Other ✎ 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨 ✎
- Thread starter nyxievous
- Start date
.
fireworks - a short story
.
Ren was beginning to think that this was a terrible idea. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep his eyes trained on the top of a dark-haired head as the younger man weaved through the crowd, unperturbed by people jostling him forward and trampling on his feet. Even from a distance, Ren could see his green eyes sparkling as he took in the sights, the glow from paper lanterns illuminating his face as he excitedly peered into stalls.
It was kind of endearing. Not that Ren would ever tell him that.
Someone pushed into him while he was distracted with his thoughts and almost made him trip. The scowl he sent their way was ignored as they simply scurried off to do their business, leaving Ren grumbling under his breath. Even though it had been a small disturbance, it was enough to make him lose track of the raven-haired boy he was following, and his eyes widened as that was the moment Ren realized he was screwed.
I can’t believe I lost a weretiger in a market. Panic fluttered in his chest as he swiveled his head, trying to spot a bright green kimono in the crowd. Unfortunately, new-year’s festivities meant that everyone was wearing bright colors that eve, and there was a large number of people in green. Shit, shit, shit. This is bad. Where the fuck is -
Someone slipped their hand into his. The touch was familiar by now and was the only reason Ren didn’t smack them away.
“This is so exciting, Ren!” Fumi exclaimed, completely oblivious to the mini heart-attack he’d just given his companion. “If I knew humans celebrated like this then I would’ve - wait, w-why’re you glaring at me like that?”
“Do you realize how dangerous it is for you to be roaming these streets, you idiot? Stop wandering off by yourself.” Ren frowned, keeping his voice as low as possible amidst the noise in the crowd in case they were overheard. Perhaps Fumi hadn’t heard him properly for he only pressed closer to him and squeezed his hand in his.
“Y-You were... worried for me?” Fumi asked tentatively. He was close enough for Ren to notice the light dusting of red on his cheeks and it made the panicked fluttering of his heart ease into a different kind of nervousness. Normally, he would’ve stepped back to put some distance between them, but he didn’t want to lose the stupid boy in the crowd again, so he stayed put, scowling at him for making him feel things with just his proximity.
“We should head back. The others will be waiting for us.”
“But, Rennn! Take-ouji said to come back after the fireworks!” Fumi whined. “I… I really wanted to see the fireworks.” The pout that followed his words would’ve made any man give in, but Ren stood resolute, staring down hard at the weretiger. Fumi’s pout only seemed to worsen, as he pressed even closer to the villager’s side until all he could see were the golden flecks in his irises.
I’m not giving in. I’m being...accommodating. Clearing his throat, Ren finally tore his eyes away to scowl at something else. “I guess... there will be no one at camp right now so there’s no point going back.”
A squeeze of his hand was all the warning Ren got before he was pulled deeper into the marketplace by an excited weretiger. He told himself that he kept their hands joined because he didn’t want to lose sight of him in the crowd and not because he enjoyed having his chattering companion pressed close to him as he excitedly pointed out the displays at the market. It was actually quite useless to be talking when there were so many sounds all around them, and Ren didn’t hear a single word. But...there was a part of him that enjoyed looking at him while Fumi talked so animatedly, and so, he didn’t stop him.
By the time midnight came around, they had perused everything the marketplace had to offer, and Fumi’s seemingly infinite well of energy had run dry. Yet, he still wasn’t ready to head back.
“Fireworks,” Fumi repeated stubbornly. “Where are the...fire...works…?”
He started to sway on his feet and Ren sighed, steadying him with a hand on his shoulder. “Come on,” he said, stepping in front of the weretiger and slightly bending his knees. “If you collapse on me here, you’ll get trampled over and I won’t hear the end of it from Taketora.”
“W-What? No! I’m heavy. You don’t need to -”
A glare from Ren silenced Fumi’s spluttering and he reluctantly climbed on the villager’s back, wrapping his legs around his waist and holding onto his shoulders. He was stiff for just a few seconds, until he gathered the courage to press closer, the white hair tickling his nose in a pleasant sort of way.
Meanwhile, Ren tried not to shiver when his companion’s lips brushed against his ear as he talked. He was impossibly glad Fumi couldn’t see his heated cheeks.
“Thanks, Ren...”
“Don’t fall asleep. You’ll miss the fireworks.”
Fumi only nuzzled into the back of his neck in response and this time, Ren did shiver. “It’s alright as long as I’m with you...” he mumbled sleepily.
A pause. And then...
“Idiot.”
If Fumi could see Ren’s face, he would’ve been shocked to find that the villager had a smile playing on his lips. But there must’ve been something in his voice that tipped the weretiger off, for he too had a stupid, sleepy grin on his face, despite the name-calling, and nuzzled further into Ren’s hair.
To no one’s surprise, Fumi missed the fireworks and was not at all happy about it in the morning.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU WAKE ME?!”
“I TRIED! YOU WERE DEAD TO THE WORLD!”
“WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP? PEOPLE ARE STILL SLEEPING!”
Fumi would’ve been fuming the whole morning if it weren’t for Ren’s next words, whispered only to him so that their bickering wouldn’t wake up the rest of the camp.
“I’ll take you to another one next year. It’ll be a date.”
Suffice it to say, the weretiger was blushing too hard to stay mad at him any longer.
.
Ren was beginning to think that this was a terrible idea. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep his eyes trained on the top of a dark-haired head as the younger man weaved through the crowd, unperturbed by people jostling him forward and trampling on his feet. Even from a distance, Ren could see his green eyes sparkling as he took in the sights, the glow from paper lanterns illuminating his face as he excitedly peered into stalls.
It was kind of endearing. Not that Ren would ever tell him that.
Someone pushed into him while he was distracted with his thoughts and almost made him trip. The scowl he sent their way was ignored as they simply scurried off to do their business, leaving Ren grumbling under his breath. Even though it had been a small disturbance, it was enough to make him lose track of the raven-haired boy he was following, and his eyes widened as that was the moment Ren realized he was screwed.
I can’t believe I lost a weretiger in a market. Panic fluttered in his chest as he swiveled his head, trying to spot a bright green kimono in the crowd. Unfortunately, new-year’s festivities meant that everyone was wearing bright colors that eve, and there was a large number of people in green. Shit, shit, shit. This is bad. Where the fuck is -
Someone slipped their hand into his. The touch was familiar by now and was the only reason Ren didn’t smack them away.
“This is so exciting, Ren!” Fumi exclaimed, completely oblivious to the mini heart-attack he’d just given his companion. “If I knew humans celebrated like this then I would’ve - wait, w-why’re you glaring at me like that?”
“Do you realize how dangerous it is for you to be roaming these streets, you idiot? Stop wandering off by yourself.” Ren frowned, keeping his voice as low as possible amidst the noise in the crowd in case they were overheard. Perhaps Fumi hadn’t heard him properly for he only pressed closer to him and squeezed his hand in his.
“Y-You were... worried for me?” Fumi asked tentatively. He was close enough for Ren to notice the light dusting of red on his cheeks and it made the panicked fluttering of his heart ease into a different kind of nervousness. Normally, he would’ve stepped back to put some distance between them, but he didn’t want to lose the stupid boy in the crowd again, so he stayed put, scowling at him for making him feel things with just his proximity.
“We should head back. The others will be waiting for us.”
“But, Rennn! Take-ouji said to come back after the fireworks!” Fumi whined. “I… I really wanted to see the fireworks.” The pout that followed his words would’ve made any man give in, but Ren stood resolute, staring down hard at the weretiger. Fumi’s pout only seemed to worsen, as he pressed even closer to the villager’s side until all he could see were the golden flecks in his irises.
I’m not giving in. I’m being...accommodating. Clearing his throat, Ren finally tore his eyes away to scowl at something else. “I guess... there will be no one at camp right now so there’s no point going back.”
A squeeze of his hand was all the warning Ren got before he was pulled deeper into the marketplace by an excited weretiger. He told himself that he kept their hands joined because he didn’t want to lose sight of him in the crowd and not because he enjoyed having his chattering companion pressed close to him as he excitedly pointed out the displays at the market. It was actually quite useless to be talking when there were so many sounds all around them, and Ren didn’t hear a single word. But...there was a part of him that enjoyed looking at him while Fumi talked so animatedly, and so, he didn’t stop him.
By the time midnight came around, they had perused everything the marketplace had to offer, and Fumi’s seemingly infinite well of energy had run dry. Yet, he still wasn’t ready to head back.
“Fireworks,” Fumi repeated stubbornly. “Where are the...fire...works…?”
He started to sway on his feet and Ren sighed, steadying him with a hand on his shoulder. “Come on,” he said, stepping in front of the weretiger and slightly bending his knees. “If you collapse on me here, you’ll get trampled over and I won’t hear the end of it from Taketora.”
“W-What? No! I’m heavy. You don’t need to -”
A glare from Ren silenced Fumi’s spluttering and he reluctantly climbed on the villager’s back, wrapping his legs around his waist and holding onto his shoulders. He was stiff for just a few seconds, until he gathered the courage to press closer, the white hair tickling his nose in a pleasant sort of way.
Meanwhile, Ren tried not to shiver when his companion’s lips brushed against his ear as he talked. He was impossibly glad Fumi couldn’t see his heated cheeks.
“Thanks, Ren...”
“Don’t fall asleep. You’ll miss the fireworks.”
Fumi only nuzzled into the back of his neck in response and this time, Ren did shiver. “It’s alright as long as I’m with you...” he mumbled sleepily.
A pause. And then...
“Idiot.”
If Fumi could see Ren’s face, he would’ve been shocked to find that the villager had a smile playing on his lips. But there must’ve been something in his voice that tipped the weretiger off, for he too had a stupid, sleepy grin on his face, despite the name-calling, and nuzzled further into Ren’s hair.
To no one’s surprise, Fumi missed the fireworks and was not at all happy about it in the morning.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU WAKE ME?!”
“I TRIED! YOU WERE DEAD TO THE WORLD!”
“WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP? PEOPLE ARE STILL SLEEPING!”
Fumi would’ve been fuming the whole morning if it weren’t for Ren’s next words, whispered only to him so that their bickering wouldn’t wake up the rest of the camp.
“I’ll take you to another one next year. It’ll be a date.”
Suffice it to say, the weretiger was blushing too hard to stay mad at him any longer.
.
coded by @Lumiine
Last edited:
Garden of Dragnoras, Arcrestia
Felix
Felix didn’t notice if anything seemed off about the Diviner. By the time he did, it was already too late. Hands tangled in the web, the guardian stared in disbelief at the black irises he was looking into, as a familiar fragile voice croaked for help. But this was not familiar. This was not his Luca. Or...was it?
There was no time to process it. The brief hesitance he'd had was already a grave error. Felix barely dodged the spindly legs aiming for his chest, and one of them managed to pierce his shoulder. He did not let the pain get to him. Pushing the imposter’s hands away from him, he grabbed the black leg and broke it off, causing an inhumane screech to emit from Luca’s mouth.
“Felix,” Luca groaned painfully. “Help me.”
No, no, not Luca. An abomination. He had to remind himself of that. But that was hard to do when the creature wore the face of his friend and desperately begged for him in his voice.
Besides the horror hanging from the ceiling, there was still the skeletons that needed to be dealt with. Felix turned around just as they advanced on him, crowding in on him from all directions. One of them swiped at his head with a shield but the guardian simply grabbed it, and bashed the animated creature back with its own weapon, causing it to tumble back into its friends and fall to the floor in a clatter of brittle broken bones. But before Felix could wonder at how suspiciously easy it had been to ‘kill’ them, more skeletons fell from the walls, joining together to form a larger group of the undead than there was previously.
“Felix, you cannot fight them alone. Come to me and I’ll help you...” the abomination whispered, its spidery legs curled back behind his back, waiting to strike again once the guardian neared it once more.
Courage scoffed. “What? So you can stab me again?” He grabbed a sword swinging at him with his non-gauntlet hand and used it to swipe at the incoming group of skeletons in a wide arc, breaking their form. “You’re not the real Luca.”
“Please. Why won’t you believe me?”
He ignored the creature’s plea and punched at a creeper that tried to stab him in the back. The more he downed, the more they came at him in waves, rattling down from the walls to form a never ending army of the undead.
“Felix, it hurts...”
Felix grit his teeth trying to ignore Luca - the creature’s - cries. The more he fought, the more his gauntlet glowed, ready to deliver the final blow. But he had a feeling that the strike was not meant for the skeletons. And so he waited, fighting the undead as they continued to come at him, until he couldn’t ignore the wailing creature behind him any longer.
“SHUT UP!” Felix yelled, swiveling behind him to glare at the abomination. Its legs were no longer there, and suddenly it almost appeared to be his friend again, pitifully writhing in white webs. Even its irises had turned back to gold as they looked at him pleadingly.
Was it really his friend? Had he been possessed by an erebos and was suffering now, pleading all this time for Felix to save him?
“Luca...” Felix gulped, stepping towards his friend. “Luca...I’m sorry...”
From the corner of his eyes, the guardian noticed a single black leg pulling back to strike. But before it could attack, Felix reared back his hand and slammed his gauntlet through the creature’s chest, breaking through blackened flesh straight to its heart. His fingers clenched around the organ and he tore it out of its chest, the rotting core of its life-source beating eerily in his palm as an ear-piercing scream shook the room, turning all the skeletons to dust.
Silence.
‘Luca’ lay limp in his arms, the image of the hole in his chest firmly etching itself into Felix’s mind as the guardian could not bring himself to tear his eyes away from the lifeless body.
Who had he really killed? An imposter? Or his friend?
How many more people he cared about would he be holding dead in his arms?
Light breaking through from above made the guardian look up. With one last look at the mangled corpse, Felix tested the strength of the web attached from the ceiling with a few tugs. Confident that it would hold his weight, the guardian began to climb. Finally, he broke through the webbed hole and found himself in a hallway ending in large double doors.
Surely this was the exit? What more could the master of this labyrinth want from him now that it had broken down his spirits and made him murder his friend?
Felix took a deep breath and pushed open the doors with shaking hands.
Last edited:
♡coded by uxie♡