The Reddest Scion

⛈️ ((angst. hehe))

He's such an embarrassment. Lelesu rolls her eyes, but doesn't protest, because better this than him *sleeping on top of the fridge*. Honestly. "Fine," she agrees. "But I want a cut."

Lelesu smacks his hand ineffectually - more of a token protest and a warning than anything else. "Behave," she scolds, giving him a glare. That she doesn't immediately zap him and snap about respecting her boundaries is a sign of their friendship. "What's this for?"

((🌸 or 💧, whichever one calls to you more? may be on and off in replying but i want to,, secret extra angsty option is 🤲))

gently through his hair over and over again, brushing it back from his face. "Are you alright?" she asks softly.

It can't be too comfortable for him, sitting on the floor to rest his head in her lap - she knows the pain he suffers on a daily basis. But it warms her chest, that for once she can be in this position - an unexpectedly-frustrating consequence of her height - and she strokes one small hand+

"It's not uncomfortable, is it?" she asks, a hint of worry creeping into her tone. She'd made the stone as smooth as she could, and wide enough not to be constricting, but even magic rock is still rock, and this had definitely been an *experiment*.

Lelesu offers Haurchefant a small but bright smile, rather pleased with her handiwork. "I doubt this was what X'rhun intended when he taught me red magic," she observes wryly, glancing at the verstone shackles that'd done what she's too short to do herself. Yeah, definitely not. +

((these are super sweet!))

((i love these. so. adds this to the queue. i WILL start working on owed replies after fru prog tonight if my brain isn't completely melted.))

((this is so good!!! you look amazing :O))

((today has been An Entire Day on top of a really rough week. i promise i'm not ignoring anyone if i have open interactions - on any accounts - and i'll get to them as soon as i can. i've just been almost negative spoons lately, i'm so exhausted.))

I don't mind earl grey, if I have to, but I actually prefer coffee! Though the Chai we had in Thavnair was quite good.

Since everyone else is doing it.

“Fandaniel struck down the manifestation of the star’s hope with his own hands. What else could there *possibly* be left but this?”

((Whoops. That one was longer than I realized LOL))

and curls forward, pressing his free hand into the dirt, and continues to laugh (or maybe it’s a sob). He knows what’s happening. He knows what form the terminus beast will take. What other despair is so fresh in his memory but this?
“Don’t be a fool,” he gasps out. +

yet. Breathe.”

Not finished? *Not finished?*

The sick horror and despair and numbness in his chest rips itself out of his throat in an ugly, wheezing thing that is too bloody to be a laugh. He can feel aether draining out of him alongside it - he closes his eyes +

2. Raha takes one of his hands and moves it to his own neck, brushing up against the Archon’s mark in its crimson ink as he seeks out his own pulse. “I’m alive, Hades,” he says, voice as firm as crystal but desperation in it all the same. Is his hand trembling? “You’re alive, we are not finished +

to taint even these most precious and ephemeral memories. Perhaps it has. And does *that* not just bode wonderfully for his ability to rebirth his city and his star in truth, when his toil is at long last complete.

sighing and turning to the window to draw back its curtains. The view would be a lovely one, were they not on the ocean floor, opening out onto the city streets. Instead, the heavy blue tint layers over everything and leaves it dark and pallid, like all his loss has spilled out of his chest +

1. Fabric rustles behind him as the Exarch stirs, slow, his aether flaring as he attempts to reach for the Tower to steady himself. “...Emet-Selch?” he murmurs, low. “What…?”

His voice trails off; Emet-Selch does him the service of remaining silent to allow him to regain his bearings, instead +

((waugh.. most of these will be Emet pov lol))

((Between myself and my co-author, we've got over 200k words of fic for our WoLs and their main shared universe. Have the series link! archiveofourown.org/series/4073209 ))

((i wish there was like a non-app version of that ngl stuff, the anon questions look fun but....meh))

"Of course," she agrees, reaching up to absently brush his bangs from his face and tuck them behind his ear. "It's too cold to leave the blankets, anyway - I think I might freeze, if I tried."

Fate seems to enjoy making a mockery of her plans, so she has no qualms in humming an agreement, adjusting her glasses on her face. They press a little uncomfortably into her face when laying down, but there's little she can do to avoid that - she'd rather be able to see Haurchefant's face. +

((i hope you enjoyed yourself! irl is always more important anyway))

and properly see his face, sobering just a bit, though the smile remains on her face. "I'd like to see it," she says seriously. "Even despite the chill. If it means something to you, I want to share it with you."

It's sappy, but she means the words wholeheartedly anyway.

"I'll hardly notice the chill if you are there with me," Lelesu says - it makes her feel a little daring, almost, which is ridiculous considering they are literally in the same bed at the moment, but her cheeks heat slightly anyway.

She adjusts her position enough that she can look up at him +

the sleep from her eyes. Not that it helps her see any better. "Did you sleep well?"

She reaches up to place one of her hands over his and squeeze lightly.