mystiics

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 solsticefm‌.

“ there is nothing wrong with knowing what you like and sticking to it . ” daeseon reassures the other , smiling fondly at him as he writes his order down on a cup . “ how about i help you be adventurous , and throw in a chocolate croissant on me . besides , you kind of look like you could use a pick me up . ” dae quickly makes his way behind the bakery counter and wraps up the biggest , most tasty looking croissant he has . he then holds it out in front of the other , nodding . “ i picked the best one for you . ”

“wish everyone thought as much,” prince muses, able to cite both his ex and his parents as vocal dissenters who would tease him for being boring. he’s about to politely step back to allow the barista to do his job and make said coffee but perks up at the mention of not only a croissant but a free croissant. “that’s really too kind -- you don’t have to,” princeton’s smiling though and, really, who is he to turn down such kindness? in an alternate universe where he’s more hopeless romantic than realist, maybe he’d even allow himself a daydream or two about what it all means and whether or not this pretty barista does it for all customers or just him. that’s not his reality, though, so his head stays squarely on his shoulders. though blue-haired coffee boy does make an awfully good effort. “you’re setting the expectations very high, dae,” prince hums, reading the name off of his uniform tag. “are you gunning for employee of the month?”

[mystiics]

🍎🍎🍎

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。sawycrsfm‌.

“fair enough,” sawyer replies as he begins to look around for a broom. people have stranger habits in this town, so he can’t really knock someone for not liking - or believing - in shoes. he manages to find a broom and begins to sweep up the glass pieces scattered across the floor. “’s fine. happens to the best of us.” carefully, he bends down to pick up one of the larger pieces. “what is this, anyway? looks expensive.”

sage appreciates both the pity consolation and the way there is no snide remark over his lack of shoes. most humans tend to think such foot prisons are not only necessary but also the only way to keep toes, heels and ankles protected. he supposes they can’t feel the warmth of the earth  through their skin though which, really, is a shame. “it does?” he panics again, eyes following the shard now held in hand. “oh, i hope it wasn’t expensive -- i’ll be fired for certain. it’s for my boss.”

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。@chillingjoh​.

sage likes the childishness of it: playing truth or dare with his friends. he may be small but he’s no coward which, of course, means he’s absolutely winning, even as the number of players dwindles to just him and one other. water sprites don’t play fair, he thinks as they traipse down the path towards the cemetery. how was he supposed to know his dares could involve a field trip? he’d have raised the stakes far sooner than this! all he has to do is dip a toe in the fountain as soon as its thawed from the icy stillness winter brings so, naturally, he has plans to do one better than that. he’s gonna prove once and for all that he is the victor and that plant sprites aren’t to be messed with! 

giggling all the while, the fountain is freed of its immobility with a satisfying crescendo from trickle to something steadier at the urging of the water sprite. after gleaning one last pulse of warmth from the soil under bare foot, sage flits onto the pathway and skitters his way to the fountain. adrenaline kicks in at the thrill of being somewhere so spooky and the chance that they’ll get caught by the ghost that haunts the mortuary. it carries his feet faster and sets his heart racing. he’s running now, gleefully shouting a taunt back at his now-hidden friend but that’s about when he realizes his mistake. while the fountain may no longer be ice, the surroundings are and he hits a patch. it’s bad. toes scrabble for purchase but it’s no use. he slips and instead of dipping a toe in or scooping up a handful, he’s falling. he splashes into the fountain, hitting a few limbs and joints on the way down. cold and wet and now hopelessly disoriented, the sprite surfaces, sputtering, and looks around, expecting his friend to come to the rescue. instead, he finds anger and it would see the ghost isn’t so much a ghost after all. 

“oh -- shit, i’m s-sorry!” he gulps between immediately chattering teeth, desperately trying to scramble his way out of the pool of water threatening to pull him back down with its artificial current.

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 dnnerfleurs‌.

                                    ‘  can  you    —    would  you  please  stop  poking  my  poor  plants    ?    ’  a  whined  plead  that  sounded  from  where  the  florist  was  behind  the  counter,  previously  busy  with  putting  orders  together  though  headache-inducing  commotion  came  to  a  halt  the  minute  eyes  caught  sight  of  familiar  figure  standing  there    —    planted  still  in  a  place  that  has  become  a  designated  one  already  for  every  visit  sage  gives.  the  action  was  pure,  certainly    ..    but  yeongho  could  only  handle  so  much  of  small  fingers  touching  freshly  displayed  crops  and  only  so  little  of  clients  giving  the  younger  weird  stares    (    though  it  was  understandable    :    he,  too,  did  the  same  upon  first  occurrence    ).  ‘  they  are  plants,  not  dogs    –    only  the  mimosas  will  react  to  it.  ’  tilt  of  head  to  the  side  towards  the  opposite  boy  is  a  soft  direction  to  guide  where  mentioned  herb  was  sitting  on,  signature  warm  smile  on  display  even  as  next  words  were  spoken  ever  so  tenderly    :    ‘  this  is  becoming  a  habit  of  yours,  at  this  point.  ’

                    💌 .  ❪    a  starter  for  @mystiics​.

“i’m not poking them,” sage pouts, incriminating finger paused in its caress of a leaf. “i’m tickling them. petting them. giving them love. they like it!” by sprite standards, sage is already a little odd; but on a human spectrum, he’s a whole spectacle, as evidenced by the way a couple ushers their child a step further away from him. “can’t you hear them? they’re so happy!” he adds on a singsong though his gaze does dance to the shy little beauties sitting to yeongho’s side. figuring the gesture was as good as permission, he flits over to the mimosas, whispering something quietly (a secret! yeongho only would get to know if the plants tell him) before teasing a careful fingertip over the leaves watching them close in its wake. “honestly, you’re right,” he trills, leaning on the countertop and propping his chin in his hand. “you should pay me, at this point. the plants are obviously only being treated right while i’m here to give them my whole heart.”

[mystiics]

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 passivcs‌.

       THE BOTTLES IN THE CARDBOARD box settled in julian’s arms rattles as he rounds the corner of the bar. it’s a slow day at the 5 point, but then again… when wasn’t it a slow day. it’s not too late into the night, he can only hope that business picks up through the night. yet he’s not expectant, he knows how the whole town seems to be slowing down lately. he shakes off the thought, knowing better then to dwell on the thought. makes a low grumbling noise as he places the box on the counter, the bottles clanking loudly again. taking a bottle out he leans down tucking it into a lower shelf behind the bar. once done he stands back up, as always forgetting his own height, his head hitting against the bottom of an overhead cabinet with a low thump. “ - frick ! “ he curses rubbing the newly forming bump. “ if i ever get my hands on this place… it’ll be safe for people over 6 feet … “ he mutters aloud, more to himself then anyone around him.

he’s trying not to laugh. very desperately and nobly, prince refuses to laugh at someone else’s expense. however, at the end of the day, he is but a man and slapstick comedy is, unfortunately, universally appealing. it doesn’t help that the exclamation uttered by the barkeep is something with which he’s intimately familiar, not wanting to use any harsh language around his growing daughter (who is, graciously, in the care of one of her sitters to allow her father a single evening out). hand raised to his lips, he coughs a snicker into a curled fist and doesn’t lower it until he can contain the smirk threatening to overtake his expression. prince’s efforts are at least a little successful though amusement still glints in his gaze and tempts the corners of his lips. “are you alright?” he offers in sympathy, though also to make up for his laughter. he’d feel ten times worse if the other sustained injuries. “i can’t say i’ve ever had that same struggle but it does seem like perhaps this place was designed with the more vertically disinclined in mind.” princeton wouldn’t call himself short, if asked but he’s clearly not 6′something either. he sizes up the man behind the counter and firmly decides the other has at least a few inches on him. 

it isn’t often that prince goes to a bar of all places. not only does he typically not have the time but alcohol isn’t a vice he indulges often if at all. not with a baby to care for when he gets home. he’s not here solely to indulge either -- after much nagging, pestering even, he’s allowed a friend to set him up on a blind date. of course, prince is early. tonight’s an anomaly on all fronts which is fraying his nerves at the edges a bit. more than a bit. “if you don’t mind helping me pick my poisons for tonight, i’ll graciously pretend i didn’t see a thing?” his tone goes sheepish as he makes his proposal. “i’m out of practice -- you know?”

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 azuremorte‌.

                TO  VENTURE  DOWN  TOWARDS  THE  VILLAGE  ;  to  roam  around  the  streets  ,  the  shops  ,  the  square  (  it  was  but  rare  for  faye  ).  traversing  into  the  space  of  color  ,  brightness  &  bustle  only  when  they  needed  to  restock  the  lighthouse.  more  often  than  not  it  was  an  attack  on  their  senses  ,  the  looming  notion  that  they  were  bare  here  ,  too  much  concrete  (  too  much  ,  too  little  ,  not  enough  ). they  didn’t   FIT    here  : merely   a  ghost  passing  by.  cold  grey  eyes  snap  towards  the  SUDDEN  onslaught  of  sound  ,  trailing  downwards  ,  following  the  shimmering  sparkles  that  bounced  of  the  bright  sunlight   peeking  through  the  tree’s  BEFORE  piercing  gaze  settled  upon  the  other.  ❝  how  very  unfortunate  –. ❞  voice  but  a  drawl  :  a  mellow  touch  to  soothe  the  sudden  stirrings  in  the  air.   ❝  –  though  casualties  aren’t  always  a  bad  thing.  there’s  beauty  in  the  broken  –. ❞  heavy  ,  loaded  ,  suffocating  :  hidden  secrets  dancing  upon  the  edges  of  their  voice  (  a  stark  contrast  to  the  honeyed  smile  upon  face  :  hiding  wicked  poison  ).  tall  figure  bends  down  ,  fingers  wrapping  around  a  single  shard  ,  before  standing  up  straight  again.  it  lay’s  gently  upon  open  palm  ,  catching  light  ,  a  dance  of  color  &  shades.   ❝  it’s  prettier  this  way.  ❞  beauty  in  tragedy  (  there  was  ONLY  beauty  in  tragedy  ).

sage thinks the other is speaking a bit cryptically, poetically. it’s pretty even though his brain’s not quite quick enough to understand. they’re pretty, sage notes next which is saying a lot, considering the company the sprite tends to keep. it makes his breath feel a bit shallower and he wonders, absently, whether or not this human is new. he doesn’t think he’s ever seen them before, anyways. surely, he’d remember such a face. realizing that he’s not answered in an embarrassingly too-long span of time , sage flushes immediately, scuffing bare feet on the pavement a shred too close to the glass. that puts the enigmatic human at his feet when they bend to pick a piece which, in turn, makes him spring back a pace with an even deeper tint to freckled skin. sage might have been a wind sprite in a past life for how much distance he gets in the one movement. “i think this casualty is bad,” he insists with an upwards tilt of his chin. “i was entrusted with one job and i failed.” still, his gaze follows the movement and joins the other’s in resting upon the chosen shard. “i -- be careful?” it’s a breath too late but it does draw sage closer once more, inspecting the offered palm for sign of injury. “did you, uh, want it? you can have it now! my gift to you.”

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 solsticefm‌.

it’s oddly slow at the sound & fog , and dae has resorted to scribbling recipe ideas on a spare sheet of paper . his hair is pulled out of his face with a tan headband , but a few stray pieces fall in front of his eyes , causing him to pause his creative process and move them every so often . dae’s so lost in his own mind that he doesn’t even notice a customer appear at the counter . “ oh , uh – sorry ! ” he says , perking up . “ i was trying to think of some new menu items for next week . obviously — i’m struggling . anyway . . ” dae flashes a boxy smile and prepares a cup . “ what would you like ? ”

he’s a sound & fog regular to the point where he’s surprised that they don’t start making his drink before he even enters the establishment. they can probably sense his triple shot iced americano from somewhere down the street. that being said, he doesn’t fault the frazzled barista for his delay. prince is in no hurry to return to the hectic scene he’s left behind and the paper he’s somehow expected to write amidst the chaos. “i’d help but i’m somewhat of a one trick pony,” he half laughs, offering a shrug. “iced triple americano and i’m set. if i get a bakery item, it’s because i’m feeling adventurous.” or because he needs the sugar rush.

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 eikokos‌.

Just stalking you, apparently. Eiko winces at his own thoughts, for once swallowing them down before they get the chance to fall past his lips. Impulse control isn’t exactly something that he’s well versed in, but he’s starting to get better when it comes to showing restraint towards Sage in particular. It’s been a long time coming, their break-up having been messy and overwhelming, and he misses him enough now to be able to look at him without feeling like he’s going to die. The desire to reach out and touch is still nigh overwhelming, but he manages to not do anything besides take a couple of steps forward instead, keeping the winds at bay, keeping the air still for him. It’s the least he can do with him standing there like that, making his heart race out of his chest, making him overcome with what could be even when it’s not. Fuck. Eiko looks away, just for a few moments. Just because he can’t stand it.

“You never dress for the weather.” It’s a fact that he remembers fondly, though he used to complain about it often, worried that Sage’s feet would get too cold or that he wouldn’t be able to wrap him in warmth well enough to keep his lip from trembling. He doesn’t control the heat, after all — only the wind currents, and even then, it can be difficult when they’re particularly strong on any given day. “Can we go inside somewhere? Your feet, darling.” The old pet name falls from his lips as naturally as breathing, and he tries not to retroactively flinch at it, instead allowing it to hang in the air between them without offering so much as a buffer for it.

it’s perplexing and agonizing for sage’s poor heart, how he wants both to shrink down out of his ex’s sight and to flutter forward into his familiar, warm embrace. he wants to be anywhere but here and yet desires to live in this moment forever, so as not to confront the aching reality of his loneliness. sage could be surrounded by his friends, by all his favorite people, and yet still lonely when it came to eiko. he offers little more than a sheepish shrug at the light accusation. it isn’t as though eiko says it with any malice -- if anything, he detects notes of the opposite. it was, however, much easier to dress as he does now when he had his own personal wind current to battle the elements threatening to make him shiver. 

darling. eiko speaks the name so easily that it hurts to hear. when he thinks back on it, later, he knows it will be with tears welling in his eyes and with one of eiko’s discarded garments clutched reverently to his chest. though every rational part of his brain (few in number though they may be) is telling him to decline and though he knows he’ll hear an earful of chastising later from his friends, sage bobs a quick nod. “we can,” he dares to breathe his acquiescence. “i told haru i wouldn’t be back until after my lunch break, anyhow. did you want to, uh,” he hesitates. the sleeve of his coat lifts to rub at his nose. awkward; he remembers when this wasn’t awkward.  “we can go somewhere. for a bite?”

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 aidenprk‌.

“you could always try.. glueing it back together?” aiden frowns at his useless comment but he can’t help but feel bad for sage. aiden was the sentimental type and breaking something of value would surely put him in a bad mood. “no, no casualties here,” he offers a smile as he stands up with the pieces still in his hands. he refrains from handing the pieces to the other in fear that he would cut his hands. “you want some coffee? or tea? i was just about to open up sound & fog, i can make you something.” 

“i think maybe it’s a lost cause,” sage withers one last sigh at his clumsiness’ unintended victim. “i’ll ask haru to take it out of my paycheck, i guess.” sage notices that he’s being shielded from the sharpness and his heart gives a little trill of happiness. he likes being cared for, even in such a tiny way. that’s why the offering of a warm beverage makes him immediately perk up, a smile brightening his whole demeanor. how kind. “that’d be so nice actually! i may need you to tell me what i’d like, though. i don’t drink much coffee but i’d like to try it!” he’s not allowed much coffee is more the case but he keeps that little tidbit to himself. 

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 peneloyoo‌.

                    WHEN  HE  POUTS,  she  does  too,  sympathetic  to  his  plight.  she  shakes  her  head  at  his  last  statement.  she  would  never  want  anyone  to  think  such  a  thing.  ❝  nothing  you  touches  dies.  you’re  a  sprite,  we  put  life  into  things.  ❞  or  at  least,  they’re  supposed  to  put  life  into  things.  it’s  become  a  lot  more  difficult  as  of  late,  what  with  the  tulsy  woods’  influence.  still,  she  isn’t  about  to  let  sage  believe  that  he  actually  lets  things  die.  ❝  an  accident  is  just  an  accident.  if  we  can’t  fix  this  particular  one,  then  perhaps  we  can  find  another  somehow  ??  ❞

“i wouldn’t say nothing,” he murmurs, one last glance spared for the remnants of the glass figure. however, she’s not technically wrong either. glass, for all sage knows, is not alive. until and unless he meets a glass sprite to tell him otherwise, he’ll have to assume the thing had no sentience. “i think he had this one special ordered,” sage sighs but he allows her voice to soothe him. she’s absolving him of his mistakes and he’s going to let her. “maybe we can make haru a bouquet of apology? i’m sure he’d love some summer flowers in january. that could be nice!”

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 foreverxjun‌.

🌧 just dad things

blossom square | with @mystiics​ [ starter ambiance ]

the air of blossom square is the nip-at-your-nose kind of chilly tonight, but it smells richly of coffee and caramel popcorn, which jun casually snacks on from a bag in the stroller’s carrier. ❝ now, just. just hear me out…❜ jun carefully tips the wheels of the stroller up to get over a pothole while not waking the softly slumbering airi inside. he had offered to give his friend a break from pushing the stroller, but jun secretly enjoys doing it himself, anyways. 

❝ so, i’ve been thinkin’ i should get myself one of those baby backpack things. y’know, where it’s like a backpack, but you wear the ‘pack’ part in the front? and the kid kind of just hangs out in there. because this whole stroller thing is too limiting, bro…❜ as if to demonstrate his point, the sidewalk turns to cobblestone and the stroller furiously shakes with each step. jun sighs, hoping the added motion will just comfort airi more–like being in the womb? well, if the mother was operating a jackhammer, that is. 

❝airi needs to go on hikes, see the farms and stuff more. and the stroller is just not up for the job. but a baby backpack–? come on…and i’m offering to get it and wear it because to suggest that you should would be rude, man…i worry about your shoulders, bro. ❜ with that, jun reaches to give his friend a brotherly squeeze on the shoulder. prince always had nice ones, and jun respects that. 

without the stroller in hand, princeton can pay better attention to where they’re walking and, perhaps more importantly, to the looks they get as they do so. nearly every expression reflects some sort of curiosity, teetering precariously on the line between healthy interest and prying. there’s some that linger with affection. how sweet, they say, two dads and their daughter out for a brisk january stroll. as prince has always felt, there’s no need to correct each person who fawns over them in this way. there are worse things than being presumed as jun’s partner. 

“i think there’s a name for that,” he chimes in with a barely constrained amused smirk. “but we can definitely look into it when we get home.” prince’s home. jun’s home. it doesn’t matter much -- there are things for airi in both places like any proper parents with joint-custody. he turns a concerned eye forward, leaning to check and see that the change of road texture hasn’t completely disturbed the little half sprite. 

when he right’s himself, prince turns an arched brow back onto jun, no longer restraining the crooked smile threatening to take over his features. “you’re concerned for my shoulders?” prince half-laughs. “i think we need to reevaluate your priorities, bro. besides, i think if we wanna get a proper one, it’s gonna get expensive.” as do most things for babies. it’s a exploitative market in an already greed, capitalist world. “split the cost; split the labor. or let airi decide. she seems to like when you push better.” as evidenced by the fact she’s still asleep. it’s impossible to convince jun that the babe can be a little terror, at times, when she’s always an absolute saint around her favorite ‘dada’.

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 strwbrryies‌.

                    𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞  ,  𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐞  𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬  ,  𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝  𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡   glittering  ,  smokey  makeup  ,  blink  at  the  sight  she’s  somehow  brought  herself  upon  .  heeled  boots  standing  at  the  edge  of  what  is  a  glassy  ,  rainbow  mess  ,  perfectly  done  eyebrows  raised  slightly  at  her  fellow  sprite  who  seems  to  be  the  cause  of  such  a  little  catastrophe  .  ❝  oh  ,  how  tragic  .  ❞  voice  is  laced  with  sarcasm  and  honey  ,  finger  twirling  a  picture  perfect  gemstone  into  creation  .   ❝  did  that  belong  to  that  little  witch  you  work  for  ?  i  could  replace  it  —  well  ,  in  some  aspect  .  can’t  conjure  glass  ,  but  anyone  who’d  have  glass  over  gems  is  a  fucking  liar  .  ❞  she  hums  ,  pretty  and  melodic  ,  as  she  leans  down to  pluck  a  piece  of  iridescent  glass  from  the  ground  ,  holding  it  up  to  the  light  .  ❝  it’ll  only  cost  you  a  little  favour  .  you  know  ?  you’ll  owe  me  one  .  ❞  smile  is  bubblegum  sweet  ,  saccharine  syrup  practically  dripping  from  her  lips  ,  and  glittering  lashes  flutter  prettily  at  the  other  .

maybe, in some cases, sage detects heavy sarcasm. this, however, is not one of those cases. he’s distracted by the glittering gemstone materializing from thin air and sitting prettily in outstretched fingers. it sparkles even more than the glass centerpiece and sage can’t stop staring. he feels maybe disproportionately loyal to his ‘little witch’ -- so much so that it makes him frown to think of how haru would be disappointed when he came back empty handed. “i think technically it belongs to the shop,” he speaks like its an entity all its own. maybe it is for how many mystical and maigcal things dwell inside of it. sage’s gaze flutters from glass shard back to gem, jutting his lower lip in a pout. “what kinda favor?” he extends cupped palms for the gem, wanting -- no, needing -- to see it close up before he made his final choice.

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 inkpiercings‌.

A MOMENT OF BUFFERING SILENCE ; a silent hoping that the gears turning away within sage’s head would R E V E R S E from disquiet . maybe , just maybe , a few moments of processing after his words rung out was all it would take for him understand he was talking about the HUMAN anatomy and n o t young cattle . he doesn’t even ( T H I N K ! ) of fighting off inklings of amusement from his face , an entirely willing surrender to the current train of thought sage was riding . thankfully , PATIENT  explanation wasn’t needed after the frantic display . a breath of laughter , something light  fluttering free . ❝ yeah— not a cow i’m talking about . ❞ come kenzie’s coaxing vocals , hopefully enough to ease the precious spike of emotion. ❝ i’ll promise you now, ANYONE wanting me to t a t t o o a baby cow will get everything B U T  what they want . i’m not sure the laws around inking up a calf but there’s no way that’s allowed. ❞ 

careful not to cause more damage than the bruise to his intelligence, sage presses the heel of his hand to his forehead in embarrassment. “kenz, i’m so sorry... i’m an idiot. you are friends with an idiot. i’m bringing the entire iq average of this conversation down,” he laments dramatically. his free hand grabs for kenzie’s, finding his wrist and giving it a squeeze as if demanding sympathies for his plight. “thank you, all the same, for defending the rights of the baby cows. if we don’t stand up for them, truly, who will?” farmers probably. and peta. animal rights activists in general.  “should i get a tattoo of a calf on my calf? in their honor?” warm flush to his cheeks forgotten, sage quirks his head to the side brightly, glancing up for kenzie’s answer.

[mystiics]

*・°☆.。 peneloyoo‌.

                    THE  MOMENT  PENELO  sees  sage,  she  changes  direction  (  she  was  already  wandering  aimlessly  anyway,  just  to  get  some  sun,  so  at  least  now  she  has  a  destination  in  mind  )  to  say  hello  to  him.  when  his  voice  rings  out  she  stops,  one  foot  in  the  air,  and  blinks  at  him  in  surprise.  her  gaze  travels  to  the  so-called  casualty  and  immediately  returns  her  foot  beside  her  other  one.  perhaps  it’s  better  to  assess  the  situation  first.  ❝  oh,  no,  what  happened  ??  ❞  she  asks  softly,  crouching  down  to  get  a  better  look.

there’s no use denying it once he sees penelo. she knows of his nature and the destruction that tends to follow him around like a streak of bad luck nineteen years running. “i am afraid i happened,” he pouts, mimicking her crouch though careful not to dare his exposed toes any closer to the sharp-edged glass than strictly necessary. “i swear, i was only trying to look at it! then it practically jumped out of my hands and became oh so very well acquainted with the floor.” he sniffles theatrically. “why does everything i touch die?” bold words, from a plant sprite.