↳ cave

　　　↳ ᴇɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ ᴏɴᴇ. ↰

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya "Yes, I know how to cook just about anything I desire to eat. I have had an abundance of time to learn how, and I am never in any hurry so I don't bother with shortcuts. Cooking is quite relaxing; maybe you should try it sometime. Your energy is very...high." Kallistae reminded Xiaoran of a taught bowstring, always ready to strike. "You don't consider squid or octopus to be fish? I mean yes, they're technically cephalopods, but they're still a type of seafood. Do you not like oysters or mussels, then?" He quirked a brow quizzically.

Kallistae's silence was even more confirmation that he had in fact seen the giant squid. Xiaoran had seen similar beasts before, but the kraken itself was something he wrote off as urban legend since there were actual giant squids deep in the depths of the ocean. But the creature he'd seen was not the same--it was dark, ravenous. All the more reason to stay out of the water.

Xiaoran glanced around his gave with a shrug. "Kal, this cave is only a mile from the trail. If someone were to find it on their own it would be of no consequence to me. I do not have anything here that is incriminating towards myself nor anyone else; I am not stupid. If this cave were found, I would simply settle into a new cave." Xiaoran took another sip of water. "I thought it would be interesting and I seldom have guests. Your chatter, though sometimes without meaning, is amusing."

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: do me damage - digital daggers

"I presume you can cook those, too, then?" Kallistae leaned back in her chair. Xiaoran hadn't taken the bait, but the Mer didn't lose her stride. As the conversation changed, she adapted. "I've never cared to cook them. They're not my preferred meal, anyway. I'd rather eat fish." Fish were easier for her to catch and didn't shoot ink at her when she was trying to hunt them. Sure, fish swam quickly, but not quickly enough to escape the vicious hunter. She liked to eat her meals in the sea, though sometimes she would join Akaedi somewhere for dinner at a restaurant. She'd discovered a liking for sushi, as loathe as she had been to admit she liked a creation of land creatures when she was younger.

Kallistae leaned forward and took her water. She sipped at it, sinking back into the chair as she watched him over the rim of the cup. He had seen Jinhai's... well. Kal wasn't sure what to call it. She wondered if she should tell her captain that someone had seen it, later—maybe without mentioning names.

The Mer had to raise her brows at that. "If this," she gestured around them with the hand that wasn't holding the cup, "is such a secret, and I'm not someone you trust, then /why/ would you tell me where to find your home? Why would you invite me here?" No, Kallistae wasn't the sort of person who would spread such information, but they were not friends. She wouldn't call them enemies, but the grey area they were in was not what she'd call friendship. Her only friends were in Vos.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya The deity was sure Kallistae was just trying to , annoy him. It was what she was good at, after all. He'd seen her do it to others and to himself; he just didn't care enough to actually let it get to him. After all, coming after his physical appearance or age wouldn't work; he knew what he looked like, and he knew how old he was. He had no illusions about either. No one could comment on his martial arts since he knew they too were excellent. Xiaoran clearly understood himself to the point that teasing and prodding comments did not bother him. If they did, he never would have made it to where he was. Earning the title of general and then head of military affairs in the Heavenly Emperor's army was not easy.

"I happen to enjoy calamari and takoyaki quite a bit, how did you know?" he responded simply. "They're hard to cook correctly, but so long as you don't overcook them they're delicious." Xiaoran brought over a pitcher of water, pouring them both a cup of it. Xiaoran simply wouldn't take Kallistae's bait; it was easy to avoid. "As I said, your answer was sufficient. My curiosities have been put to rest."

Xiaoran sat back down. "I've lived a life of servitude. I have deceived others in the past on my way to glory and power, but it is no secret. I have no secrets of my own besides the location of this cave and the things I do for Yeol. But as I said--not my own secrets."

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: razor's edge - digital daggers

Kallistae wished she knew how to push Xiaoran's buttons. She didn't let him see her frustration, however, shrugging in response to his comment about the 'different' passage of time. She was used to bickering with people who she knew how to incense and inflame. She was good at finding the things that would get underneath others' skin. She would find something she could jab at him, eventually.

"Oh, really? Do you spend a lot of time looking at tentacles, then?" Kallistae had to keep herself from making a erse joke—Xiaoran needed to appreciate the level of restraint she had been displaying since she had entered her home. Usually, there were no holds barred. She was being nice. "Your vision might not be," she replied.

Kal's eyes followed him to the sink. "That's boring, Xiaoran," she sighed. "How can you not have any secrets of your own? There's nothing you haven't told anyone? Nothing you don't want someone to find out? I find that hard to believe. You have to have secrets."

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya "I might be. Time on Kunlun and in the Heavenly Empire tend to pass differently than it does here. I could very well be as old as dust." Comments on his age didn't bother him; age was a very earthly thing. It didn't bother people where he was from. Your age didn't matter, it was your commitment to learning martial arts and gathering energy that counted. The more disciplined you were, the more energy and power you had. Some people grew that energy very fast, and others took a very long time to gather the energy.

Xiaoran stopped himself from making a comment questioning her true likeness to a manatee; it would only be rude and untrue. "Well I have my doubts that I could mistake a tentacle for anything but a tentacle." He sighed softly. "My vision is perfect. Either way, your answer was enough. Thank you."

The wolf stood up to take the teapot to the sink so he could clean the tea leaves from the strainer later. "I don't have many secrets, Kal. All the ones I have belong to others. I am merely safeguarding them for later knowledge and use."

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: without you (extended) - ursine vulpine

Kallistae flicked her hair behind her shoulders. "Right, I'd forgotten you were as old as dust," she snarked. She was unable to resist the temptation of needling him when he had given her such the perfect opportunity and ammunition to do it with. She couldn't help it. It was even more tempting to needle and poke at him than it was anyone else!

"Why yes, they did," she agreed. "I mean, I don't know how anyone could make /that/ mistake. For instance, look at me. I look nothing like a manatee. A manatee looks nothing like me. No one would ever look at a manatee and say 'hey, there goes Kal'. Perhaps those sailors needed to invest in glasses. Maybe you need glasses! I've heard that as you grow older, your vision deteriorates."

Kallistae tucked strands of her vibrant-colored hair behind her ear. "You keep your secrets and I'll keep mine," she lilted. As she watched him, she wondered absently if the hypnotic allure of her song would affect him—what with him being a 'heavenly deity', and all of that.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya "Well now you do know. You know that I make the best osmanthus cakes in the entire city. I had plenty of time to perfect my recipe as well." Xiaoran made a soft noise, shaking his head. "They have their roots in Chinese culture, but not from the same Chinese culture that I come from. Having things passed down and having firsthand experience about their taste are two very different things."

The wolf studied her carefully. She gave nothing away, but he felt as though she'd be making a big deal out of it if she hadn't seen it. Perhaps laughing at him, or asking when and where he saw it so she could to. But instead she was dismissive. "Right. Everything they saw was false. Just like how Mer were just manatees, right? Those sailors were imagining things too."

Shaking his head, Xiaoran's smile narrowed a bit, not so wolfy and predatory. "Because telling me would give something away about the Mer, along with your self. Naturally you wouldn't tell me everything you can do, just as I would not tell you everything I can do. We can only assume then decide where to place our bets later."

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: lost - maroon 5

"Well, it's not like I'd know," Kallistae sniffed. It wasn't as though she had ever tried to procure them. And even if someone wanted them, she was /not/ the person who did the shopping for the Vos house. Akaedi wouldn't trust her not to come home with a lot of raw fish and an abundance of things they had no need for. "There are plenty of people in this city that seem to have their roots in Chinese culture! Surely you'd find someone, I don't know. I don't go looking for things like that."

"Oh really? Seeing things in the water isn't uncommon." Kallistae's expression didn't change, even the slightest—nor did her voice. She didn't enjoy lying, but she was good at it. "Sailors used to mistake whale es for sea monsters all the time. You may have just been imagining things."

The Mer shifted in her seat, her large eyes narrowing slightly at the man across from her. She was reminded that he was a predator just like her, the land equivalent of what she herself was. "Why would I tell you if I could or couldn't?" Kallistae demanded. Checking her sharp nails, she added, "A girl has to have her secrets."

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya "Of course. You think I could find anyone within a hundred mile radius adept at making them? Of course not." He shook his head a little, taking another bite of the sweet cake. He had moon cakes and the like from stores, but no one made osmanthus cakes like they used to. Xiaoran just took to cooking and baking for himself.

"Hm. I see. Must not be any underwater cave systems around here, then. Likely for the best. I saw something very large rise up in the ocean yesterday. It was by your captain's ship. I'd hate for it to be able to get any closer to land than it is." Xiaoran's gaze brushed over Kallistae, curious if she'd admit to the beast or if she'd pretend he was making something up. "Humans are fools, but we cannot fault them for wanting to see more of the world before they die. They obviously found the trade off to be worth the risk."

The wolf grinned. His mouth stretched a bit far too wide and his teeth were a bit too sharp for the action not to be a touch unsettling. "You can't sense the water?"

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: get to me - amber delarosa

Kallistae coughed. Maybe it shouldn't have, but hearing that had taken her by surprise. "You made these?" she repeated, but she followed Xiaoran's prompting and reached out to wash the snack down with tea. Okay, perhaps now it was a little more tolerable. It certainly wouldn't be Kal's first choice in food or beverage, but... it was tolerable. She put the cup back on the table and made a noncommittal hum.

"Not really," she shrugged. "If I could find one here, on the island, I would—enjoy it very much." Kallistae blinked. Was she supposed to feel bad for the folly of humans? If you asked the Mer, they brought such things upon themselves—she had yet to meet a nonmagical human that was capable of actually using their brain. "I haven't seen any myself, but that's what humans get for being fools," Kallistae dismissed. "If they get themselves killed by diving where they aren't supposed to, that's their own fault."

The Mer tilted her head, drumming her fingers on her knee. "Maybe," she murmured. She'd rather not find out the hard way. Stumbling into magma wouldn't be a pleasant way to die—not that she was /clumsy/ enough to find herself in a situation like that, of course.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya "Then you're welcome to try some. I made them myself." Xiaoran calmly sipped his tea, pouring himself another cup. His yellow eyes drifted upwards to watch the Mer's reaction to the dessert. He saw her make a face and smiled slightly behind his cup as he lifted it to his mouth, allowing the cool jade to rest against his lower lip for a moment. "That's why we take sips of tea in between. Perhaps try the tea again; you might like it after the sugar." Xiaoran gestured with an open hand to the cup of tea he had poured her earlier.

his lips, Xiaoran set his cup down and twirled it in his long fingers. "Have you been in many caves, then? I hear they exist underwater as well. Humans apparently go diving and die in them all the time. When the caves are too deep the air pressure is low and they cannot be retrieved. Have you seen any?" The male tilted his head ever so slightly, honestly intrigued--not at the topic, but to see what Kallistae's reaction would be. How did she truly react to death? Did she grimace, turn her head away? Or perhaps she was desensitized to it.

"Well, just a speculation. I doubt there's any magma. It's probably all cooled off and created streams for the ground water."

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: out of my hands - shy martin

If she said she usually just ate raw fish—it was a preference thing, she'd /eaten/ other things, and foods that were considered socially acceptable, of course—would that make Kallistae look unrefined? She didn't know, and she didn't /really/ care, but she just shrugged. "I haven't," she said. Peering at the snacks, her lips pursed. They looked like flowers—she liked flowers, when they were in her hair. She didn't have much patience for them otherwise. Perhaps that was because Avra tended to grow them in the most inconvenient of spots around the beach house. Whatever the case, she eventually reached for one and nibbled the edge. It /was/, in fact, rather sweet. The Mer wrinkled her nose and decided she didn't like it much, either, but pushed it into to finish it. So as not to be rude, of course.

Kallistae toyed with the pendant that hung from one of her necklaces. Xiaoran's smile reminded her of shiny things, and like all Mer, she liked shiny things. "I can't say I've been in anyone's cave—that they live in—before," she sniffed. "Maybe I was a little curious about it." The Mer shifted around, so that both of her legs were draped over the arm of the chair and crossed at the ankle. She may have been—passably polite in other things, but her sitting manners were always lacking. She didn't do the back straight, shoulders back, knees together, feet on the floor and hands in your lap /ladylike/ way of sitting.

Kallistae grimaced. "The mountain can keep the magma, I don't want that. Just the water." She wondered if there was an underwater cave—a place where the water was deep enough for a Mer to swim. If she could find a place like that in the cave systems on the island, Kal would probably swim there. To see what she could find beneath the water, of course... perhaps something that she could wear. Or give to someone.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya Xiaoran lifted his eyebrows at her, deciding not to ask her to repeat whatever it was that she mumbled to herself; she obviously hadn't meant for him to hear it. But in general it was better to take people seriously for your own safety if not anything else. Kallistae had gotten annoyed at his formalities, but surely she wouldn't want to be taken as a joke or lightly.

Xiaoran nodded in response to the Mer's declining of a beverage. "I have snacks as well. Not sure if you've had traditional Chinese snacks. But these are osmanthus cakes, so try one if you like." The deity motioned towards the plate on the table that had a pile of light brown sweets made to look like flowers. "They're quite sweet, but that's why we eat them with tea; they balance each other. All good pairings balance each other out." He smiled softly and lifted his head to look at Kallistae, really looking at her and giving her his full attention. "Well you asked where I lived and you seemed intrigued by my location. You insisted so much on the location that I figured you were curious. As I said, I don't think you could kill me here so it seemed alright. I don't get many visitors anyway, so having new life is quite refreshing."

Xiaoran paused, trying to think of how much information could be dangerous. "Caves go into the interiors of mountains, yes? Naturally there is groundwater and such that runs through it in small amounts. Enough for me to use for cooking and the like." Xiaoran wondered if she'd be able to sense just how much water there was in the area. "This mountain is an extinct volcano. Perhaps there's still magma deep underground."

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: delightful - dounia

Of course Kallistae wanted to be taken seriously, but she also wanted to be trusted—no, that was ridiculous. Kal didn't need /trust/ from anyone but the members of Vos. She tossed her pink hair and blinked. "I wouldn't be so sure," she muttered, more to herself than to the deity. If the Mer disliked anything, it was being underestimated. Sure, Xiaoran was... heavenly, or whatever, but Kallistae was dangerous. When she said she was excellent at everything she did, she meant it!

Kallistae shrugged. "I'm not all that thirsty, anyway... but thank you," she added, after a moment. She hadn't come to drink tea, or water, with her... rival? Was he supposed to be considered a rival? Akaedi and Yeol's relationship was strange and Kal tried not to think about it very often. She leaned back in her chair and shrugged. "You're the one who practically invited me to come. I was just curious to see your cave." It wasn't what she had expected, when he had said he lived in a cave, but it was nice... in a cave sort of way.

Obviously, Kallistae wasn't much of a cave person. She prefered open oceans and large stretches of water, but that didn't mean she wouldn't visit caves and mountains and forests. It was all nature, in the long run. There was always a source of water somewhere.

"Does your cave lead to water?" she asked, leaning forward.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya "Wouldn't you rather I take you seriously?" Xiaoran responded calmly. "You wouldn't succeed outside of water. So I feel much safer in my own territory." The male observed the female evenly with the slightest hint of amusement. If Xiaoran--more specifically Yeol--decided Vos needed to be taken down, Kallistae wouldn't be the first to go, and if she were it wouldn't be by poison. But she didn't know that. Besides, it would never happen; Yeol had a fondness of Akaedi that Xiaoran would call a crush. Yeol would call it admiration.

But this little Mer wasn't her brother. "I didn't think you'd enjoy the tea," Xiaoran commented, taking another sip from his own cup. "I can offer you water instead. All I have is tea and water." Xiaoran wasn't about to tell Kallistae that he had alcohol. No, that would stay further down the cave in the storage area. "Anything besides boredom make you decide to come see me in my humble abode?" he asked, lifting a single brow before pushing one long lock of hair out of his eyes.

Xiaoran still wasn't sure to make of Kallistae. He didn't really think of her except when he saw her in the chatroom. She seemed headstrong, stubborn, and mischievous. The wolf deity could never figure out if she was being sarcastic, dramatic, or both.

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ocean drive - duke dumont

"I don't know why you won't listen to me whenever I tell you I won't kill you," Kallistae remarked as she followed him into the cave. "If I wanted to, I'd have already /tried/." The only thing Xiaoran had to fear from her was a potential drowning—not a fatal one, of course. Kallistae just wanted to lure him into the water and watch him drown a little. She wouldn't let him /die/.

Well, maybe.

But she'd tell him first, if she decided she wanted to kill him.

The Mer shrugged off the harness that held her swords on her back and propped them up against her chair. She tossed a leg over the arm of the chair and lifted the tea cup to sniff its contents. It didn't smell like poison. Oh well, if Xiaoran wanted to kill her, she didn't think he was one to take a coward's route. Besides, if something happened to her and Akaedi found out Xiaoran was involved, it was the deity's death sentence.

So she sipped the tea and wrinkled her nose, setting the cup on the table with as much gentleness as she could muster. "Not particularly. I'm not a huge fan."

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya Xiaoran let the few inches of steel slide back into the sheath once he confirmed it was just Kallistae as he thought. "I'm sure why you could understand my apprehension about giving you my address, Kal," he said simply. "For all I knew you wanted to ambush me. The odds were low, but not zero." Turning, Xiaoran headed into the cave. "Come in, then. The tea is done."

Xiaoran moved further into his home, going to the table and pouring the Mer a cup of tea into a small jade cup. Sweeping his long tunic back with a flourish, the wolf deity sat down, taking his own cup to have a sip of the tea. "Do you like tea, Kal?" he asked, half-curious; she didn't seem like the type, but it was customary in Xiaoran's culture to offer your guests tea. If you liked them well enough you would offer alcohol, but Xiaoran wasn't willing to risk the Mer getting drunk and causing mayhem. It would be a headache for him and he didn't feel like getting murdered by Kallistae's older brother or any other Vos members.

@☬　Xiaoran ↳ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 5, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: regulars - allie x
↳ ᴋᴀʟʟɪsᴛᴀᴇ: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/6f/24/a9/6f24a9fb7b924154d4a87b033b907afa.jpg

Kallistae, first and foremost, had not expected that Xiaoran would tell her where to find his home. But he had, and so Kallistae had swept out of the beach house like it was on fire—she ignored her brother when he asked her where she was going in such a hurry, and slammed the sliding door on her way across the sand. Once she reached the forest, she walked slower. She didn't want someone to think she was actually /eager/ to visit Xiaoran. She was only going because he'd practically invited her. And she was curious.

It wasn't hard for the Mer to find the cave—of course it wasn't! Kallistae wasn't going to get /lost/ just because she had to walk across the land instead of traveling through the water. Even though Xiaoran's directions were terrible, she still found herself standing outside of the cave he'd directed her to.

A voice that sounded /suspiciously/ like Akaedi mentioned that it might have been a setup, but Kallistae ignored that voice. She had two swords strapped to her back and one at her hip, for the sea's sake. Probably overkill, when she was visiting someone, but Kallistae liked her swords. She stepped through the cave entrance and paused when she saw Xiaoran, resting a hand on his weapon.

"Do I put you that on edge?" Kallistae questioned. It was meant to be a joke, but it didn't quite come out as one (which was typical.) The Mer's gaze darted around the cave interior as she listened and scented the air for anyone else. She detected no other presences within the cave, but she was surprised to see some of the possessions in the interior. She hadn't pegged Xiaoran to be a TV sort of man. Interesting.

@♆　Kallistae Vitriya Xiaoran was only half expecting Kallistae to actually show up to his cave. Caves didn't really seem like somewhere Mer would like to be unless it were an underwater cave, but what did he know? He was certain the Mer was only messing around with him, but he had picked out some of the dry tea leaves he had to make a nice blend for the cooling weather. The tea was now steeping on the table in the center of his cave, decorated in a strange mix of ancient Chinese preference and modern comforts.

Around the table were comfortable chairs, but he had a Japanese kotatsu in the room as well, heated from underneath by steam that ran through the mountain via underground water. Xiaoran's couch was plush and dark blue, seated in front of a TV that he barely watched. It had been a gift from Yeol. The rugged walls of the cave were either covered with bookshelves filled with rolled up texts and more modern bound volumes. Other walls held tapestries and silk paintings. The kitchen was just a large wooden stove with a pot on top of it, along with a large round dome for cooking rice. His bedroom was through a doorway, the bathroom next to it.

Taking a sip of tea, Xiaoran's ears perked as he heard movement. He paused and sat up, placing a hand on his sword. He looked towards the entrance to see if the Mer would step through, or if it was someone he'd have to run his weapon through after all.

@✧　Celes Fang did not have a stupid name. He was quite proud of his name. He liked it a lot better than anything other people could’ve given him. At least Fang was original, unique. Though, when people referred to him they’d thought he was a dog once or twice. He put his grumpiness aside and let his concern overtake him, carefully putting down the frosty blue man in the snow. The wind around them made Fang’s skin crawl. His ears ached as much as the rest of him, but he knew his pain from the cold was nothing compared to Celes’ from getting a spear through the abdomen. He shuddered. Being impaled seemed like one of the worst ways to go. Still, he’d made a promise to himself that he wouldn’t leave until the elemental passed away, or miraculously healed up upon contact with the snow. He looked at the ground for a little while, his lighter appearing again. He had to sit hunched over so that the strong wind wasn’t hitting him head on. He was really starting to get cold - and for a human, that really wasn’t good. His eyes widened however when he caught sight of the icy creature beginning to fade away. “C-celes?” Was this a thing elementals did when they died? In spite of himself, Fang couldn’t help but feel a heavy weight in his chest… He’d been too weak to try and kill anyone himself, but he’d still managed to hurt someone severely. He waited a few minutes after the creature had melted away. He had no trace or evidence of the kill. The human sighed as he got up. He’d just take whatever punishment he got given for failure. But he needed warmth… The events of the day wouldn’t go forgotten by the human. He’d often think back to what he could’ve done better. Fang had failed; but at least he’d tried to do a good thing.

() feel free to time skip in the next post!!

@☠　Fang Geming "Stupid name-", Celes mumbled and then took a deep breath, inhaling the ice and snow drifting in the wind. Ahh, how refreshing. He smiled faintly and the pain started to dull. Was this the end? A happy death surrounded by his element, in the arms of his unwilling killer? What a stupid death. Stupid name. Stupid death. Celes was much better, even though it was meant for a wind elemental. Oh well. Master said it was fine he wasn't wind. Master loved him. The elemental was getting delirious. Celes lay motionless, at most his head lolling to the side weakly as the hunter walked forward. He didn't respond for a while at the hunter's announcement and when it seemed he had died, his eyes fluttered open. "Pu... me... dow..n...", he whispered. - [insert your post here ksjfhkdjhg] - When Celes' body touched the snow he let out a faint, pleased moan and smiled. Then, he stilled and did not move again. The makeshift bandages were completely soaked in his blood, sitting on his torso like wet rags. The icy wind whipped around them, the freezing human and the deadly still elemental. Celes looked at peace, eyes closed, blue lips relaxed. After some time, his body began to fade into the snow until finally, no trace of him remained. It was like he never existed in the first place.

[] can this plot be set a bit in the past, and the thing i time-skip to be in the present? :D

@✧　Celes The human murmured an apology as the other cried out again. His steps quickened slightly in case anyone had heard. He’d gotten a name at last, very soft and delicate, and if he hadn’t been focused on finding the easiest path to reach the snow, he would’ve nodded and smiled. “Toothless. You can call me Toothless. He couldn’t go around giving his real name to just anyone. He’d get into trouble with the law eventually - especially when the guard was already creeping around all suspicious of him. He felt bad that it wasn’t his real name, but precautions were necessary. Seeing as though he also expected Celes to hate him quite a bit after this whole experience, it would be best if the elemental couldn’t tell anyone about the guy named Toothless. Fang wasn’t scary. He was quite pathetic, in his own eyes. So, he didn’t protest the nickname of Toothless. Fang didn’t have fangs to bare at the world. Not anymore - he’d changed too much, so quickly. He was still figuring everything out. He couldn’t deal with anymore stress. “Celes, we’re at the snow.” By that point, Fang’s skin was really starting to prickle. He was cold, to the point where he struggled not to let his hands tremble. He’d survive though. People had survived in the snow before, he was sure. Maybe not shirtless, but it had probably been done at one point in time.

@☠　Fang Geming Celes groaned when the hunter lifted him in his arms, whimpering for the first few steps before managing to fall silent. How he managed he does not know himself. Perhaps it was luck, weakening to a state he was only half-conscious, or barely conscious at all. He was almost completely gone until the hunter pressed on his wound once more. "Ah!" Celes' eyes widened in a flash and he let out a pained sob. He could hear the hunter speak to him and he tried to reply, but he could just produce a weak nod. He couldn't tell if the other had noticed it, but they set off towards the snow and with each step, Celes felt calmer. "Celes- my name is Celes", he whispered, his voice like a faint spring breeze in the icy mountain wind.

@✧　Celes It wouldn’t do the wound any favours to be carried in the hunter’s arms. However, Fang didn’t see what else could be used to escape. Wandering the caverns for hours was a time based risk, and they didn’t have time. “Alright, stay strong, just for a moment.” He pulled back, putting away the knife, discarding the unused bandages. People were going to question why he didn’t have a shirt on- but he’d literally stab most people in Mortem, and if their eyes lingered too long, it was the perfect excuse to. His arms slid around the creature, pausing a moment before lifting him up bridal style. Less chance of the wound getting pressed against him and hurt more, Fang stood up. The other wasn’t heavy, but wasn’t light. He was a full grown guy after all, and Fang didn’t often carry people around. “Cleaning it up. You wouldn’t want us to get into trouble with the guard, would you?” He snarled at the few glances he got when he emerged from the cave. There was two other people in total. As he walked, Fang glanced down at the creature. “Hey, you,” He pressed again as he walked. “Do.. you think the snow will help?” They were on a mountain, and the guy was an ice creature. Maybe it would be comforting at least for him, to have something familiar. Fang set off up the trail. The snow wasn’t far away. He was really regretting turning his shirt into a means to keep the creature from bleeding out.

@☠　Fang Geming Celes sobbed from the pain as the other continued to tighten and fasten the makeshift bandages around his torso. He was having trouble registering let alone processing anything the other was saying. He was panicking, growing more unstable as he slipped closer to eternal rest. He had stopped screaming, no credit to the hunter's requests, and instead half-panted, half-sobbed at the stabbing pain. His eyelids grew heavy, his breathing shallow. The hunter's words fell like whispers on deaf ears and it took time for him to process them. Celes nodded weakly, still whimpering. If he couldn't do it, he'd just die and that would be okay as well... then it wouldn't hurt so much anymore. He'd try though. He'd do his best. Master- He whimpered again. He missed his master.

@✧　Celes The scream from the other told Fang that he was very much alive. “I’m not going to burn you, please, be quiet, they think you’re dead,” He murmured, his voice wobbling as he fought against the ice elemental to tie the bandages tightly around the wound, hoping to squeeze the blood flow into halting even for a moment. “I’m not letting you die without trying to help you. Please, where can I take you? Where can I get you help?” He pried as the screaming continued. It was all Fang could do to keep his voice down too. If anyone returned.. he’d probably get a good beating, or at the very least a long lecture and the most disgusting duties. The human winced, tying the knot in the makeshift bandage. He paused a long moment, hesitating. “Will you let me carry you? I need you to relax. And shut up, you’re going to bring people in here who won’t hesitate,” He insisted, pausing to let the weakening elemental gather the information before continuing. “I need to get you past them so I can take you somewhere safe for you. I need you to hold on to consciousness but pray dead for a few moments. Can you do that?”

@☠　Fang Geming Celes was aware enough to be scared when the other hunter approached. He'd heard him claim him as his kill. Was he going to stab him again? He'd lied to him. He said it wouldn't hurt. Liar. Liar! They were all liars, even though Celes was not sure who 'they' were he was cursing in his head. He let out a whimper when the hunter's fingers approached. No! He didn't want it to hurt even more- More small pieces of ice fell from his eyes. He tried to push the other's hands off the spear, but there was no strength behind his trembling fingers. He shook his head, still unable to speak. He wasn't ready. No- no! Celes let out a deafening scream when the metal ripped through his body once more, the angled sides of the spearhead slicing him. He collapsed against the back of the cave, his screams continuing as bandages pressed against the wound. "ARE YOU- ARE YOU GOING TO BURN ME?!", he shrieked fearfully, unable to control the volume of his volume in his panic. He could feel the strength slipping from his body. He could feel his connection to ice drift further away from him and that was what scared him more than death. Well, that and the idea of being burned by fire, which terrified him even now. If only he could focus on the ice, become the ice, merge with it, he could recuperate until his body of flesh was remade, but Celes was too weak to make ice on his own. He needed some that existed in nature. Ice, or snow. "Don't-", he cried sorrowfully, "Don't burn me please-! I'd rather die like this-" His words were cut short as he coughed up fresh blue blood.

@✧　Celes TW:// Minor Gore

The problem dealt with without drama, Fang was relieved to turn back to the wounded creature. It all added to reputation. In the future, his wrath would be more feared among his own group, and maybe situations like this one could even be avoided entirely. Fang took his shirt off as he walked over. Not for any reason other than to stop the bleeding. He was tall, he had a big shirt, it was plenty of fabric to use until the wounds could be healed by some magical healer. Fang was only human, but he knew the basics. His throwing knife was used only to cut up the fabric, his fingers hesitating when he came to the creature. “This is going to hurt, I’m sorry.” He apologised as his fingers found it. It was going to start the bleeding even more rapidly, something Fang really didn’t want it to do, but it was the best way he could help. He didn’t know how conscious the other was, but gave him a countdown to brace himself nonetheless. “Ready? I’m going to pull it out, it’s going to hurt a lot, and then I’m going to try and stop the bleeding and get you somewhere safer, alright?” Not expecting a response, Fang murmured a soft 3,2,1 before he pulled. With a sickening wet sound that made his skin itch and sting, the hunter pulled the weapon free. Sick to his stomach he discarded it, quick to drop down at the man’s level with the makeshift bandages in hand. He bled blue - did that mean the blood had any other qualities?? Any requirements to stop the bleeding? Fang didn’t know. But as he promised himself, even if it didn’t work to save the boy, he’d give him company while he drifted away.

@☠　Fang Geming The man stopped his advance forward when the tall hunter snapped at him. He knew who he was, obviously, from hearsay even though they'd never met before in person. He'd wanted to impress the fellow hunter with his skill, but clearly, he'd only inspired wrath. He grit his teeth and, insulted, glared back at Fang Geming. He waited for as long as he dared, staring back defiantly before turning away and walking away with his tail between his legs.

Blue blood stained Celes' lips and dribbled from his chin onto his white robes. A blue flower blossomed at his torso as well, spread a frightening speed through the welcoming cloth. The pain was mind-numbing. His legs were trembling and struggling to support him. The weight of his body stretched the wound, making him gasp in agonising pain, pain too overwhelming to scream out. For now. The shock helped, but it was fading quickly. As was Celes.