( closed ) how do we breathe, how do we climb

[unalign]

WHO: Lumine + others
WHERE: Shadowlands, and then various places in Stygia
WHEN: December
WHAT: event shenanigans + notice board things
WARNINGS: blanket warning for event-related stuff, possible spoilers for the sumeru updates

[ ooc: closed starters will go here. if you want a custom starter, send me a PM or comment on my plotting post and let's hash things out. ]

Comments

[uncourteous]

[ considering he's gone to war and survived in wastelands in the frigid cold, he doesn't think twice of about seedier places. it isn't that he frequents such places, but knowing that they exist is probably only natural, considering that these sorts of businesses were rampant in any nation. even his own. it does get a furrow of his brows at the concept of that and the shadier nobles who profited off of that, lining their wallets and bellies with lust and greed. that said, despite the serious undertone to it all, it is...

kind of funny that lumine wanted to meet here. a concept that doesn't completely escape him. aka, he's never going to let her live this down. with that idea all the more solidified with every step he takes, he finds himself in an oddly jovial mood.

though, considering how miffed she seemed over text, perhaps it would have been prudent for him to cut back. instead, when he sees her, he gives her his usual smirk. ] That may be true, but you likely selected this place with purpose, am I wrong? [ as for what purpose, he leaves that completely up to interpretation.

that said, there is a second before: ] Were you that keen on taking advantage of me? [ by using him for the quest, he means. ]

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[ his greeting is not at all surprising. one would think that, as a prince or a royal, he would've learned manners enough to know that a double entendre is not a greeting. but lumine is cold, she wants to get out of the wind, and she's more than willing to let this pass just so they can get this over and done with. surely, that would please callisto, right?

right?

the blonde traveler closes her eyes as she makes terrible peace with herself, fighting the urge to hit him after that little follow-up and reminding herself that she needs him. right now. for coins. yes. coins. ]

You're letting yourself get taken advantage of. [ she shrugs her shoulders. ] How can I resist?

[ anyway, she starts shuffling towards the hotel, rubbing her arms again to warm her skin up. the sooner they get into the hotel, the sooner they can get out of the cold ok. ]

[uncourteous]

[ there's a look on his face at her words. not quite a grimace, but not exactly a look of delight by any means. though, it seems to smooth out relatively quickly, his expression shifting by the time he opens his mouth to speak. ] So you have some awareness. [ of you using him!!! or so he tries to say, but really... he doesn't mind at all.

that said, he does take a look at the hotel once more before simply following after her. without another words, he removes the clasp on his cape, if just to drape it over her head as she travels ahead of him. considering her smaller stature, he almost laughs at the idea that it seems way too large for her.

but, ill-fitted or note, he continues walking, enough that he soon moves in front of her. after a small stint of silence, he eventually asks the question any normal person would have likely asked much earlier. ] What business did you have here exactly?

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[ pls, she's more than aware.

if there's anyone that's very aware of everything around her and herself in general, it's the girl who's lived centuries more than most people. besides, callisto is a pretty easy read, somewhat predictable with his actions and reactions, and if he did mind being used, then he wouldn't have come here to meet her. that's not her fault, is it?

not that she's able to respond to that, not with a familiar cape being unceremoniously tossed onto her head. she'd complain, but it alleviates a bit of the cold she's been trying her best to stamp out with a straight face.

pulling the cape closer, lumine mumbles a quiet "thanks" under her breath as she trails after him, biting her lower lip to chase away the chill. ]

Esmeralda and her commission. [ which is across the street, btw. ] Also, a few other errands I needed to run in Mirth earlier.

[ this is the most convenient location ok. ]

[uncourteous]

[ while it does make a lot more sense and while it was rational all things considered, it doesn't make him any less likely to continue to use this as a bargaining chip (does that even constitute as any real sort of bargain?) to tease her with. ] So you're planning to run me dry.

[ since she did mention other errands, and somehow, he is implementing himself into her business per usual. well, he can't say he didn't enjoy spending time with her. it was inarguable that she was... a fairly curious lady. the second capable of using magic that he's met, and one who didn't see caught up in titles. despite appearing no older than him, she also seemed to possess a fair amount of knowledge, or would it be more accurate to state some degree of worldliness? regardless, it made her quite different from most of the sheltered nobles he knew. ... and perhaps, it wouldn't be too farfetched to say that he enjoyed that.

but, that was neither here or there and instead, he opens the door of the hotel for her, before... proudly getting them a room. i'm embarrassed bc this is so business proposal. ] I never thought the day where we'd share a room like this would come so soon.

[ so soon... but, he should definitely have added "if ever," but listen. he's confident. the hotel staff is probably wondering why they're involved in this exchange. ]

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[ i hope you're enjoying this au before it ends in a dumpster fire ]

I am, so let me know if you don't have the stamina to keep up, Your Highness. [ a beat: ] Or do I call you "big brother"?

[ it's his mistake to offer her his cloak, if only because it's chasing away the chill settling in her and is slowly warming her up. enough for her to start retorting and teasing him back—not that he's the type to be teased in any way, but she doesn't want to lose their usual game of wits.

she trails after him once more until they reach the room in question, ignoring the hotel staff. not out of rudeness or lack of desire for any kind of interaction, but she also wants to stamp out any form or feeling of embarrassment and mortification. she just wants to get this over and be done with it without anyone judging her! ]

Do you mind if I ask you a question? [ lumine says this after the door closes behind him and she takes a seat on the edge of the bed, letting the cloak swallow her whole when she does. ] Have you never interacted with a girl before?

[ mic drop ]

[uncourteous]

[ have faith... in what exactly? nobody knows.

there's a slight twitch of his brow as he hears her words, which are both suggestive and obviously intending to draw out some sort of rise from him. ] I wouldn't write off my stamina. [ objectively, he was confident in at least that much. after all, he's come back from the brink of death before, so everything else seemed like child's play. ] You're welcome to test it if you'd like. [ he speaks steadily as he approached her now in the hotel room.

to be honest, callisto behaves fairly naturally despite being in closed quarters in a place like this. while it's unfamiliar and as a crown prince, he'd definitely never stepped foot in a seedy hotel like this one before, he finds her presence comforting, and well... her potential discomfort was also kind of entertaining. ] ...

[ wow, rude??? but, it's true that he wasn't exactly experienced in the field of romance or intimacy. ]

Are you that curious of my past? I assure you, I'm ready to take responsibility.