with the animals and orchards on the property . the place has always been lovely . she knows she is lucky to have grown up there . she looks up at hero again , a genuine smile on her face . “ i couldn't ever truly give it up . it's truly wonderful . ” she nods . “ there are just a lot of memories that i wasn't ready to face , for a while . ” she sighs a little bit , though she still smiles , her mood not dropping despite the moments of thinking of her sister . “ you are welcome to visit here whenever you'd like . even without me . my father doesn't mind . ” it wouldn't be the same as it being his own farm , but it still would give him access for day trips , if he wants .

i got you. thankfully, his face was turned upwards, eyes focused on the next branch above him, or hero would have felt a wave of embarrassment by the heat that climbed up from under his collar, staining his ears && cheeks a tinted shade of peach. such an odd, unfamiliar comfort, hearing the words given by choice rather than by the sworn oath of duty. hunters looked after each other. it was expected, but ceren's gentle reassurance was given.

" here, " he offered, bracing himself with a hand on a branch && leaning to reach for her basket to secure between a split in the wood, and then again to clasp her hand && give her a pull up to the higher perch that the hunter had come to rest on. the tree was healthy, full of vitality, it's branches thick && strong. it'd hold them both, he was sure. " let me help. c'mon, up we go- " a little grunt as he pulled his weight back, arm coming around her as they stabilized. " i got you. "

an echoed sentiment of her own, now from his own lips. the smile that followed was small, unpracticed, but genuine. somehow, it felt safer up there, like a little pocket outside of reality. surrounded by the green of the leaves, sun just peeking in through speckled patterns through the canopy, and then the rest of the orchard sprawled out ahead. after a moment, the hunter tore his eyes from ceren, and glanced back out towards the horizon. " i can't believe you just live here- lived... here. somewhere this incredible? i dunno if i'd ever be able to leave. a farm always sounded so nice, if i had the land for it. maybe someday. " though, really, hero couldn't imagine living anywhere else than the run down, shabby little cottage he inherited from michalis. the place where he grew up.

[velmortis]

kiran furrows his brow , glancing at the bench they're near that he'd told the oceanography group he runs to meet at . “ sorry , are you not here for the oceanography outing ? we’re just going to the beach and going to see some wildlife . though it’s a slower day since the fall semester hasn’t started yet . ” he shakes his head . “ even if you're not , you're welcome to join . ” he says . it really doesn't require any prior knowledge of anything , since the goal is mainly to bring people together with common interests .

stares  a  little  dumbfounded  before  turning  to  check  over  his  shoulder,  then  pointing  to  himself  like  some  character  in  a  cartoon.  ‟  me  ?  ”  eli  asks,  trying  in  vain  to  piece  together  where  he  had  met,  seen,  nor  agreed  to  meet  up  with  kiran  before.  he'd  only  been  on  campus  to  pick  up  brochures  for  marisol  (  since  they  wouldn't  do  it  themselves  ),  but  maybe ...  ‟  did  we  meet  at  the  oracle  last  night  ?  i've  got  to  admit,  i  was  extremely  drunk  and  i  don't  remember,  but ...  what  were  we  gonna  do  ?  ”  he  was  pretty  sure  he  had  time,  anyway.  nothing  much  to  do  except  go  back  to  the  glade  and  wait  around  until  other  people  got  back  from  work.

[velmortis]

she has always been fascinated by the dead . every piece of history involves it , and she gets to tell the stories of so many who died . she nods , “ they do . they tell a story . ” it's all pieces of something from history . a creepy energy to some , a fascination to others . it all just depends on the person . some , like her , were drawn to it . but others she knows would prefer to avoid it . the shifter enjoys the company of others , has made many friends in her time on the island . she chuckles , “ yes , i suppose so . although i prefer to get to look through all of the artefacts , rather than giving tours . that is reserved for the people i already know . ” she shrugs . she does prefer to be behind the scenes , as much as she does like the living as well . and more people visiting is good for the stoa — to the extent that people will pay for the tours and the services provided . “ the island's secrets will always be safe with me . ”

he's a little more wound up and anxious around the tombs , life had limits even for a dryad - but they were the heart of ancient trees brought to true life and thymae often avoided thinking of the more terminal aspects of this world . he'd been reckless in the avoidance of his own tree , something he needed to closely protect but had avoided doing so for many years . " even dead things give off an energy , no ? explains the ' creepy ' factor ." he often poises these things as a question despite how clearly he felt such palpable and tenebrous energy swarming the ruins and remains . thymae loved meeting others , he was indeed the very epitome of a social butterfly , but the crowd suddenly swarming the island felt different as of late , as though their presence confirmed everything that had been off for the last several years . " you're just happy to tell more people all the history here , " there was a teasing note in his tone but there was nothing wrong with such investment . " just keep some secrets about the island to yourself , " ominously noted , but still presented vaguely enough - this was typical of thymae .

[velmortis]

she shakes her head when he asks her about feeding lies . “ i am not feeding lies . the art itself , like all art , is open to interpretation . the history of the piece , we tell you what we learned , what we know . i am just saying that that does not mean you have to believe us . maybe there is more to it than we can truly discover yet . ” she replies . “ but in the end , if it was created in its time for the make believe , it still holds some history , doesn’t it ? if it’s our own recreation , it is noted that it is not actually the original piece but a replica for educational purposes . ” 

amir did not expect her to be this honest . speaking those words to the wrong person would be bad for business , but the vampyr has no interest in ruining this place and its reputation . there are far more important things in the world , far more entertaining too . ❛ so you are saying that you are okay with feeding lies to the people who come here to eye a piece of history ? ❜ he wonders out loud , though he makes sure that their conversation stays privy to them . ❛ good to know that i am dealing with a con artist . ❜ he adds , the words somewhat teasing .

[velmortis]

the avian's eyes shift from the artefact to the other woman , fingers lifting to trace in the air as she indicates the different pieces in the case . “ the art on it tells the story intended by the original artist , but the cracks — the way that pieces are lost or broken , tell more than that . it can tell you about the way it was well used or involved in some natural events — a story beyond just what it was . ” she shrugs , “ plenty of people are . and many things here are exactly as they appear . ”

catarina  blinks,  the  music  still  soft  behind  her  ears.  she  watches  the  other  woman’s  words  drift  around  her  (  like  a  half-heard  song  she  can't  quite  catch  the  meaning  of  )  as  she  calls  the  erinys'  words  an  analogy.  she  furrows  her  brow,  clearly  missing  the  meaning.  ❛  wait.  ❜  she  begins,  voice  quiet  but  puzzled.  ❛  you  mean  it’s  not  actually  a  bone  ?  ❜  she  glances  down  at  the  artifact  again,  tilting  her  head  like  it  might  suddenly  reveal  itself  differently.  ❛  to  me,  it  looks  like  one.  ❜  not  a  story  or  a  symbol.  she  shrugs  a  little,  a  hint  of  that  familiar  enigmatic  smile  returning.  ❛  maybe  I’m  too  literal  for  my  own  good.  ❜

[velmortis]

she relaxes more as they eat , nodding along when kie speaks again . “ i'll do my best . ” whatever the case , she does not mind asking around for this for kiara . kiara's presence means she is not alone . it's nice to have the companionship . in the end , whatever their relationship — roommates , friends , companions — they both provided something for the other . she chuckles , shaking her head . “ you don't have to . it's just an offer if you're interested in trying it , i could ask about it . i'll probably still suggest that they ought to see if anyone would be interested . ” it would be interesting to see how that would work , since ceren can't do that sort of magic . she just made the offer to kiara since it was her idea . ceren always prefers to give credit where it's due . “ thanks . ” she nods , humming . “ maybe i can help you with piecing it together — if you want . sometimes you need a different set of eyes . ” sometimes it's just that — a fresh perspective . and maybe ceren could help find someone else who could be more helpful .

Kie reflects the smile back at the other, shoulders relaxing. The food was doing is job rather well, and she realised her reluctance and subtle irritation may have been caused by hunger. So as she listened, as the other proved once again to be nothing if not nice and accommodating, Kie's voice softened. "I've full faith in you and your contacts Cee. You're one of the few people out here who...can be of help. I appreciate that." and she did, because people -- including herself -- were only really as good as they were useful. Ceren has proven time and again, she was useful enough. Once the other takes her words and spins them into a request, Kie is slightly taken aback. "Wh-- me? Oh I don't...no I don't think I'd like to try. Don't get me wrong, I love picking peoples brains but...I'm pretty sure you guys would need a more uh, skilled strega for that." the word 'skilled' is spoken like a question, the whole sentence dripping with uncertainty. "It's impressive." she says at last. "What you do, I mean. I'm trying to piece together a single night only sixteen years ago and...I can't even do that." pause. "To be able to...put bones together and figure out a story without using magic is -- well, impressive is to say the least."

[velmortis]

she does not mind waiting for emilia when it takes longer for her to open the door , and she schools her expression from the angered look quickly . she does hate when people she cares for are hurt , and cannot help the anger at whoever harmed her friend , but she is here for emilia . “ but you survived , so that is what matters . ” valeriya replies . she steps into emilia’s home , shifting to shut the door behind herself and following her friend further inside . 

valeriya doesn’t attempt to hug emilia with the state she’s in , following her back to her room and settling on the edge of her bed . she shifts so emilia can see her without having to be too uncomfortable . “ i like to pamper you . you deserve all of the pampering . ” she nods , starting to set the pastries on emilia's bedside table . “ i brought croissants , pain au chocolat , this croissant with cream and strawberries ... ” she hums . “ and coffee . ” she adds . she shifts , settling more on the edge of emilia's bed . “ can i stay and keep you company for the day to hang out ? ”

most days a knock on her door thrills her . today's not one of those days . it takes her ridiculously long to reach the door and the look on valeriya's face almost makes her want to shut it again . rhys had done a great job ensuring her survival , but it would take a couple of days for her body to make a full recovery , for the marks around her neck to fade . ❛ long story . ❜ emilia mutters , her voice still raspier than it normally is , though it definitely improved . ❛ do come in . ❜

the way she greets the daemon is far from typical , but the truth is she doesn't have the strength for much of anything else . emilia leads her inside and she sprawls out on her bed as soon as they reach it , trying to rest her bones and find a comfortable position . ❛ please , sit . ❜ on the bed , on a chair , wherever she would like . a sigh leaves her lips and she tilts her head just slightly , chocolate brown eyes trying to find her friend's face instead of the ceiling . ❛ breakfast , huh ? you did wanna pamper me . ❜

[velmortis]

the shifter had slipped out of work a bit early to come grab another coffee and take some time to herself — benefits of being mostly in charge of her own schedule and being ahead of time — and having worked all night the night before because she was so hyper-focused on her current project . ceren steps through the doors of nectar and crumbs , head tilting when she overhears one of the baristas commenting on how people do the latte art free-handed . “ no rush ! those take time , i bet it will look amazing . ”

        (    ୨୧    )    it  had  gotten  slow  enough  that  there  was  only  one  other  employee  in  nectar  and  crumbs  with  her,  both  of  them  loafing  now  that  the  breakfast  and  lunch  rushes  were  conquered  and  done  with.  since  then,  syrena  had  been  trying  out  different  shapes  to  make  on  the  lattes,  the  latest  dove  being  the  only  one  that  hadn't  turned  out  lopsided  or  impossible  to  tell  what  it  was.  "  i  don't  know  how  people  do  these  free  handed,  "  she  was  saying  to  herself  as  she  heard  the  bell  sound  of  someone  coming  in  through  the  door.  "  hi  !  give  me  one  second,  i  think  that  i've  gotten  the  wing  right.  "       

open  starter  at  nectar  and  crumbs tagging  :  @startingprophecies

[velmortis]

* kiran banerjee .

he steps out of the lyceum , brow furrowing when he sees a student rushing up to him , paper waving , and yelling out professor banerjee as if he’s going to disappear into thin air . “ take a breath , luis . ” the professor stops him before he can launch into an out of breath spiel , and the student eventually catches his breath and resumes apologising for his late paper , to which kiran just waves him off and tells him to focus on his health since that was the reason for the lateness . he stashes the paper in his bag , watching his student rush off again as he spots the person he was meeting . “ hey ! sorry i’m late . got caught up in a few last minute projects and then one of my summer students needed a moment . ” 

@startingprophecies

[velmortis]

“ usually it is nothing too dramatic . ” the shop really does not get too many irate customers , but she has a temper herself , and she does call people out . she's had her fair share of arguments with entitled customers or sometimes gone to bat for a bride who'd come in with an entourage who were not all in favour of what the bride actually wanted . she won't hold it against her staff if they react when provoked , even though she requests they don't . and unless there is glaring evidence against them , she is always on their side . “ the occasional disagreement between a bride and someone in her entourage , or someone who does not like how we do things or that a custom piece takes time . ” she shrugs . “ you can always call me if they escalate things . that's part of my job for owning the place . i get to deal with the crazies . ” but she arches an eyebrow at his admission to being fired for giving someone a concussion . “ i am curious . ” she admits in return , head tilting . maybe they deserved it — she doesn't know . “ and i have already agreed that i will give you a chance . ” “ plenty of people come in without specifying . ” and it's up to them to keep track of their own budget , in the end . “ i will start you at just above minimum during your trial period , and then we'll revisit it once it's over . does that sound good ? days off are standard paid vacation required and then unpaid if you need or want more time , though you accumulate some as you work . ” she offers . but so long as this works out , she'd raise him to at least five bucks over minimum like she does with everyone once their trial period ends . “ are you wanting full time ? ”

"Alright." he nods, he listens, he follows in her step like a lost puppy. As she goes on and on about the possibilities he's not even thought of, his brows rise in surprise and he finds a quick moment to meet her gaze. "Damn, I had no clue a dress shop would be getting so much action." then his mind drifts back to working in retail, expensive ass shop at the mall and he recalls nearly sucker punching a woman because he couldn't tell the difference between various shades of pink. So he eventually nods in acceptance. "Think I'll just, smile and nod. Got fired from my last job because I gave some prick a concussion.." probably not the smartest admittance on a miracle job, so he smiles, brushing it half off. "Long story, that." Finally, it feels like a quick rundown has reached it's inevitable ending, and he leans over the counter once again, eyeing her every move. "Mind the budget. Got it." Lucas did not, in fact, get it. And it would most likely show eventually. "So salary and...days off an' all that, hows that work?"

[velmortis]

“ people are really fucking dumb . ” ceren rolls her eyes at the thought . “ maybe we should go to their work place while we are tired and under-caffeinated . see how they feel about it when i throw a fit at them over something they can't control . ” she's mostly joking . a part of her does want to do that . “ you shouldn't have to . whether you're in the mood or not . ” if anything , ceren would understand kelsey being grumpy to them all after having to be up earlier to get the place set up . everyone else could fuck off if they wanted to be rude . “ you have to be here to set everything up before opening , so you probably have to get up much earlier . therefore if anyone gets to be rude , it ought to be you for having been up early and having to deal with these asshats . ” the shifter shrugs as she slips her receipt into her pocket . she slips a much larger than would be normal tip into the jar .

     " yeah, well. people think the world owes them something just cause they’re tired and under-caffeinated. " as if it gave them a free pass when that was the same sad story that most people had. " it's okay, i've dealt with worse. i'm just not really in the mood right now. " just like everyone else, but she was trying not to take that out on anyone else. she made her own choices, and they had very little to do with them. the receipt prints. she tears it off and slides it across the counter. " thanks for not being one of them. "

[velmortis]

* ceren & marina .

the avian steps further into ambrosia , deciding that despite her friend cancelling on her , she was going to go in and enjoy herself anyways . she’s always liked ambrosia , but it's been a while since she's been by . so she settles at the bar , eyeing the menu for a moment as she decides on what to get . her eyes lift when the bartender comes over to her , and her head tilts when she recognises @insidiousncss . “ marina ! ” she looks her up and down a moment and smiles . it's been a few months now since things ended . “ you look good ! ” an understatement . when does marina not look good ? the

[velmortis]

* ceren .

she used to like walking at night — it was cooler out , she’d watch the sunset and then make her way home . now , it’s still uncomfortable when she's alone . although , she can call for help if she needs , and she has other options . but it’s never been the same since her sister’s death a year ago . perhaps she should slip into an alley and shift — fly home . though perhaps a heron flying from the middle of the town is a bit strange to see . but kie knows her usual route and her step-sister and her share location . but it’s still nerve-wracking . she should have planned better . she decides to slip into a building so she can be somewhere relatively safe while she decides what she’ll do , smiling at another . “ it’s such a lovely night out , isn’t it ? ” she asks @fxllens .