animus_network | 004 ❀ Invisible words explode with scorn

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004 ❀ Invisible words explode with scorn

[Hey there tower- you know this face? She doesn't make it a point to use the network often, but when she does, it's usually for a good reason. Today's reason seems to be making announcements, settled in the library with tea beside her and her sketchbook in hand as ever.]

Strega- we will have breakfast tomorrow. All of us. Please don't make me have to come and bring you down. It would assuredly not be worth the trouble.

[Don't make her do it boys. It'll be ugly. Or at the very least, unpleasant.]

Willow- I have more things ready for you, if you would care to come try them on. I feel I may need to request a few more types of fabric from the tower if I am to continue, however. I would like to get the rest of these done properly or not at all.

[Because so many projects, so little of the necessary fabric to use- but half-assing things isn't her style.]

There is one more matter I'd care to bring up, if I may. Her Imperious Condescension, if I might request your attention a moment.

[She picks up her tea then, fingers curling delicately around the cup. It's not an actual request of course, because she takes another sip and continues on regardless-]

It has come to my attention that you have taken issue with the fact that one of your subjects is in a moirallegiance with me. While I am certain you have nothing but his best interests at heart- [she's absolutely sure of the opposite, actually]- I feel I must implore you to kindly mind your own quadrants. Presuming of course, there are any more of your subjects here loyal or willing enough to enter into them with you. If not, perhaps you should look into finding a quadrant-mate outside of the limited number of your people- it seems to be working out just fine for some of the rest of them, after all.

[She takes another sip of her tea, then sets it aside and reaches forward toward the console.]

Ah- and if you should hurt him again like you did before, I believe you will find that not everyone is quite so willing to let you do as you please, Highness.

[Chidori out, yo.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[his life

is over

brb joining darkleer in exile]

[at least you'll have good company

no, she doesn't mean Darkleer you drama queen]

[Signless is out looking for you, Dualscar]

[and dualscar, quite the opposite.

signless will eventually find him in his room, sitting on his bed with head in hands. but if he knocks before entering, there won't be any answering.]

[He hesitates after knocking, then eases the door open, just in case. He gazes for a moment at the miserable-looking sea dweller, then slips into the room]

Orphaner?

[he initially ignores the noise of the door, but the voice causes him to look up sharply. the look of despondency immediately dissolves into one of condescension, a sneer carving his features. and he tenses visibly, ready to leap at him at the slightest provocation.]

What?

[He closes the door. Dualscar looks angry, but that's not a big surprise.]

I've spoken to your moirail, and the Condesce.

[He's walking towards him as he speaks, his blood pusher fluttering nervously, but he's resolute. He reaches for him with one hand, intending to catch him by the collar and kiss him.

Signless' version of black romance involves doing things to make Dualscar feel better. Big surprise.]

[dualscar's ire slips at their mention, and for a second all he can do is reel. he doesn't even react when signless is approaching him, grabbing him by his collar. what's most unexpected is the kiss, of which he isn't sure what to make of at this time.

he lingers for a moment nonetheless, before withdrawing from it to scrutinize the other.]

... What is it that you want?

To tell you that you're not alone.

[His lips quirk upwards, a little shy, and a bit uncertain. But Dualscar responded to the kiss, so that's something. He doesn't withdraw, but sits down beside him on the sleeping rectangle.]

[dualscar knows it. maybe. but he will be back home-- more alone than he ever has, and the thought is, quite frankly, terrifying. he doesn't look to him, his hand falling to his lap.

he doesn't respond, though the skepticism is evident, and signless may notice the purple rim to his eyes.]

[Dualscar must be really upset if he's not even getting angry or pushing Signless away, not that Signless is surprised by that. He scoots closer and puts his arms loosely around him, giving him the space to pull away if he chooses.]

I don't want to take the place of your very able moirail - I think we both know if we have a future it's not in that quadrant - but Orphaner... you are very strong. You stood up to her, and though you might not realize it right now, you accomplished something great.

And maybe she'll recognize that one day, and realize that you did the right thing.

[he hunches his shoulders a bit, and if he'd been doubting himself before, he really is now. of course signless would think that; he doesn't know the whole thing, and this whole affair is embarrassing. here he'd thought he couldn't sink much lower before all of this had exploded in his face.]

I did not. Chidori did.

[another fact that he hates to admit, one that actually gets his blood pumping properly, his thoughts derailing onto another course.]

She's the Empress. She deserves much, much more than this.

Didn't you? [He knows a little, and he can read between the lines of what Chidori told him] Maybe you let the Empress think you'd obeyed her, but you didn't. You could have done more, but you allowed Chidori to stay your moirail, even if you told her you weren't.

[He slips his fingers along Dualscar's cheek, just to the base of a fin, then presses another kiss to Dualscar's other cheek, gentle. It's not black right now at all, but that's all right.]

No, Orphaner. You're the one who deserves better than the way she treated you.

[he swallows. that's one of the more shameful parts to it, really. the list is getting longer, and he can't seem to stop it from growing. he reaches a hand upward to gingerly touch at signless' wrist and hold it.

dualscar shakes his head, his words becoming hollow repeats of his thoughts.]

If I am unable to fulfill my basic duties 'a loyalty, I do not. An' if it brings her happiness to be rid 'a me, then so be it.

[sincerely, even. it's the only thing he can think of to get him through this situation.]

[There now, that's good. Signless cautiously rubs his thumb, not moving his hand, but allowing the thumb to rub up the spine of a fin. He presses his forehead to Dualscar's other cheek, holding him around the shoulders with his free arm.]

Orphaner, you haven't done anything wrong. There's nothing disloyal about having a human moirail. All the Condesce wanted was to lash out and give you pain, because she wasn't able to control you - control your heart. And she's succeeded. That's not the act of a great leader who's deserving of your loyalty. If she cared for you as a follower - or in any other capacity - then she would want you to be happy in her service, not miserable.

She held me to a higher standard, as she should.

[he lets signless shower him with these affections, as it actually makes him feel a touch... better, almost. he's not sure how to feel about this display, other than further disgust with himself. it hurts less to not think on it.]

My misery is my own; I brought this upon myself.

[signless is a mutant rebel. he may just be talking to a brick wall here-- of course he wouldn't get it.]

[Signless certainly hopes it's helping. He's quite worried about the fact that Dualscar is opening up to him like this, rather than lashing out.]

But now you're free to walk your own path. To answer to your own standards, and not those imposed on you by someone who doesn't care about you.

[don't count your chickens before they hatch, signless. perhaps he'll give him a reason not to worry soon enough, if the anger that slips into his voice is any consolation. a highblood's patience only extends so far, after all.]

But I care for her.

[He pauses at that, then sighs and rests his head against Dualscar's shoulder]

I'm sorry she rejected you, Orphaner. You can do so much better, though.

There's no one better for me.

[truth. better for matespritship... probably, most definitely. he'll continue with his delusions.]

I know it seems that way right now! But you'll get through this, and you have people who care about you, who will be with you right now.

[He shifts, climbing practically into the sea dweller's lap, so that he can look into his purple eyes. He smiles up at him sympathetically]

I promise you, Orphaner. You're not alone right now. And things will get better.

[he's still skeptical, though it shows itself in the way of sadness as he looks down to the troll in his lap. there are few that care for him, signless knows this, very very very few. and normally this wouldn't be a problem for him, because he wouldn't care so long as he had his empress to follow. but now it's just... a realization, of how utterly alone he is. because if he thought himself lonely before... well.

he touches the side of signless' face, brushes the hair from his eyes, and pulls down to kiss him again.]

[Such gentleness is something Signless might never have expected from Dualscar - certainly never directed towards him.

He smiles softly at that, and goes eagerly where Dualscar pulls him, pressing his lips to Dualscar's and giving a soft hum as he slips his arms around the sea dweller's neck.]

[nor did he, but circumstances have apparently since changed. in contrast, redrom isn't exactly something he does often either -- far from, in fact -- and misunderstandings are a-go. don't worry, he won't tell if signless doesn't. his hand drifts from signless' face to slide down his arm, to rest it softly against the base of his ribcage.

he deepens the kiss, slightly, melancholic thoughts momentarily pushed aside in light of this new area of concentration. that doesn't mean there isn't something desperate in the way he embraces him though, as if afraid signless will disappear from him as well.]

[Wow, uh.

Yeah.

This is really red.

But while Signless is very aware of his recent discovery that his Disciple is back, he simply can't back out right now and leave Dualscar alone. He has a feeling that any kind of rejection right now would possibly destroy something. Something important, either within Dualscar, or between the two of them.

So while he breathes into Dualscar's mouth and returns the kiss with interest, letting his own hands drift down to the middle of Dualscar's back, he slowly tries to shift it in a more black direction. He nips at Dualscar's lower lip, and slides his tongue into the sea dweller's mouth in a more aggressive manner, trying awkwardly to remind him of what quadrant this is, while not rejecting his advance at all.]

004 ❀ Invisible words explode with scorn

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