logs | {suddenly, you lose your way and lose the thread.

WHO: Aspen, various
WHERE: Shadowlands, Stygia, and more
WHEN: December
WHAT: Catch-all log (event + general)
WARNINGS: Refer to Aspen's blanket warnings to be safe. Includes nonsexual descriptions of nudity (nude model thread.)

→ harbor

( in this white-out winter, a slender figure steps through the snow with dogged determination. aspen acts like the wind doesn't really bother him, and in a sense, it doesn't - these winters are not unlike the ones he's witnessed in petir. he's missed them - in a sense that he hasn't seen snow for almost two years. he's been so used to rains that he almost forgot that most places got snow instead of flooding. while most seem to be bundled up and bustling, aspen enjoys the snowflakes dancing in the air and some that stick to his cheeks and lashes. that, however, doesn't mean he doesn't take notice when some people are freezing their tails off.

as he unlocks the side entrance to his still-remodeling shop, he calls - )

If you're cold, you can come in here for a reprieve.

( aspen's expression isn't as cheery as it usually is - even as he rustles and flaps his wings to knock the frost off of his feathers, there's something heavy hanging in the air about him. he pushes his braid out of his coat so it falls over his shoulder like usual, setting down the coat that he'd kept over his clothes. he's traded in pastels for darker blues and blacks, and he heads to the stone counter - opening the side gate so he stands behind the counter and starts taking care of the plants and walls of powders, tonics, and salves he has stashed away. )

What are you doing out here, if I may ask? You're not going to cross the sea, are you? If you get knocked off the ship, who knows if you'll freeze or not at this point - ghk...

( he covers his mouth as he coughs up a few flower petals, his sigh melding with an exhausted wheeze. he shakes his head with disappointment. )

Apologies.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ This would be an easy job. Run food delivery orders around Stygia, earn a bit of coin; really, she can't complain. Her beef with the place notwithstanding, meeting people has always been something she enjoys, even if it's just to give them a meal and (hopefully) leave with a tip. So far, all her deliveries went off without a hitch.

So of course, of course she had to run into a big problem. A large order quite literally, brought to one of the models who signed up to be sketched and painted. Hibiki saw the job but quickly glossed over and forgot about it (she's not standing there naked for anyone, nope. Nope nope nope).

As she walks in and sees Aspen, hair spilled over his shoulders elegantly, naked as the day he was born (probably), Hibiki stands paralyzed in the doorway. The brown paper bag with his food held in one hand, her other rested firmly (very firmly) on the door frame, the small blonde stares into the room.

Right. At. Him.

OH RIGHT SHE FORGOT ABOUT THIS. Shit he's gorgeous and those wings oh don't even get her started and that hair stop! She is exerting every ounce of her willpower to not look below the shoulders, but her eyes still stray downward. Whenever they do, they forcibly drag back up to his face; her own bright red.

Is she going to say anything? ]

...

[ Apparently not. Holy shit it's hot in here help ]

( he doesn't hear the door open, but he does feel the draft. he shivers, but he stays stone still. in the warm light of the studio, iridescent feathers at the crown of his wings almost glow. it's only when hibiki's presence is known by the patron that aspen is urged to take a moment and eat. he instantly relaxes and stretches his arms up and arches his back, long waves of silver hair falling away from his lap. the studio is big enough he can stretch his wings to their full wingspan and not knock anything over, and he takes advantage of that as he spots hibiki and smiles.

he waves as he walks over. still naked. like this, it's also very clear that aspen isn't human - not because of his wings, either. )

Thank you for coming on such quick notice. This is my fault - I should have brought a lunch with me. You won't mind if I pay the tip, will you?

[ She's heard horror stories of instances like this, where delivery drivers are greeted by customers in robes. Or nothing at all in this case. There's so much to focus on, from the variegated glow of his wings, to his graceful form as he stretches; his long, silver-spun hair moving as he arches his back. Fair tresses hang away from his hips, giving a better view of--

N̵i̵c̷e̵.̵

The small blonde takes a very, very sharp breath through her nose as her eyes stop at his lower abdomen before shooting straight up. For the love of whatever gods she knows (there's a lot apparently), Hibiki tries to keep herself laser focused on the bridge of his nose.

She didn't see anything, she swears!! ]

Y-yeah, no problem! Happens all the time. Totally fine. Completely understand. I got you.

[ As Hibiki tries to words, her Shadow laughs gleefully in her head. Oh, this is great. Please Aspen, make her suffer.

C̴o̸m̷e̴ ̴o̷n̵,̴ ̵y̸o̵u̷ ̸k̴n̷o̴w̵ ̵y̷o̸u̷ ̴w̷a̷n̷n̸a̵ ̶l̸o̴o̴k̴.̷ ̵H̷e̶'̸s̷ ̷p̷r̷a̶c̸t̷i̶c̴a̴l̸l̷y̵ ̵t̵e̵l̴l̶i̴n̸g̴ ̷y̴o̴u̶ ̴t̸o̴.̷ ̵A̴n̷d̴ ̶i̵t̷'̴s̶ ̴n̷o̸t̴ ̴l̴i̷k̸e̶ ̴y̶o̶u̶'̴r̵e̴ ̷g̵e̴t̸t̶i̷n̶g̸ ̷a̷n̷y̷t̷h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̵f̷r̴o̶m̴ ̶ t̵h̵a̵t̸ g̴u̴y̵.̶

...Please someone put her out of her misery. ]

Oh, wonderful!

( he beams, but - oh, right, naked. he holds a finger up. )

One second.

( he turns, jogging back to where his clothes and satchel are, his beautiful buttocks bodaciously bouncing as he moves. hate to see you leave, love to see you go, etc. his satchel - on the ground - is full to the brim with little notepads and vials of herbs.

hibiki may not be the only one watching him.

when he returns with some coins for a tip, he's all smiles, face softly flushed pink. )

Here - thank you, again. Aneth has your full payment inside.

[ WHY DOES HE HAVE TO MOVE LIKE THAT, this man is going to kill her a second time. Focusing incredibly hard on his spine—between the shoulders, Hibiki!!—the small blonde doesn't seem to notice her head as it sloooowly tilts to one side. She's on her best behavior here, really! Just here for a snacc—no, to deliver someone a snack! No! Their lunch!!

She only realizes that she's staring when he turns toward her once more, her eyes shooting up to the ceiling.

D̶o̴n̴'̸t̸ ̶s̴a̶y̵ ̶I̵ ̷n̸e̵v̸e̵r̵ ̷d̴i̸d̸ ̷a̸n̵y̸t̴h̴i̵n̵g̸ ̶f̶o̸r̴ ̶y̶o̵u̶.̸

This is actually the worst thing her Shadow has done to her, forget the whole isolation and almost murdering a fae. No contest. ]

Y-yeah, totally! Don't mention it! [ Don't make eye contact— ]

B̷u̶t̵ ̴a̶r̷e̶n̸'̸t̴ ̴y̴o̸u̶ ̵c̶o̵l̴d̶ ̷l̷i̵k̶e̸ ̶t̶h̶a̵t̸?̴

[ Cue internal screaming. ]

( he blinks. )

Not really.

( he shifts his weight, turning a little to the side and reaching out with his wing to brush lightly against her cheek. it's warm, plush, and so downy soft. )

I'm under quite a lot of light while modeling. It's warm. ... well, my body is warm. Do you mean the - oh!

( when he hears his name called, he pulls back so he can let her step inside. ) Apologies, I'm keeping you.

[ If there's one thing that breaks her out of the mental keysmashing she's been doing, it's when he touches her cheek with the bend of his wing. It's soft--like a bird's wing, she would imagine. Did he have something like--

Blinking owlishly as she hears a name and sees him dip inside. Hibiki follows out of instinct, passing him as she utters a quiet "Pardon the intrusion", she finally gets a full view of the classroom. It's much larger than what she's used to, so thankfully something else has drawn her full attention (for now). ]

It's fine, you're my last delivery. I was just covering for someone.

[ So this is where they were staging the models... ]

( as aneth happily pays her, aspen is handed a robe. he tilts his head, seemingly not perturbed by his nakedness, but when offered something to dress himself with... well. he obediently cinches the robe around his waist. he doesn't bother trying to fit his shoulders or wings into it somehow, just leaving his upper body bare. though he has the lean muscle of a dancer, he has slight shoulders and a short torso, more leg than ~~sense~~ decency. )

Oh, that's good. You seem... mmm. Would you mind if I bent your ear for a moment while I eat? I wouldn't mind sharing.

[ Bless Aneth, truly. Aspen may not have any qualms about remaining undressed, but Hibiki can't help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief when she sees that he has some clothes on. Emphasis on some. That's not how you're supposed to wear a robe... ]

Hm?

[ Blinking a few times at the request, Hibiki shrugs vaguely. ]

Sure, I don't mind. But don't feel like you need to share, you're the one who paid for it.

[ Technically whoever hired him is, but Details. ]

I shouldn't be eating so much, truth be told.

( a beat - )

Though, I wonder if we can actually gain weight here? If I don't have to, maybe it won't be so bad.

( nevertheless, he sits, cracking open the containers. while there is some meat, it's offset by the rices and mushrooms he's ordered. )

Are you alright?

{suddenly, you lose your way and lose the thread.

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brief but nonsexual nsfw

this is absolutely sending me I can't

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Aspen is 120% leg, it is now canon

he is built like a sailor senshi (actual canon)