#bunatee's oc-tober tag

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 7: Stargazing

I've written a condensed version of this scene below the cut <3

((A few things for context:

a. Early into the story Serenity saves Matisse's life after he is fatally stabbed. Serenity is not very powerful when it comes to using magic, and so she unknowingly messes up and uses a piece of her own soul to heal him. This has led to Matisse being able to feel her emotions as physical sensations. As of this point in the story Serenity is unaware of this.

b. It is a tradition among a certain clique of the upper class that every year during the summer's social season a weekend getaway is held at a little camp a few hours away from the capital. This is essentially just a bunch of young adults isolating themselves for a few days to get into their own trouble and party and do stupid young adult things without the judgement of the rest of society.

c. Kairos is the name of the local god.))

--

Matisse never missed a star shower if he could help it and he'd thought the event would be his to witness alone that night. Everyone else at the camp seemed to be preoccupied with their affairs or more interested in partaking in other vices. He never much liked keeping company with himself, but watching the stars alone was better than moping about the cabin watching the others having their fill of fun. He could still hear the muffled sounds of laughter as he sat on the rooftop.

When Serenity and Jacques had returned from their cute little hilltop date it was the sting of jealousy that goaded him into interrupting the two right as they were about to share a kiss. It wasn't until she turned to look up at him, that he could see how blotted and flushed her cheeks were, and hear how her words slurred and her accent came out as she scolded him for not making himself known sooner. Satisfaction came with the explanation of why he was there and her immediate request to join him. There was no room for guilt for his actions when Jacques had left them alone and she thanked him for that interruption.

Matisse thought he finally understood all of those little sensations that she caused. He was certain that the light little bubbles that caressed the scar were a kind of light happiness, but the prickly feeling that ebbed and flowed the whole evening were not a standard nervousness as he had thought, and so he named that feeling 'apprehension.'

The 'might have been a bit over half o' the bottle' of wine she'd had was hard at work softening her edges and allowing Matisse to witness a vulnerability she rarely shared. The heaviness was gone in an instant as she spotted the first falling star and grabbed his hand in delight. The glimmer in her eyes every bit as bright as the stars that began to flare across the sky.

Serenity thanked him again for being kind to her and for being such a dear friend as she kissed his cheek. Resolving to simply be a friend to her was difficult when the skin her lips had grazed burned, and their fingers were intertwined in the same way that he wished he could intertwine his heart and soul with hers.

It was as though Kairos himself planned the intervention when the screen door to the cabin creaked open and then slammed closed below them. Set popped up over the roof's edge a moment later, apologizing for interrupting as he hadn't realized she was there. Serenity only laughed and told him to join them. To Matisse's confusion she never let go of his hand, though she did move in a way that would have blocked Set's view of them.

Set was a relief. He lightened the mood and gushed about his evening with Asha. Serenity teased him for his unnecessary shyness, for being so enamored with the young lady who so clearly was just as enamored with him.

In time the three were all laid back watching the stars. Matisse, for a change, found himself to be the quiet party among them. Serenity and Set held a steady flow of conversation about everything and nothing, yet both mostly kept their eyes fixed to the sky above. Matisse couldn't find it within himself to do so, not when something more beautiful than the stars lay beside him.

--

((Thanks for reading! Hopefully, it's not too bad for being entirely unedited/proof-read. The actual chapter this takes place in is ~8k works, so condensing it like this was harder than expected.))

[bunatee]

OC-tober - Fluff

I was going to do something cuter for this prompt but this is likely as 'fluffy' as they get.

Azyr casually touching her as Lily explains the design of Asherai's rite. She would be excited to know something that he doesn't and get to teach him, and he would be in awe of her and the innate knowledge she has of the gods and magic.

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 20 - Comfort

What greater comfort could there be in life than laying around with a good book?

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 16 - Flowers

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 9: Daydream

How is a man expected to get any work done when he's in love?

Fun OC fact - Matisse has the best penmanship out of the cast. This is extra impressive when considering he's a lefty.

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 4 - Winter Clothes

Some character lore under the cut.

Matisse was fifteen the first time he's father had used military service as a form of punishment. It was meant to fix the boy's habit of starting fights, particularly fights that he was unlikely to win as he was smaller than most of his peers at the time. Three years and a growth spurt later the prince found himself back in the military, stationed at Fort Krescht.

The fort was strategically located in a mountain pass near Rahli's northern boarder, an area plagued by relentless snow storms. The cold and isolation were a clear message for what this punishment was, a means to cool his blood and temper the heat to keep him from fighting or fucking or all of the other trouble he had gotten himself into.

During his first stint he had only been expected to follow orders, take the harassment from soldiers and officers in good spirits, and face the consequences if he did not. This second time was different. Now they expected him to make decisions, he was shadowing a general on the edge of disputed territory. His choices could mean the difference between young men being prepared for skirmishes or meeting death.

He'd picked up smoking then. Aerellia only grew in the high mountains, and it was an expensive habit. It was less harsh than tobacco and felt soothing to his lungs, it made breathing easier. And so Matisse often found himself out in the bitter cold, smoking the herb that seemed to take way all the tension that worked its way into his body, and looking up at the gray night sky, longing for a glimpse of the stars.

This was more than punishment, it was a wake up call that this was precisely what being a ruler would entail, and he was expected to rule Rahli and the Luceres Isles in tandem. Yet, it didn't have the intended effect.

Matisse would leave when spring broke only to lean heavier into his hedonistic tendencies, after all he would only be able to partake in such behavior as a young man. He told himself he would straighten out his behaviors when it actually mattered. Perhaps the punishment would have had its intended effect had he known that only ten years later he would be back at Fort Krescht under more dire circumstances, once again smoking and praying to the Gods for just a glimmer of heavenly light.

[bunatee]

OC-tober 3 - Traditional Clothes

I should have drawn a map to accompany this piece to further illustrate where these different fashions come from within the world of Divine Rites. Ramblings about it under the cut!

Asha is originally from Tambrael, the largest country in their region which spans much of the south western coast and stretches eastward to the center of the continent. As such there are a array of 'traditional' fashions, but Asha's favorite would likely be the heavy dresses made from richly dyed fabrics that are common in the more mountainous parts of the country. While Asha would attest that the frilly lace covered garments of the east are her favorite fashion of all, she does hold the traditional dresses of her home closest to her heart.

Serenity actually dresses pretty closely to her 'traditional' style in her day to day life, an extension of the complicated relationship she has with her heritage. Her maternal family comes from an Ilyic clan, though they originate in Illior they are notable for their travels across the continent, visiting God-Trees and spreading their gospel about the gods and the sacred gift of magic. Women wear modest clothing when in the presence of any outsiders, ankle length skirts and they always cover their arms and chests. These clothes aren't strictly for modesty but to hide the tattoos that decorate their skin. The veils women wear are not mandatory and some clans are more likely to wear them than others. Usually these are made from sheer fabrics or lace. Unmarried women may wear colorful veils which correspond to the god they primarily worship (or because it matches their outfit, it's up to the clan and woman in particular), married women wear black and widows clothe themselves exclusively in white.

Azyr has the most complicated ethnic background of the entire cast. While his father is from Rahli, his mother has roots in both Illior and the Turique Islands. For the purpose of this prompt Azyr is dressed in Illiorian clothes. While not as large as Tambrael, Illior is also a large country with the eastern portion sharing much of it's fashion with Rahli and the west having more distinctive garments. The cross-body top is a shortened version of the long robes scholars would have worn in previous generations. This particular outfit was likely a staple for Azyr during his tenure as a professor but presents too casually to be worn for his work in the palace or even for social events. It is also notable that this is similar to what the men in Ilyic clans would also wear. (A small aside: Azyr generally only wears muted colors, and it feels wrong to have put him into such dark clothes, I might go back and change this at some point.)

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 2: Sin-namon Roll

If you commit a sinful act with the goddess you worship, is it really a sin?

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 11 - Stockings

Read more for the reference used <3

Referenced from Gil Elvgren's "Thinking of You". I was originally planning on referencing the librarian painting (I can't find it's title T_T) but I thought the idea of Serenity wearing a slip was cute and the pose was a little easier.

I think this is one I'm going to put to the side to work on again after the month is over. I just didn't have time tonight to do any coloring.

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 19 - Drunk

Matisse wasn't having a good time a few years prior to the start of our story.

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 10 - Nightmare

[bunatee]

OC-tober Day 8 Sunrise

Lily doesn't fair well in high altitudes, but the sunrise promises another day in which she'll get closer to her destination and hopefully the descent down the mountains.

[bunatee]

OC-tober 1 - Cinnamon Roll

Lily doesn't actually like sweets but she absolutely would lick icing off her fingers in a way that makes Azyr deeply uncomfortable.