( The gothic cut of the windows lets in moonlight through the glass the way light might spill in through a cathedral— clear, and with grim countenance. The windows remain thickly curtained during the day, and only come off at night, when Mika can be bothered to commit to the effort. The curtains quickly gather dust.
The room suggests the attitude of someone who does not want to be known or seen. Dismal furniture sits on stone-like tile that clicks matronly beneath the heel; a fireplace on one end, a small sitting-table with two seats before it. (Two, as if reminder to himself that one will always, should always, remain empty.) There is a desk in one corner with some books filched from the library and bought from the market, and the something like a diary. The writing is elegant, practiced, and pleasing.
The bed doubles as a sort of cough and reading area, recessed within a wood frame. He does not need to sleep, but it casts a deep shadow, and adds to this living space a third place to brood pensively, besides the chairs and desk. Along the same wall as the bed is the door to a small closet, containing a brief and neatly-arrayed selection of clothes.
The fireplace is in view of the chairs and couch, and the desk sits by the windows. Besides the fireplace, only candlelight (magical or otherwise) services this room, leaving it generally low-lit. )
( It's been five days since they'd all arrived in this world, and Mika has not been seen the past two days. He hasn't been in his room, even if you've knocked. He hasn't been in the manor at all.
The trouble of being a vampire is... (introspection flavor blurb)
He came into this world struggling with particular hunger, given his circumstances prior to arrival, and by the second day he was starting to feel the strain. By the third, it was hard to really see people as people, instead of food; he'd grit his teeth through his conversations and shook his head, and he made himself act normal. It wasn't the first time he'd starved himself, and, well, he knows himself: it wouldn't be the last.
He didn't know what he wanted to do with his hunger. He didn't really want to ask for help; asking for blood before he was well and truly starving made him feel like an addict, a parasite. But when he was hungry— well, he grew ashamed. He didn't want to reveal this ugly mockery of a thing he is: no better than a monster, no different than a ghoul.
Before the fourth morning came, he'd strode deep into the forest, in some sort of desperate act. It was stupid. He didn't have a plan. He couldn't drink animal blood. He just couldn't stay there, in the manor, the scent of blood overwhelming, the thrum of heartbeats louder than any voice.
If it's his human sensibility that drove him away from the manor, it's the hunger he was trying to run from that drives him back. (Of course he'd lose to it. What makes a human a human is that they can overcome, and what makes a vampire a monster is that they cannot win against their worse nature. He knows, he knows.)
Some time during the night following his second day of absence, Mika stumbles from the forest, looking pale and unwell. He doesn't need to breathe, and he's really just a corpse, and yet he breathes heavily, and yet his face runs strangely hot. He doesn't have a particular destination besides the closest concentration of humans. His eyes are unfocused. His steps are uneven. He staggers through the halls and gardens and courtyard, leaning against the walls, gripping his chest. It hurts. He's so hungry it hurts.
He doesn't seem it, but he's following a trail. Your scent—wherever you are, whatever you're doing on this night—which is just that much nearer than any other; lucky you. It's easy to see and hear him coming, though; he's graceless, for now.
And he's muttering in repetition to himself, hard to discern, but sounding a little like: )
[ Yamato happens to be in the courtyard -- it's easy for Mikaela to launch himself at this guy and bite him right away, to be honest. Yamato's just sitting and reading, after all. But when he hears Mikaela staggering, he looks up from his texts and his brow furrows in concern. ]
Hey -- hey, Mikaela!
[ He'll run over to him, suspecting that the guy landed himself in some serious danger. ]
[ Tatara is up by himself, roaming the halls at this hour. To be more precise, it is not an aimless wander—he has just gotten himself some snacks from the kitchen, and he's making his rounds to see what his wizards are up to at this hour before wandering back to his room for rest.
He hears the stagger and the breathing and it's hard to miss. He peers over his shoulder, surprised to see this particular face for the first time since they met. ]
Mika-chan?
[ He turns to look at him, immediately concerned by the state he's in. It's like he learned how to be a sage overnight—all of a sudden, he looks more mature, more grounded, immediately ready to help with whatever problem seems to be ailing Mika. ]
[ The way Ginger latches on is like a needy puppy, everyday he needs attention. A day’s break from Rum feels like a century of abandonment and loneliness. No one ever has it as bad as Rum.
But Ginger’s brain works sometimes. He does have some self-control; he can be normal about things. Mostly because he doesn’t know what the boundaries are with Mika. How deep does his tolerance for Ginger go? What’s his limit?
Every other day should be fine - shouldn’t it…? To start. That’s 50% less than Rum. Maybe every couple of days? He can at least check in with Mika; they can talk a little. Ginger likes it when they talk. And in-between he can impose on others or just… mope in his room.
But one day without Mika becomes two, becomes three - and Ginger worries. All the worries in the world: did he get tired of me, is he alright, is he injured, was it an invisibility spell to escape, did he disappear like the other wizards, was it the moon, who took him from m -
Finding Mika - well, Mika finding him brings a great and bright relief that quickly oscillates between worry and fear - for Mika, not of him. He’s not sure he could be scared of Mika. It takes no thought at all to rush to the other boy, to catch him around the arms.
To ignore the sharp spike of instinct from his dark eye that says danger. ]
Need what - tell me, I’ll get it for you immediately -
( Unfortunately, Mika's efforts to become one with the couch haven't been effective, so, after a minute or so of delay, the door slowly opens.
Seeing Ahito, he pauses, then wordlessly steps aside to let him in and close the door behind him. He says nothing if Ahito comes in; it seems like he's going to let Ahito start the conversation. )
Like with Ahito, it takes a minute for him to get to the door - and, when he does, he simply looks Solomon over and lets him in, closing the door behind him. He's not starting this conversation, either, unfortunately. )
( It's time for feeding... Fortunately, Mika has already had a bit of blood from some others already today, and he's been trying to keep to his daily schedule ever since The Incident. This makes him a lot more presentable when feeding, and a lot less desperate and impatient. Almost like eating regularly is good for you.
It doesn't make him feel any less guilty, though.
He lets Ginger into his room when he arrives, closing the door shut behind him. The flower Ginger gave him sits on the windowsill alone, in a small, glass vase. Instead of going to the couch, though, Mika hesitates. )
[It's late by the time Malice swings by Mika's room, but that's intentional. If anyone's going to stay up all damn night tonight, it's going to be Mika. It's still very dark outside so there's no risk of vampires dealing with the morning sun, so at least there's that.
Malice knocks on the door and waits for Mika. Might as well talk about that, since he does have some questions and he figures it's better to get them out of the way now.]
( It takes Mika a minute or two to get to the door (after failing to become one with the couch), but he does eventually come. That it's Malice here surprises him, slightly - he isn't sure what business he has with him. Scolding him for making his life harder by association, maybe? (This does not reflect his perception of Malice's character so much as the fact that Mika's currently crawling in his skin.mp3)
After a moment of studying him and his expression, he opens the door - inviting him in, if he would prefer it. )
... If you want.
( He seems like he's going to let Malice broach whatever topic he had in mind, rather than asking what it is. )
[ the evening hour still finds khun in the courtyard, seated on a bench with several books laid out besides him and on his lap. reading by moonlight is terrible for your eyes, but he also have some ambient light from his lighthouse, a plain blue cube, which is casting off a faint glow of it's own. every now and then he stops to look up at the night sky, though his focus seems to be on the stars rather than the supposed calamity bringing entity hanging in the sky.
as engrossed as he is in his reading, he does notice when mikaela comes close. they haven't really spoken, but of course he knows of him because of Bitegate. ]
Enjoying the atmosphere? [ it could be barbed but it's not, and it could be snide but it's not that either. still it's not entirely innocent, but this is just how khun is. ]
( Tonight, Mika has apparently stolen a set of spectacles from some other vampire. He got them as thanks for completing some job, and it was insisted he try them. Naturally, he instead left them on his desk or something and forgot about them. But tonight he was tossing out accumulated junk, and figured he might as well try them before throwing them away.
As far as he can tell, they're fashion glasses. Weird concept for a fantasy world, in his opinion, but it's whatever.
He had been drawn to Khun largely out of interest for his cube, like a moth to a flame - he had little interest in Khun himself, though not in any personal way; he simply did not care for most people by default. He hasn't the slightest clue how to parse Khun's tone, either - but he decides it doesn't really matter. )
Not really. ( Very social. ) The air here is strange.
( It could be the sense of the world about them being alive - with spirits, with magic - it could be because the moon, unusually bright and large, hangs heavy over them with a sense of foreboding he's sensitive to. Whatever the case, he's not a fan - but he's not a fan of many things, anyway. )
[He stays away for the healers to work, for those close to Mika to step in and give him comfort when it's clear that he's lucid and no longer in a feral state.
But eventually, he knows he has to step in.
He doesn't knock. He simply stands at the door, a firm exhale from his nose and his voice quiet.]
( Mika never uses his bed as a bed, and more as a couch - but, today, he does. Curtains closed, lights out, fireplace dead, under the covers, curled up, unable to sleep. He hears Solomon approaching before he announces himself, and suspects him from the cadence of his steps - but it's the inhale and the way he says his name that gives him away.
Like before, Mika doesn't answer immediately. Like before, he's hoping to sink into the earth.
And, like before, when he finally opens the door with his miserable look, he doesn't really make eye contact with Solomon - just opens the door to let him in, and waits for him to open the conversation, whether or not he comes inside. )
[After tea, he goes and takes a proper shower and bath to clean up and decompress. He isn't originally intending to stop by Mika's room tonight, but he's just down the hall, and...
( Like before, Mika doesn't answer right away - though this time he's curled under the covers in a pitch black room. Like before, he does eventually come get the door... and like before, he seems Unhappy, and seems to be waiting for Ahito to broach the topic... and he opens the door to let Ahito in, if he wants.
This time, he seems less self-hatingly miserable (though there's certainly that, too), but - frustrated. Upset. Hurt, on behalf other people. The sort of thing ruminating for hours on end produces. )
[It's late by the time Malice goes to check on Mika, but the sun still isn't up yet so it should be fine. Besides, between the healers and everyone else checking in on Mika, he figured he'd wait to make sure he's not interrupting anyone.
Malice has changed and left his prosthetic arm back in his room, and when he knocks and speaks up, it's fairly quiet, for once. Mika will hear him, and there's no sense waking up anyone else in the manor.]
( It takes a brief time for Mika to answer, like before, but... he does come when he hears Malice - he had perhaps suspected it would be him as Malice made his way down the hall, for the strange but recognizable sounds his arm makes as it passes through the air.
A beat, when he sees him after opening the door - his expression is hard to read, but it's... frustrated. The face of someone who's been thinking over something upsetting for way too many hours consecutively.
Then he steps back, offering to let him in - into a pitch black room. With Malice, he's not initially attempting to light up the room; with how his magic's a little unstable, it's not worth the effort to try, and he knows Malice can see in the dark. )
... You can come in.
( Finally he speaks first in one of these post-incident room visits instead of making the other person do it... )
( Normally, Mika locks his door. But, tonight, he's still emotionally compromised, so he's forgotten, and in Tatara goes.
What greets Tatara is a pitch black room. Nothing stirs in it at first; it seems as if Mika isn't here, from where the sliver of the hall's light spills in. Mika had heard the familiar weight and cadence of his steps before he heard his voice to confirm it, and so he knew to expect him.
Eventually, though, there is a shifting; Mika's couch recessed in a wood frame can serve as a bed - he just never uses it that way. Tonight, though, he's under the blankets draped over it; completely so, curled up, so in the shadows, his form had seemed part of the room.
Slowly, Mika pushes himself up, the blanket falling away. Mika is dressed simply, and his gaze is hard to read within the slight light that reaches his face. There is shame, much like the other night. But also - rumination. The look of someone who's been anxious about too much and he's been spending his time thinking himself in circles, thinking of every bad thing that could come.
Rather than miserable, he looks exhausted. He's just been thinking, and thinking, and thinking. )
[That had been a mess. Well, mess is a definite understatement but it doesn't make it feel any less true. After leaving the courtyard and trusting that Ginger would be able to take care of the rest, she had yet to check up on Mika again, assuming he'd need time to convalesce. But almost a full day has passed at this point, so hopefully this is a better time to visit.
So sometime in the early evening, there will be a knock on Mika's door.]
( It takes... a little while for Mika to answer, and when he does, he opens the door to a pitch black room. Mika himself is dressed simply (not quite PJs, because he doesn't sleep, but definitely closer to loungewear), and his hair's a bit mussed up. He was crawled under the covers before this (not to sleep, but to be awake and depressed), but... well, here he is.
He looks exhausted - not quite miserable in the same way as he was post bitegate, but definitely unhappy, and definitely like someone who's been ruminating the worst possibilities on repeat for dozens of hours.
He pauses, studying Maya for a second, before opening the door to let her in, should she want. He seems to be waiting for her to say what she wants before speaking. )
( You know what we need after a terrible ghost possession? More ghosts. (Well...)
Sometime later in the week, at night, in the wizards' Eastern lodgings, there comes the sound of children's laughter in the hall. Turning the corner reveals them: young (no more than elementary school, most on the lower end), gamboling about, and in their night clothes as they chase after each other.
I don't wanna sleep yet! they laugh as a young girl chases after them, trying to corral them to wash up and go to bed. The children, clearly apparitions, scurry about, but they all end up slipping away into one room whose door has been left uncharacteristically ajar: Mika's.
From within it comes the murmuring of two more children. The conversation isn't clear from the hall, but a few faint phrases carry:
"I'm so happy," says one, soft-toned, and almost familiar. "So happy I could cry."
The other child's voice is clearer, but it's still a child. The intervening conversation doesn't carry either, especially not over the sound of the children's footsteps stumbling into the room, but this second voice rings true with:
[Since when has this building had so many children...?
It's the first thing that draws his attention in the darkened space of their lodging. Maybe he wasn't as observant as he used to be? But their forms waver, like shimmering illusion - the ghosts of something else. That alone is enough to draw Solomon away from his own silent trek to his room, turning on his heel to investigate. Whose room is this, that these spirits are drawing into? Whose voice is it, that feels familiar...
He keeps his back pressed to the hallway wall, brow furrowing at the intonation of the second speaker. A child in voice, but not in vocabulary, and with emphasis that feels far too like that he's heard so many other times.
Carefully, quietly, he'll sneak a peek around the doorframe.]
[ hello mika. khun finds his second favorite vampire sometime early in the evening, when there are people still out and about and in a public space. he calls out to him from afar to give him ample warning, holding both hands up in the air, palm facing towards him. ]
"Look no weapons" really loses meaning when there's magic around, huh? [ more notably is that the Vibes are just fine today. Khun will still be Khun, but there is no Void. ]
( Mika had heard the cadence of a familiar step approaching, but, these days, he's getting a little better at sensing, too - it's not long after he hears him that he starts to sense a semblance he thinks he knows.
It's been discomfiting, not really being able to sense much since he got here; he relied on knowing who's what and the gauge of their hostility quite a bit, back home.
Right now, as he turns his gaze to Khun, he can't be sure if he's fully without danger or not - and he probably wouldn't believe his own senses right now, even if he did. Khun has proven he can turn on a time, so Mika appears guarded. He cautiously studies him for a few moments before he finally decided that even if a Khun may turn, the gesture of non-violence itself has relevance.
If Khun had wanted to hurt him, he would have done so already. And given their previous encounter, he didn't like having to manage his guillotine in crowds. )
... It does.
( Was that cute small talk? Sadly, Mika answers it seriously. )
[Sometime after he's had a chance to like, regain blood and all that, he drops by! The whole thing with Ginger still feels a little weird, but... he is still concerned about Mika.]
( Ginger has presumably left, and it's not been without fanfare - Ahito probably got to see a glimpse of Mika clinging and asking him not to go, like there's something dangerous out there ... but once Ginger has coaxed him from his feverish worry and gone on his way, Mika's attention finally vaguely slides to Ahito.
It seems to take several long moments for Mika to recognize him, laid up in bed as he is, but wobbly in a way that suggests he's better off lying down instead of sitting up, he sort of tries to push himself up onto his elbow to get a better look at him. (It barely helps...) )
... Your blood...
( He says this with anxious concern. Not asking for any (Ginger's been feeding him), but asking if Ahito's okay. He clearly has no clue how long it's been - it's one of the few Ahito memories that returned to him when recognition set in, so it may as well have happened a few minutes ago, given his expression. )
[For once, Ithaqua has knocked on a door... but disappears immediately, leaving behind a hint of his magical signature and a small paper bag with half a dozen buns of freshly baked sourdough, each one slightly smaller than a fist, perfectly bite-sized. There's also fruit jam inside, nice and sweet, and with not a lot of that overly processed sugar Ithaqua dislikes either. How did he get it in there? Magic, of course. What flavors are there? Strawberry, blueberry, peach, lemon marmalade, and orange marmalade.
Enjoy! Don't burn the manor down while the Northies are gone.]
[ It’s not a particularly special day when Ginger asks Mika if they can spend their hour on the couch. But it is one of the rare days where he’s dressed more casually - a loose, short-sleeved button down shirt in some sort of fawn and dark slacks. The collar is open enough that the red marks on his neck are visible at most angles; in plain view like the badges they are.
Anyway, nothing is going on at all. ]
Can you unlock the door for us, sweetheart?
[ Which is what he asks, but then he turns Mika, smiling at him with mischief bright in his eyes and kisses him deeply, taking his time with making them both breathless. The door can be unlocked with magic, right? It’s fine, they can multitask. Their hour is too short anyway.
(If his heart has a slight, nervous stutter to it, that’s just the excitement of being near Mika.) ]
( Raincheck on Mika's outfit for when Pinterest doesn't give me button-up shirts, but he's pink enough at Ginger's. Ginger looks good in pretty much everything (it's been a difficult time for Mika ever since he realized his heart is strikingly handsome), but showing off the bite?
Traces of his fangs have always been a scarlet letter unto Mika - a mark of his shame, and his monstrosity. That Ginger turns them into something dear, like a love mark, like a hickey. It's enough to pause the step of his self-hate, so enveloped in - spoiled by - Ginger's love.
Ginger catches him just as he lifts his hand to unlock the door, and it's not an unwelcome surprise - neither the kiss, nor the mischief he'd seen a flicker of in Ginger's eyes before he'd been taken. He doesn't know what the occasion is, but he's happy for Ginger's cheer either way; it bleeds into him like honey overflowing a pot. He kisses back, just as deep, wrapping his arms around his neck. )
Love you.
( Murmured into the kiss before he joins their lips again, but isn't that declaration of affection a spell in itself? There's the gentle sound of the door coming unlocked as he casts magic woven from the sentiment, Mika's back coming to rest upon the door. Up to Ginger to open it now - that's Mika's mischief. )
( Character development is opening doors normally, for once...
Mika opens the door with only a little delay (putting away whatever he was working on), and he opens it to decidedly less gloomy vibes. It's still the same as it was, if slightly better lit - less brooding and more relaxing, the heart of the caster a little lighter. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
interior
The room suggests the attitude of someone who does not want to be known or seen. Dismal furniture sits on stone-like tile that clicks matronly beneath the heel; a fireplace on one end, a small sitting-table with two seats before it. (Two, as if reminder to himself that one will always, should always, remain empty.) There is a desk in one corner with some books filched from the library and bought from the market, and the something like a diary. The writing is elegant, practiced, and pleasing.
The bed doubles as a sort of cough and reading area, recessed within a wood frame. He does not need to sleep, but it casts a deep shadow, and adds to this living space a third place to brood pensively, besides the chairs and desk. Along the same wall as the bed is the door to a small closet, containing a brief and neatly-arrayed selection of clothes.
The fireplace is in view of the chairs and couch, and the desk sits by the windows. Besides the fireplace, only candlelight (magical or otherwise) services this room, leaving it generally low-lit. )
locked to easties & sage
The trouble of being a vampire is... (introspection flavor blurb)
Some time during the night following his second day of absence, Mika stumbles from the forest, looking pale and unwell. He doesn't need to breathe, and he's really just a corpse, and yet he breathes heavily, and yet his face runs strangely hot. He doesn't have a particular destination besides the closest concentration of humans. His eyes are unfocused. His steps are uneven. He staggers through the halls and gardens and courtyard, leaning against the walls, gripping his chest. It hurts. He's so hungry it hurts.
He doesn't seem it, but he's following a trail. Your scent—wherever you are, whatever you're doing on this night—which is just that much nearer than any other; lucky you. It's easy to see and hear him coming, though; he's graceless, for now.
And he's muttering in repetition to himself, hard to discern, but sounding a little like: )
... I need... I need... I need...
no subject
Hey -- hey, Mikaela!
[ He'll run over to him, suspecting that the guy landed himself in some serious danger. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
several cutscenes will play in sequence...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
He hears the stagger and the breathing and it's hard to miss. He peers over his shoulder, surprised to see this particular face for the first time since they met. ]
Mika-chan?
[ He turns to look at him, immediately concerned by the state he's in. It's like he learned how to be a sage overnight—all of a sudden, he looks more mature, more grounded, immediately ready to help with whatever problem seems to be ailing Mika. ]
Are you okay?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
But Ginger’s brain works sometimes. He does have some self-control; he can be normal about things. Mostly because he doesn’t know what the boundaries are with Mika. How deep does his tolerance for Ginger go? What’s his limit?
Every other day should be fine - shouldn’t it…? To start. That’s 50% less than Rum. Maybe every couple of days? He can at least check in with Mika; they can talk a little. Ginger likes it when they talk. And in-between he can impose on others or just… mope in his room.
But one day without Mika becomes two, becomes three - and Ginger worries. All the worries in the world: did he get tired of me, is he alright, is he injured, was it an invisibility spell to escape, did he disappear like the other wizards, was it the moon, who took him from m -
Finding Mika - well, Mika finding him brings a great and bright relief that quickly oscillates between worry and fear - for Mika, not of him. He’s not sure he could be scared of Mika. It takes no thought at all to rush to the other boy, to catch him around the arms.
To ignore the sharp spike of instinct from his dark eye that says danger. ]
Need what - tell me, I’ll get it for you immediately -
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
slightly nsfw look i’m sorry his canon don’t @ me aaaaa
gently holds u (rip ginger tho)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4/18 After The Clusterfuck
no subject
Seeing Ahito, he pauses, then wordlessly steps aside to let him in and close the door behind him. He says nothing if Ahito comes in; it seems like he's going to let Ahito start the conversation. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
after eastie massacre boogaloo
no subject
Like with Ahito, it takes a minute for him to get to the door - and, when he does, he simply looks Solomon over and lets him in, closing the door behind him. He's not starting this conversation, either, unfortunately. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
2/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
It doesn't make him feel any less guilty, though.
He lets Ginger into his room when he arrives, closing the door shut behind him. The flower Ginger gave him sits on the windowsill alone, in a small, glass vase. Instead of going to the couch, though, Mika hesitates. )
... Are you sure you don't want to use a cup?
no subject
[ Brief confusion before he makes a face. He gets what Mika means now, but… ]
Ah… Um, no, thanks. It’s a visual thing I think.
[ He doesn’t want to watch himself get cut. If angel shots were a thing, Ginger would hate it, too. He’d be terrified. ]
And besides it’ll hurt like that…
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
after snacktime
Malice knocks on the door and waits for Mika. Might as well talk about that, since he does have some questions and he figures it's better to get them out of the way now.]
no subject
After a moment of studying him and his expression, he opens the door - inviting him in, if he would prefer it. )
... If you want.
( He seems like he's going to let Malice broach whatever topic he had in mind, rather than asking what it is. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
as engrossed as he is in his reading, he does notice when mikaela comes close. they haven't really spoken, but of course he knows of him because of Bitegate. ]
Enjoying the atmosphere? [ it could be barbed but it's not, and it could be snide but it's not that either. still it's not entirely innocent, but this is just how khun is. ]
no subject
As far as he can tell, they're fashion glasses. Weird concept for a fantasy world, in his opinion, but it's whatever.
He had been drawn to Khun largely out of interest for his cube, like a moth to a flame - he had little interest in Khun himself, though not in any personal way; he simply did not care for most people by default. He hasn't the slightest clue how to parse Khun's tone, either - but he decides it doesn't really matter. )
Not really. ( Very social. ) The air here is strange.
( It could be the sense of the world about them being alive - with spirits, with magic - it could be because the moon, unusually bright and large, hangs heavy over them with a sense of foreboding he's sensitive to. Whatever the case, he's not a fan - but he's not a fan of many things, anyway. )
Why read here instead of your room?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
tower of god arc 1 spoilers
(no subject)
tower of god part 1 spoilers continue
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
morning? afternoon? after the Khun Incident
But eventually, he knows he has to step in.
He doesn't knock. He simply stands at the door, a firm exhale from his nose and his voice quiet.]
Mika.
no subject
Like before, Mika doesn't answer immediately. Like before, he's hoping to sink into the earth.
And, like before, when he finally opens the door with his miserable look, he doesn't really make eye contact with Solomon - just opens the door to let him in, and waits for him to open the conversation, whether or not he comes inside. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Post-Khun
...
Knock knock.]
no subject
This time, he seems less self-hatingly miserable (though there's certainly that, too), but - frustrated. Upset. Hurt, on behalf other people. The sort of thing ruminating for hours on end produces. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
week 3, post-khun and mika's wild ride
Malice has changed and left his prosthetic arm back in his room, and when he knocks and speaks up, it's fairly quiet, for once. Mika will hear him, and there's no sense waking up anyone else in the manor.]
Hey, Mika. It's Malice. You got a moment?
no subject
A beat, when he sees him after opening the door - his expression is hard to read, but it's... frustrated. The face of someone who's been thinking over something upsetting for way too many hours consecutively.
Then he steps back, offering to let him in - into a pitch black room. With Malice, he's not initially attempting to light up the room; with how his magic's a little unstable, it's not worth the effort to try, and he knows Malice can see in the dark. )
... You can come in.
( Finally he speaks first in one of these post-incident room visits instead of making the other person do it... )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
post The Incident
Too bad, because your sage is here. ]
Mika.
[ He won't knock; instead, he tries the door knob, and will push the door open if it's unlocked. Let him in... ]
no subject
What greets Tatara is a pitch black room. Nothing stirs in it at first; it seems as if Mika isn't here, from where the sliver of the hall's light spills in. Mika had heard the familiar weight and cadence of his steps before he heard his voice to confirm it, and so he knew to expect him.
Eventually, though, there is a shifting; Mika's couch recessed in a wood frame can serve as a bed - he just never uses it that way. Tonight, though, he's under the blankets draped over it; completely so, curled up, so in the shadows, his form had seemed part of the room.
Slowly, Mika pushes himself up, the blanket falling away. Mika is dressed simply, and his gaze is hard to read within the slight light that reaches his face. There is shame, much like the other night. But also - rumination. The look of someone who's been anxious about too much and he's been spending his time thinking himself in circles, thinking of every bad thing that could come.
Rather than miserable, he looks exhausted. He's just been thinking, and thinking, and thinking. )
... What is it?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
the day after khungate
So sometime in the early evening, there will be a knock on Mika's door.]
Mika-kun? Are you there?
no subject
He looks exhausted - not quite miserable in the same way as he was post bitegate, but definitely unhappy, and definitely like someone who's been ruminating the worst possibilities on repeat for dozens of hours.
He pauses, studying Maya for a second, before opening the door to let her in, should she want. He seems to be waiting for her to say what she wants before speaking. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
Sometime later in the week, at night, in the wizards' Eastern lodgings, there comes the sound of children's laughter in the hall. Turning the corner reveals them: young (no more than elementary school, most on the lower end), gamboling about, and in their night clothes as they chase after each other.
I don't wanna sleep yet! they laugh as a young girl chases after them, trying to corral them to wash up and go to bed. The children, clearly apparitions, scurry about, but they all end up slipping away into one room whose door has been left uncharacteristically ajar: Mika's.
From within it comes the murmuring of two more children. The conversation isn't clear from the hall, but a few faint phrases carry:
"I'm so happy," says one, soft-toned, and almost familiar. "So happy I could cry."
The other child's voice is clearer, but it's still a child. The intervening conversation doesn't carry either, especially not over the sound of the children's footsteps stumbling into the room, but this second voice rings true with:
"If that's what you desire..."
There's faint emphasis on the word "desire." )
I LOST THIS HELP here I come
It's the first thing that draws his attention in the darkened space of their lodging. Maybe he wasn't as observant as he used to be? But their forms waver, like shimmering illusion - the ghosts of something else. That alone is enough to draw Solomon away from his own silent trek to his room, turning on his heel to investigate. Whose room is this, that these spirits are drawing into? Whose voice is it, that feels familiar...
He keeps his back pressed to the hallway wall, brow furrowing at the intonation of the second speaker. A child in voice, but not in vocabulary, and with emphasis that feels far too like that he's heard so many other times.
Carefully, quietly, he'll sneak a peek around the doorframe.]
opens arms for grandpa
(no subject)
cw: brief mention of mutilated children's corpses
cw: brief mention of mutilated children's corpses; children being killed
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
post akira'ing
"Look no weapons" really loses meaning when there's magic around, huh? [ more notably is that the Vibes are just fine today. Khun will still be Khun, but there is no Void. ]
no subject
It's been discomfiting, not really being able to sense much since he got here; he relied on knowing who's what and the gauge of their hostility quite a bit, back home.
Right now, as he turns his gaze to Khun, he can't be sure if he's fully without danger or not - and he probably wouldn't believe his own senses right now, even if he did. Khun has proven he can turn on a time, so Mika appears guarded. He cautiously studies him for a few moments before he finally decided that even if a Khun may turn, the gesture of non-violence itself has relevance.
If Khun had wanted to hurt him, he would have done so already. And given their previous encounter, he didn't like having to manage his guillotine in crowds. )
... It does.
( Was that cute small talk? Sadly, Mika answers it seriously. )
What did you want?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
Moonfever time
Hello...?
no subject
It seems to take several long moments for Mika to recognize him, laid up in bed as he is, but wobbly in a way that suggests he's better off lying down instead of sitting up, he sort of tries to push himself up onto his elbow to get a better look at him. (It barely helps...) )
... Your blood...
( He says this with anxious concern. Not asking for any (Ginger's been feeding him), but asking if Ahito's okay. He clearly has no clue how long it's been - it's one of the few Ahito memories that returned to him when recognition set in, so it may as well have happened a few minutes ago, given his expression. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
before the northie mission
Enjoy! Don't burn the manor down while the Northies are gone.]
before westies return
Anyway, nothing is going on at all. ]
Can you unlock the door for us, sweetheart?
[ Which is what he asks, but then he turns Mika, smiling at him with mischief bright in his eyes and kisses him deeply, taking his time with making them both breathless. The door can be unlocked with magic, right? It’s fine, they can multitask. Their hour is too short anyway.
(If his heart has a slight, nervous stutter to it, that’s just the excitement of being near Mika.) ]
no subject
Traces of his fangs have always been a scarlet letter unto Mika - a mark of his shame, and his monstrosity. That Ginger turns them into something dear, like a love mark, like a hickey. It's enough to pause the step of his self-hate, so enveloped in - spoiled by - Ginger's love.
Ginger catches him just as he lifts his hand to unlock the door, and it's not an unwelcome surprise - neither the kiss, nor the mischief he'd seen a flicker of in Ginger's eyes before he'd been taken. He doesn't know what the occasion is, but he's happy for Ginger's cheer either way; it bleeds into him like honey overflowing a pot. He kisses back, just as deep, wrapping his arms around his neck. )
Love you.
( Murmured into the kiss before he joins their lips again, but isn't that declaration of affection a spell in itself? There's the gentle sound of the door coming unlocked as he casts magic woven from the sentiment, Mika's back coming to rest upon the door. Up to Ginger to open it now - that's Mika's mischief. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Post-Final meeting
Knock knock, Mika.]
no subject
Mika opens the door with only a little delay (putting away whatever he was working on), and he opens it to decidedly less gloomy vibes. It's still the same as it was, if slightly better lit - less brooding and more relaxing, the heart of the caster a little lighter. )
... Hey.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)