mirrorstruck

[mirrorstruck]

the son of amateratsu rubs his temples, trying to stave off the tightening coils of a migraine. he'd been through hell during his time at the ark. the loss and return of hugo, the splintering of his pantheon; somehow this was proving to be a challenge even more difficult. being the son of amateratsu? that came natural. communicating his feelings? not so much.

with a gentle exhale, he moves toward the bed, sitting down at the edge. he didn't want to fight, or push aleki away, but it wasn't exactly easy on him either. "i'm not like you, aleki. i've never... had to talk about my feelings like this. you've been in love, and you pour your heart out and—i don't know how to explain what i feel."

but he'll try, for aleki's sake.

"it just feels different. not like hugo, not like my other friends, it's just... it feels like when we're together, i don't have to just be amateratsu's son. no honorifics, no responsibility."

"you make it look easy, you're just yourself all the time, no matter what anyone thinks. i envy your boldness."

he felt stupid, not entirely sure if the nonsense he was babbling on about made sense.

"i probably sound like an fool." sighing, he flops down onto bed rather unceremoniously. "i'm sorry, take your walk if you so need."

...             so much said and still, aleki didn't feel like forest quite heard him. and the last thing he wanted was to around in circles, while forest fixated on one thing and sweep the rest under the rug. ❝  i asked to keep things casual ────── but did you not just hear me say this isn't even about that arrangement ?   ❞ it was about sincerity. and maybe, he was a fool to ask for some kind of resonance here : the question didn't beg forest to have to pour his heart out, it didn't ask him to give aleki a reason to want to be more just friends. he was only asking for clarity in forest's perspective why they had become this close and physically intimate so easily. he thought the answer would come easy from forest. but he wouldn't grovel at the feet of a man who would just shut him out the moment he asked for some tender candor. ❝  we can be just friends and you can still answer a question, forest.   ❞ but he wasn't going to ask again. ❝  i just wanted us to be more open with each other. and yeah, i wanted some reassurance. i don't care that we're just friends ... i just wanted to hear you say why. just wanted to know what is it about me that makes you want to be here. and if that's blurring a line for you then i'm sorry i asked. ❞ aleki sighed, shoulders lifting in a slight shrug. ❝  but i'm not going to ask you to change. but i'm also who i am, and i can't be somewhere where it's impossible for friends to have an emotional connection, too. and c'mon, if you can't even answer a simple question about why you like being my friend, i don't think you'll find much reason to be more than that with me either. ❞   maybe it was a little dramatic. maybe even a little pathetic. but aleki needed some fresh air, leaving his own lodge to clear his head. he loathed how volatile his emotions could be since his death : but at least he could still be honest about the emotions that washed over him. that was how he knew he was still himself.

[mirrorstruck]

"hmph." forest simply grunts indignantly, not willing to comment on such an accusation. it was true, but he didn't exactly like the idea of admitting that aloud, particularly wanting to avoid an 'i told you so'. whatever gripes he had were gone in an instant, however, the moment reid's hands are on him.

a soft hum leaves his lips, thinking of times when things were easier, when the most he had to worry about was his work. "i'm a little tense." he admits quietly, resting his cheek on folded arms. "i owe you big time."

" see, this is why i need to do this. you stress out too much, forest. " reid shook his head at the sudden concern his friend was having when he was being so kind in offering this massage to help him put his mind at ease. living at the ark had been so stressful for them all and the pressure to succeed was immense; it's why they needed to find pleasure or content in the little moments where they could simply be themselves instead of these entities of power or strength to save the world.

" i've done this before. my mom was pretty attuned to moving energy and helping and she taught me a little bit. " bringing his hands together, reid rubbed them quickly to generate some heat before he pressed it against the small of forest's back.

[mirrorstruck]

forest was rather adept at feigning his emotions. he had a remarkable control over how he presented himself. he came from an affluent family who valued appearances. he was lucky enough that his hobbies were never stifled, but everything he did had to be performed with honor and perfection.

even if he was unhappy, he wouldn't let it affect the others.

"few would deny how good you look today." or any day, for that matter. smiling, he motions toward the table nearby. there were various raw meats prepared to be grilled, some side dishes and appetizers. "please, help yourself, it's why i planned this."

resting hands on his hips, he nods. "it's an old tradition from the old days. an end of summer get-together as a show of unity. sadly, our ranks are much thinner than they were in years past."

"there they are." forest flashes a warm, wide smile as he spots mai approaching. nearby, kiko chirps at his side, curious as she follows his gaze. "my favorite whirlwind." chuckling softly, he embraces his fellow shinto god with a brief hug. it's quite uncharacteristic for the son of amateratsu, but more and more he found himself breaking from traditional norms.

"i'm glad you made it, you're just in time for the first grilling." he motions for the other to follow him toward the array of tables they had set up. "we have hotpot as well, and a few bowls of samgyetang for the heat." he was proud that they had others show, even those outside of his pantheon.

@onibeauty

[mirrorstruck]

it had been a while since forest had come to research the disappearance of the shinto relics. their last mission had proven... difficult, to say the least. thinking about it now made his head hurt, but he powers through, determined to bring his pantheon back to its former glory.

unable to solve the next clue on his own, he calls upon his good pal ryu to help them pinpoint the next spot they'd need to visit. with any luck, he could bring his frenemy along. if not, maybe their combined research could yield results.

[mirrorstruck]

it'd been a while since he'd seen reid, and he'd be lying if he hadn't missed his presence a bit. they shared trauma, and he'd been one of the few allowed to peer into the inner machinations of the shinto pantheon. he trusted him, that much was certain.

"you got it, boss." he smiles gently, slipping onto his stomach and tugging down his shorts just a little bit, giving reid full access the the span of his back. "have you done this before or should i be worried?"

coming  back  was  tough  for  the  sheer  fact  that  reid  had  no  clue  how  the  others  would  embrace  him.  so  when  forest  had  been  complaining  about  tightness  in  his  shoulders,  reid  was  happy  to  use  what  he  knew  to  try  and  loosen  up  the  man.  with  actual  combat  and  fighting  happening,  they  would  really  do  for  an  actual  masseuse  to  help  them.

"  yeah,  not  a  problem.  they  have  little  tables  here.  just  hop  on  and  we  can  work  on  the  knots,  belly  down.  "

[mirrorstruck]

"there they are." forest flashes a warm, wide smile as he spots mai approaching. nearby, kiko chirps at his side, curious as she follows his gaze. "my favorite whirlwind." chuckling softly, he embraces his fellow shinto god with a brief hug. it's quite uncharacteristic for the son of amateratsu, but more and more he found himself breaking from traditional norms.

"i'm glad you made it, you're just in time for the first grilling." he motions for the other to follow him toward the array of tables they had set up. "we have hotpot as well, and a few bowls of samgyetang for the heat." he was proud that they had others show, even those outside of his pantheon.

@onibeauty

[mirrorstruck]

a gentle laugh escapes forest's lips; not for aleki, but for himself. how strange it was to be here in this situation, so far removed from his old life at the shinto camp. he never had to worry about matters of the heart, focused solely on his duty. now, here he was, feeling the need to justify his apprehension.

"you wanted this arrangement." he replies calmly, offering a slightly inquizzitive look. "you insisted that we keep this casual, i'm respecting that." even if he hadn't really... done casual before, he was willing to respect a boundary, to keep his feelings compartmentalized.

"do you think me pouring my heart out would change your mind? or make you want to run away?" it was genuine, perhaps he wasn't as experienced in the war of love as aleki was. "i just don't understand, you're sending me mixed signals."

aleki thought that he was finally building a bridge here ; a chance for them to be more vulnerable with each other, more intimate than just anything physical. and it wasn't like him to blatantly seek out words of affirmation, but forest's answer to the question only made him embarrassed to have asked in the first place. forest didn't need to say much, but aleki just felt like he got nothing at all. " it's not. " sure, they made an agreement to be casual. to stay friends. but he thought the reasons for them being here, always by each other's sides, was beyond just that. it didn't feel as trivial to him as forest decided to put it. " i don't see you spending time with your other friends as much. fucking them. sleeping beside them. doing what we do. " maybe forest was just waiting for him to show his emotions first ────── but that was just a matter of inevitability. despite all his grief, despite all his burying, aleki could never lie. aleki could never hide the feelings that reached his features. still, a previous flame had left enough to scar his mind. and aleki really did not want to give his all into something if it wouldn't be reciprocated. he swung his legs off the bed, slipping his moccasins on. " i stay because you've been the one who has always here for me. you look after me just as much i do with you. you make me feel comfortable. you make me feel good. " aleki let a tired sigh out as he stood up, shoulders lifting slightly in a shrug, unsure where to go from here. " yeah, we're friends. and it's not even about wanting to be more than just that ... but we don't even talk about things that are going on. what we feel about anything and everything. you can't even tell me what you like about me. " he never really liked superficiality ; no matter what they were. of course, he couldn't just force forest to talk about his emotions. he couldn't just push him out of his comfort. but aleki didn't want to be somewhere so stifled. he was exhausted, but even then sleep would probably not come for awhile. " i'm going for a walk. "

[mirrorstruck]

"you're here early." by nature, forest was early to rise. knowing not everyone was like him, he decided to wait for a reasonable time before he began getting the grill ready for their barbecue to end the summer with a bang. it was a years-long tradition within their pantheon, to send off the warmer months. this year just felt... different, given their losses, and it being the first time forest was the host.

"i don't expect to see much company today, outside of you and mai." he flashes a tiny smile, nodding as he sets up one of the tents with a soft grunt. he wasn't physically the strongest, but he was capable. "i've had them ship something special over too, i think you'd like it."

@sonofstorms

[mirrorstruck]

the sun was bright and high in the sky, embracing the beach in its warm rays. pulling off his shirt, he feels a little bit self-aware that his midsection was less defined than when he first arrived. maybe he was just a little happier now, or maybe he needed to hit the gym a bit more.

"i appreciate you doing this for me." the son of amateratsu grins as he glances over his shoulder at reid, carding a hand through his styled locks. "just tell me how you want me."

@dreidful

[mirrorstruck]

it may not have been the word aleki was searching for, but insurmountable was a pretty apt description for the silent divide between them. forest had resigned himself to maintaining the facade that things were okay, a familiar behavior perfected over the years. regardless of the storm that raged within, he maintained near-perfect composure.

"i stay because we're friends." its short, sweet, but not complicated, which is how aleki seemed to prefer things between them. forest wouldn't grovel at the feet of a man who was willing to leave, if only he'd been asked. he wouldn't let that cycle perpetuate itself. "is that not reason enough?"

he stands, gently easing on an oversized tee, stuffing the one he'd swiped from aleki to the very bottom of his bag. "and you're plenty easy to like."

snatching his bag up, he drops it somewhere on his side of the bed, where he could slip out by morning time. "i could ask you the same question, why do you stay?"

insurmountable ; it was definitely a great word to describe everything that had happened lately. but even then, aleki didn't really think there was a word in any language that could perfectly encompass the weight of his confused emotions. forest had been a great friend, a presence that made everything just a little bit easier ────── but aleki loathed how he always needed to rely on someone else to ease that empty feeling inside of him nowadays. he hated being left alone, he hated not doing anything : interludes only made it easier for his body to yearn for that serenity he felt in rarohenga. and despite his stubborn nature, even his will couldn't save him from that longing. " no. not really . . . " he said, tiredness evident in his voice but sleep eluded him most nights. there was an apologetic look in his eyes as he stared at forest, uncertain what else he needed to be sorry for but that guilty feeling remained. " you know it's really hard for me to talk about what's going here, " a hand placed to his chest. aleki was nothing but an honest man, but that didn't make it easier for him to be vulnerable. to bare his heart and soul to anyone. especially after reid left him. the first time. the second time. " and i know that this . . . between us . . . we're just friends, but will you tell me why you stay anyway ? " an awkward chuckle left him. they might have been friends for awhile now, but something like this was still foreign territory. sure, they connected physically. but dealing with emotions was an entirely different thing. and this was bound to happen sooner or later. " i'm not really the easiest person to like. " or love, for that matter.

[mirrorstruck]

"mm, barbecue." forest sighs at the thought, hungry despite the fact that he was well, currently eating. it was always nice to grill, all year round. possibly his favorite food, if he were being honest. maybe hugo was right, they could do something nice, at least for the few members they had in their pantheon.

"i think you have a good idea in mind, might as well get to planning." summer was quickly eluding them, they should plan it sooner rather than later. "did you want to open it to everyone or... just our own? perhaps ryu can come join us."

Belief in each other was something special. Stronger than a belief in themselves. Those most precious to Hugo supported him, so there was less room for his self doubt lately. It was a nice feeling. "Not without you, or Mai." Hugo wouldn't stand alone. Not again. He relied on them.

"It's a shared legacy. Always will be. That's what makes us strong. ... Stronger than the other pantheons." He spoke with pride, but muffled the last part slightly around the tea cups edge. Knowing full well Forest heard him. At the compliment Hugo offered a gracious nod, but wore a smirk. "It's not barbecue, but..."

Hugo plucks up his jeotgarak and samples the rice and egg together. Comfort food was often the best cure for anxiety. "If you ever want to host a barbecue... I'd love the challenge. You could help. We should do it before summer's out."

[mirrorstruck]

when aleki snaps, forest deflates, but he does a remarkable job at hiding it. stepping back and off the bed, he crosses around to sift through a bad he had full of clothes. the potential for a tender moment shattered by the weight of their circumstances. he understood, of course, there was a lot to worry about.

"insurmountable." he mutters, keeping his gaze deep into his bag as he decides what he was to slip on for the night. "adjective, meaning 'too great to overcome'." he'd never thought of aleki as stupid, he was remarkable in his own way. a fantastic fighter, gifted in the battlefield, calculating when he needed to be. "is that the word you're looking for?"

there were times that aleki wished he was more intelligent, more methodical ────── so many things happening across the pantheons and yet he barely had any answers. he had never been the brains of the operation, and he never would be ; but it felt like the responsibility for the gecko problem had fallen on his shoulders, especially with reid gone and most people either only really caring about their own pantheons or their selfish whims. and aleki didn't want to be the one to always preach harmony and cooperation, not when he felt fractured inside, too. " are you even listening ? everyone is being targeted, forest. pasifika, shinto, egyptian, aztec, greek ... everyone. " that much was already clear with whiro's attempt to steal xochitl's body, then his, cepos, harlan and electra. and it would also explain why parts of asuka were never recovered, except for some entrails. but aleki didn't mean to snap at forest ; he had always been reactive, but it was harder to sidestep his emotions with all the stress. he closed the book and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a few moments. " sorry. " he said quietly, looking at forest with a weak smile. " being at acoma was a nice break, but the world isn't going to save itself. " and it was barely a break, after losing one of his closest friends while rescuing the red queen. " everything just feels ... " he paused as he searched for the right words, the palatable words, but there weren't any. so, he just grinned. " never mind. "

[mirrorstruck]

forest smiles politely, even if it doesn't quite reach his eyes. in some ways, he felt a lot of pressure to perform, mostly his own doing. in others, he felt like a total failure. the truth was somewhere in the middle; he'd secured a victory against the god-slayer, but lost many in the pursuit. was it really a win in the face of devastation?

"i have utmost faith that you can carry the legacy of this pantheon." whether or not the son of amateratsu had a place among their ranks, it was entirely unclear. eating eagerly from his bowl, a smile plays at his lips. "you're a good cook, have i ever told you that?"

"You started it." Hugo taunted while wearing a smirk. With anyone else, the concern might become grating after awhile, but Hugo would always hear out Forest. Before the Ark, he and Mai were all Hugo had to trust and rely on. The bonds were sacred to Raijin's son, and that was before bringing religion or relation into it.

He felt a sigh escape him while watching Forest work. Touching as his words were, Hugo had a hard time believing them. After what transpired in the last month. This was no time to bring down the mood though. Forest said he was alright and Hugo did the same. They should move on. There was work to do. More chances to make his failures up to his close ally. "We wouldn't have made it this far without you, Yu-Jun. I will do my best."

The fighter approached and took a seat once the last plate had been set. The meal looked appropriate for them. Not too heavy, yet energizing, and Hugo was anxious to try the tea Forest provided. He gave the cup a turn before bringing it to his lips. The flavor was sweeter than he's used to, but still natural. Sat here, soothed by the tea, safe in Forest's home with a full meal before them... Hugo would hold onto this moment.

[mirrorstruck]

forest raises a brow, but doesn't press mai much further to elaborate. they seemed friendly enough for now, so he'd take it face value as a light-hearted joke. after all, they were peers within this pantheon, he needed all the help from the shinto he could get. their numbers are dwindling, they needed to save as many as they could.

"glad to see we're still recruiting, i was worried." hands are stuffed into his pockets, humming as he motions for them to return to the mall. "i joined before the merging, i can't remember a lot from my time then." strange, but he didn't question much of it. "kiko came into my life under unfortunate circumstances, she's the best thing to come of that situation." smiling down at her, he glances back toward mai.

"how have you been settling in here?"

 ❝  gokigen'yō,  kiko!  ❞  now  mai  does  as  forest  was  about  to  do  with  a  respectful  bow  and  a  smile  of  splendor.  on  one  hand,  their  ice  cream  was  gone  and  not  a  taste  of  it  had  made  it  on  their  tongue.  but  in  the  grand  scheme,  rather  the  dairy  swirl  go  to  the  mouth  of  a  guardian  than  for  something  tragic  to  happen  to  it,  like  falling  on  the  ground  and  splatting  everywhere.  now  that  would  be  something  get  angry  about  in  mai's  point  of  view.  ❝  well  I'm  not  gonna  say  no  to  another  ice  cream,  but  don't  feel  like  you  gotta  replace  it  to  keep  me  from  summoning  a  twister  to  destroy  your  house  !  ❞  though  that  might  have  sounded  a  bit  dark,  mai  really  did  mean  well,  following  along  with  the  son  of  amaterasu  and  the  fox  with  no  worries. 

❝  the  more  I  think  about  it,  it  was  more  like  how  did  the  ark  find  me:  I  may  or  may  not  have  accidentally  created  a  small  set  of  hurricane-level  winds  in  setting  an  example,  but  the  ark  liked  my  moxie  and  asked  me  if  I  wanted  to  help  in  their  crusade.  at  the  time  I  wasn't  exactly  in  the  best  life,  so  of  course  I  said  yeah  !  ❞  what  kind  of  example  they  were  setting  was  a  bit  vague,  though  from  their  tone,  it  sounded  like  it  was  such  a  way  for  a  reason.  regardless,  the  son  of  fujin  seemed  content  with  their  decision.  ❝  so  what  about  you  ?  kiko  come  with  too  or  were  they  already  here  ?  ❞  they  ask  forest  as  they  walk,  crossing  their  arms  behind  their  head. 

[mirrorstruck]

the son of amateratsu usually had a pretty remarkable control over his companion. in some ways, they were both lost souls seeking purpose; a guardian with no one to guard, a god-child with no legacy to leave. they got along well, but a kitsune does as a kitsune does. he can't fault her for being at least a little bit mischevious.

"my sincerest apologies, she's not normally so... snack-happy." jovially, she peers up, almost as if she was smiling at her own deeds. "please, let me pay you back now," he burrows through his pockets for some money, but it was rare that he carried it around these days.

"ah... perhaps it was left at my cabin." now he was blushing even harder. "i promise to make it up to you, unless you'd prefer making the trek back and receiving your payment immediately."

he had been following the whispers of the roots underground, still familiarizing himself with the ark but sam was never too lost with the network of roots guiding him to wherever he needed to go. plus, it was a beautiful day and there was no place he'd rather be than outdoors. with his mettle still untested and yet to attend any of the training sessions, samuel almost felt like tourist here ────── sightseeing with a tasty alcapurria in his hand. and he was just about to take another bite when ... a fox ? now that wasn't something he saw every day, especially one that seemed to be kept as a pet. " all good, all good. " a small chuckle as he glanced at the other man, though attention immediately returned to the small fox. as hungry as he was, he couldn't really be mad ; not when the little creature looked so cute. sam sighed lightheartedly before he finally looked up to meet the stranger's eyes, an amused smile twitching at one corner of his lips. " i'd be feral for alcapurria, too. i get it. you can just pay me back with another snack some other time. " he shrugged nonchalantly, there would be plenty of time to make it up to him after all. " no need to be embarrassed. but the blush ... it's kind of cute, i guess. "

[mirrorstruck]

"mm?" forest is barely able to respond as he's yanked into an embrace. when it came to his friends, he could be a total bro at times. strangers, specifically from his pantheon? he tried to be on his best behavior. offering a gentle pat to the other's back, he smiles warmly.

"it's a joy to see you here." with their pantheon in shambles, it was a relief that they still had some surviving half gods. referring to his companion, forest clicks his tongue, kiko leaping into his arms. "this is kiko, she bears the spirit of a powerful kitsune guardian." motioning toward their new ally, he introduces mai in a similar manner.

contented, kiko seems eager to greet another shinto half-god. "please, she may be mighty, but a mischievous kitsune at heart. we'll gladly replace your ice cream." he could use the distraction either way, motioning for mai to follow. "how did you come to find the ark?"

what  bit  of  words  might  have  came  were  halted  at  the  reveal  of  who  they  were.  now  mai  wasn't  the  brighest  of  the  bunch  (  no  pun  intended  ),  but  they  did  know  about  all  of  the  gods  of  their  home  pantheon,  and  as  usual  it  was  always  a  pleasure  to  meet  a  fellow  shinto  demi.  ❝  you're  fucking  with  me,  dude:  you're  the  son  of  the  gleaming  lady  of  light  ?  that's  so  badass  man  !  ❞  mai  ignores  the  bow  and  pulls  forest  in  for  a  surprise  squeeze.  ❝  always  nice  to  meet  someone  from  home  turf:  I'm  mai,  son  of  fujin.  pretty  sure  we're  like  related  in  some  cosmic  way  or  whatever,  you  know  there's  a  million  myth  stories  for  our  parents.  ❞  it  was  as  if  the  fox  never  ate  their  ice  cream  with  the  belated  news,  though  their  attention  went  to  the  fox.  ❝  so  is  that  like  a  kitsune  or  something  ?  totally  cool  if  you  ate  my  ice  cream,  mighty  yokai  !  ❞  mai  had  no  idea  that  they  were  in  fact  right  about  kiko,  nor  the  story  behind  the  snow-colored  fox  who  gobbled  their  marblestone-made  ice  cream. 

[mirrorstruck]

forest sucks his teeth, scolding the fox gently as she gobbles down the ice cream. she seems placated by her devious little stunt, trotting around like there was nothing wrong in the world. perhaps a rare moment of mischief against her owner; either way, she was too cute to stay angry at.

"ah, a good choice." he offers a tiny smile, nodding curtly. "of course, i will replace whatever she took." he had the funds for it, but the shame was, well, priceless. bowing at the hip, he makes short of the introductions. "forest hwang, child of amateratsu."

❝  my  ice  cream  cone  !  thief  !  ❞  blindsided  was  the  best  word  to  describe  mai,  who  just  so  happened  to  be  strolling  about  on  this  late  summer's  day  with  a  refreshing  treat  before  the  fox  leaps  and  takes  it  in  one  bite.  if  mai  had  their  skates  on,  they'd  surely  be  racing  along  after  the  vixen,  even  though  it  was  kind  of  a  lost  cause  given  kiko  bit,  chewed,  and  swallowed  that  thing  in  one  go.  they  knew  there  were  extraordinary  animals  around,  but  never  frozen  treat-stealing  vixens.  looking  to  see  forest  come  over:  from  their  panting  and  exhaustion,  mai  figured  the  fox  might  be  their  companion  or  something.  ❝  it's  fine,  you  just  owe  me  a  cookies  &  cream  supreme  from  the  mall.  ❞  while  a  little  peeved,  it  wasn't  enough  to  make  the  son  of  fujin  angry.  getting  a  look  at  the  dude,  mai's  eyes  squint  just  a  bit.  ❝  say,  you  look  kinda  familiar  …  ❞