luciing: (pic#16057242)
Somnus Lucis Caelum ([personal profile] luciing) wrote in [community profile] songerein2023-02-01 09:52 pm

open [catch-all, quest 202]

Who: somnus & you
Which: log
Where: around
What: Quests, Catch-all, Wild-card
Warnings: cupid's pranks prompts

Quest 202: Cupid's Pranks
[ That this dream world is able to alter one's state of mind, consciousness, and emotions (or all three at once) is nothing new. Having been here over a year, the mayhem caused by these alterations is anything but charming. Phantom-- that is, incorporeal-- or not, wayward arrows bearing the mysterious power of this realm affect him as well; thus, he, too, must remain vigilant. But there's a flutter of wings, a giggle, a swift woosh, followed by a muted tap of a toy arrow against his back... and it's all over.  The projectile falls upon the ground, joining a few soft, white feathers scattered behind as the cherub vanishes from sight...  ]

Amorous
[ It could be within the smithy, the town square, near the treehouses, the cafe, or anywhere, and it could be any time of day or night,  but you will find that Reverin's resident ghost stands alone, striken and still. Only the pale, spectral aura of his death long passed shifts about him in its usual light, ambient and cold as the moon. His cloak rustles, and a hand emerges from the dark, heavy fabric to rise upward. Long fingers make a cage upon the slight-left of his upper chest. The motion is tender, steadying, and fragile, braiding all three delicately and deadly as a weaver's edge.

His expression, polished as marble, ripples with an unseen weight. Ashen, solemn, his gaze raises... to meet yours.

This. This is a great, incomprehensible, and terrible pain. ]
Hostile
[ Among the various treehouses is one that's long been unoccupied--  seemingly, anyways, because the entire year that it has been claimed as a residence, very rarely has the resident himself occupied it. Curiously, though, there is a modest bit of land beside it that's cleared of snow and ice, thanks to the warmer weather besetting Reverin. Unfortunately for the same reason, the soil is no longer "soil", but melted slush and mud, with all four of its stone borders in disarray. This garden, if it can be called that in this state, is largely ruined, indiscernible from the rest of the land.

To make matters worse, the long-absent resident himself is actually here. He's leaning against the base of the tree, shadowed by its bare branches, his focus remaining fixed upon the damp, turned soil. Brow lowered, jaw tight, he doesn't appear too pleased. Perhaps the uncanny weather may have disrupted whatever he was trying to grow...

Or maybe it's you, who's unwittingly encroaching on this meager, misshapen mash of mud and brick if only to pass by.  It's here that he stops you immediately. His voice is frost over steel. ]
Hold.
Smithy
[ As ususal, Somnus can be found in his smithy within Reverin. He no longer manifests in his traditional, giant-suit-of-armor, but instead his phantom form that gives him the ability to craft with much more precision. Here, he works on weapons, tools, and even jewelry! ]

Wildcard
[ Have an idea? PM this account, [plurk.com profile] drinksteapots, or Jade294#6977!  For the Amarous prompt, please only characters 18+ because of romantic overtones. For Hostile, depending on the interaction, Somnus may lash out! ]
sermom: (2)

cupid's pranks because im terrible

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-02 02:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[And here she'd only gone to the smithy to assist with clean-up, like she does periodically while Alphen is taking a break. She's about to call a greeting and grab a broom, normal as ever, but when she looks over and spots Somnus's expression, she's immediately alerted to something being Up.]

Somnus? Are you alright?

[Do ghosts get sick?? Why does he look like that.]
sermom: (27)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-02 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[Oh. Oh no, he really is ill. Closing early? Is the sky falling?

Rather than take him at his word and start prepping to leave, she sets the broom aside and begins to approach, her hand out to try and check his forehead. Maybe he'll still be too ghostly to feel, maybe he won't be overheated, but it's instinctive for her to try. Raised too many children insisting they were fine when they were burning up and needed to go back to bed at once, young man. Which- okay, she can't scold him or order him around, but she's very good at guilting people into behaving themselves.]


That isn't like you at all. Did something happen?
sermom: (8)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
[Well... at least he isn't feverish. It alleviates some of her concerns, at least enough to lower her hand again, though she lingers close to watch him. She's halfway concerned he might fall over. He looks so pale and stilted, which for him (a dead man, as he says) is saying something.

His comment has her shaking her head, smiling weakly, with her expression a mixture of fondness and exasperation. Honestly, why is "don't worry about me" the default answer for so many people she knows? As if that has ever in the history of her life made her stop worrying about someone who looked like they needed it. And people who normally run solo the way he does very often need someone to do the worrying for them.]


Even if I don't need to, whether or not I worry isn't something you can control. Though I would worry less if you were honest with me.

[They're not the closest of allies at this point - she's not even sure if he would call her a friend - so she wouldn't blame him for keeping mum. On the other hand, she's been around him enough to recognize certain cues and consistencies within his behaviour. This... this is not normal for him, and it draws her attention like a spotlight.]
sermom: (69)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
[He is doing a very thorough job of keeping her confused. Were she not so confused, she'd have started to think he was being obtuse to make her go away or something. He's usually quiet and resolute in his words. It's rare for him to sound so... stilted, for lack of a better word. Like he's struggling to speak.

She hesitates, just a moment of confused uncertainty, then nods.]


Of course. It's better to be honest, isn't it?

[Even if he doesn't want to share it, don't lie so obviously. He can't possibly be fine, looking the way he does.]
sermom: (97)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Her eyes widen at once. Mercy? Mercy from what? He makes it sound like she has him at the edge of a knife. All she'd done was ask him to stop pretending he's fine when he is not. Is it that bad? She hadn't realized she was pushing him so far with just a simple question. His voice was so soft she'd nearly missed it. Since when was he so hesitant to be heard?

More unsure than ever before, she backs up a step, her hand hovering uncertainly against her chest, like she needs to keep her hand in check lest she reach out to try and help him again only to make it worse somehow. Is it his pride? Is it her? She doesn't know if he'd been like this before her arrival, so it's impossible to tell. Clearly she'd done something to make him plead (plead!) for her to back off.]


I'm sorry... I didn't mean to upset you. [He'd wanted to leave, right? Maybe her company is just unwelcome right now.] If you'd like to head home and rest, I can finish cleaning and lock up for you.
sermom: (88)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Leave, don't worry, have mercy, walk... these mixed messages are going to be the death of her. But maybe some fresh air will do him some good and help him look not quite so pale, maybe (ideally) snap him out of whatever stupor has him acting so strangely. And what's the worst that could happen in public, really? It is somewhat against her better judgment that she sizes him up carefully, but nonetheless she ultimately nods her head.]

Alright... lead the way.

[Perhaps rather than push for answers, she'll just join him and let him open up as he pleases. She's wary about what's going on, but she won't feel right if she leaves him alone, either. What if he collapses somewhere? Becomes intangible while he's unconscious? She couldn't exactly carry him to shelter if that happened. But if it happened unsupervised no one would know to call for help, either.]
sermom: (53)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 07:12 am (UTC)(link)
[She will take it, though with another moment of hesitation, since he'd seemed so bothered by her touch last time. Maybe touching his face, even something so platonic as checking a temperature, was too intimate for him. It was a little personal, admittedly. Still, nothing less than what she'd do for any friend that looked ill.

Since she'd decided to keep her mouth shut until he decides where they're going with this, she'll follow his lead as she said she would, letting him choose the direction and path upon which to walk. She is really hoping for some answers, here.]
sermom: (14)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 10:09 am (UTC)(link)
[She's... not sure if that actually clarifies anything, though his compliment is appreciated. It does seem as if getting out of the smithy has done wonders for him already. Perhaps the air was stuffy, too much lingering smoke from the fires or refuse from welded steel. She makes a mental note to scrub it extra hard next time she gets a chance. Maybe check the ventilation. She's full of practical solutions, but it kind of feels as if she's missing the mark on something, here. What else is distressing him...?

She takes note of the direction they're headed, but offers no protest. She's been alone with him before, so it isn't concerning; she'd have been more worried if he had led them somewhere more public, because it meant he had nothing much to share. Whatever is so deeply bothersome to him surely can't be for public consumption.

But okay, he 'hears her concern'. Doesn't mean he's going to do anything about it. It's a... step in the right direction.]


Kindness can only go so far. The one receiving it has to accept.
sermom: (28)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[Kisara believes him self-aware enough that he understood what she meant by her prior words, so for him to say something like that... well. Somnus calling himself foolish was not on her list of things she thought could happen today. None of this was.]

I have to be honest... I'm not sure how to take any of this. You won't say you're sick, but you aren't acting like yourself today, either. But it isn't anything I did?
sermom: (74)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 09:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[That doesn't feel correct, but he says it with such conviction she can't bring herself to disagree. It's reassuring enough that she merely nods, her expression turning thoughtful. She will at least believe that he means what he says, and that whatever is so troublesome for him is not caused by anything she'd done.

So... hmm. She feels somewhat at a standstill, but he seems so discomforted by her questioning that it would be wrong of her to push. Her goal is not to pester him with her worries or make him feel worse. That would not be a kind thing to do, and he's been patient with her multiple attempts already. After a few moments of quiet, she finally responds,]


Alright. I believe you.

[If he doesn't want to talk about it, she won't force him. They can just... walk for a while. It's okay, she thinks, it isn't a bad thing to do nothing more than share one's company with another. Maybe he'll feel better after.]
sermom: (42)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-03 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I work too much?

[She glances sidelong at him, surprised. Isn't he the one usually going on about duty and expectations? The need to work hard and protect what they have? Nevermind that he basically lives at the smithy and this whole conversation started because she was shocked he might leave early...

Hypocrisy aside, she does give the question some thought. No, she probably doesn't usually consider that. Should she is another story.]


I suppose I haven't given it much thought. When work needs to be done, I usually volunteer. It's mostly habit at this point.
sermom: (102)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-04 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
[She wonders what he must see, looking at her like that. Holding her gaze the way he is. She's trying to follow his words, but it's a little distracting, in truth.]

I... suppose.

[It's not really a firm agreement or denial. Yes, she does a lot of work for her friends, or for those who she thinks need it. Yes, sometimes she gets tired or worn down. But the same could be said of most people who like to help others, couldn't it? There's a degree of tirelessness that comes from aiding those in need. And here, at least, it's actually much less work than she's used to. She's missing half of her party, her city patrols are far more relaxed, and cleaning the house or the smithy gives her something to do. She still has time to train, tend to her equipment, and fish. It's far from a bad life.]

I think you're missing something, though. It isn't a burden, taking on extra work for those I care about. And this isn't meant to be a vacation, either. We may be dreaming versions of our old selves, but the lives we lead here are no less real, right? So we need to take care of this place, and each other.
sermom: (133)

[personal profile] sermom 2023-02-04 09:09 am (UTC)(link)
Noble...

[There's a slice of irony to that comment. How different this conversation is from the one they'd shared at the wedding, where there may as well have been a chasm stretched out between them. The context is not the same, of course, and thus neither is the meaning. Still... the irony remains. She does like this much better. Walking arm in arm with him, at his side, like equals who might even enjoy one another's company. She is not a noble, but she is noble. It's almost sweet of him, and what strikes a chord more is how sincere he seems as he says it. She doubts he would have lied to placate her - he's never indicated himself to be that type - but he could have said it plainly, without emotion, like acknowledging a fact. Instead, he'd...

...well, she's not sure what to make of this. Since this meeting had begun, he'd puzzled her left and right. It is well worth recognizing his effort, though, so:]


Coming from you, that means a lot.

[In more ways than one.]

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