assorted non-canon and AU threads

[aesculapian]

who wants delicious post-forest terribleness

Comments

[miraculess]

[ look, she has "lived" this long by being as paranoid as possible, she is not stopping now

particularly when it comes to old friends who had been corrupted by the spill even before possibly getting swallowed by kudzu in the depths of the forest. paranoid or not, though, she looks almost pathetically relieved and grateful to be recognized— particularly since she looks quite a bit different. in addition to the obviousness of the snake skull, her old surgical scars are gone and her own hair has grown down to her shoulders. ]

...About a year, I think. It's occasionally difficult to keep track.

May I come up?

[counteredfaith]

[ now that he's moved, it seems as though there's a renewed life to his movements, though it's slow-burning; his hand has moved to press fingers delicately to his cheek, a mindless human movement reminiscent of a middle aged housewife in contemplation, but it's been slowed down, as if he's unused to using his body again ]

A year . . . ah, if you'd like. It hasn't been too long, then . . .

[miraculess]

That's a matter of perspective...

[ said quietly, not seriously arguing. a year seems much longer to a five and a half year old...

watching him move, for a moment, and then bounding nimbly up next to him. having an arbiter with the muscle memory of a ninja used to forest travel is pretty great. ]

[counteredfaith]

Ah, that's true. It feels as though it was a blink of an eye, for me . . .

[ there is room on this rock for too, maybe. just barely. he shifts a little, though ]

A year. . . come to think of it, many things can happen in a year. You're different as well.

[miraculess]

[ she can stick to the side if she has to, it's fine. her main concern actually seems to be not stepping on his hair. ]

...I like to think I grew up, at least somewhat.

Have you been here the whole time ... ?

[counteredfaith]

Ah, I see.

[ it isn't in a cold way that he says that -- it's slightly dismissive, but more in the sleepy sort of "i just woke up and i'm not quite processing what you just said" way. ]

I just sat down for a moment, but I suppose I must have . . .

[miraculess]

[ not really offended by that. sleepy sluggishness is absolutely preferable to some of the more unpleasant symptoms of shade degradation— which is what they're assuming this is, if not an attempt to stave it off. sleep mode, so to speak. ]

Do you want to get down and have tea, then? Moving around might do you some good... it would be nice to sit and talk with you again, too.

[counteredfaith]

[ he might have just slept through all the unpleasantness, tbh ]

Ah . . .

[ smiles, tiredly ]

Yes -- tea would be nice. I'd like to hear what you've been up to, as well.

[miraculess]

[ !! offers her hands ]

I haven't personally been up to much, honestly... it's been a joint effort.

[counteredfaith]

Ah . . .

[ taking her hands, both of them, and he's pausing for only a moment before speaking, eyes on the skull ]

The snake arbiter. My apologies for not greeting you as well. Have you decided on a name for yourself since we last saw each other?

[aesculapian]

[ her expression smooths out under the mask, mirroring his own sleepy vagueness ]

It is fine ... I have not, and I will not.

[ a beat as she cocks her head, birdlike ]

However ... Lilith calls me "Samael."

[counteredfaith]

I see . . . May I call you Samael-san?

[aesculapian]

[ "You should explain the joke, he might not—" "You will have time, Lilith." ]

Of course.

[ going to start gently tugging him down the side of the rock ]

[counteredfaith]

[ slowly sliding down, trails of hair following him like he's literally fucking rapunzel ]

I see. It's nice to see you again, Samael-san.

[aesculapian]

[ we're going to have to do something about that ]

Likewise, Kuuha. ... Kuuha-san?

[counteredfaith]

[ eh, you know ]

Mm?

[ oh, wait ]

Ah, either is fine. It doesn't matter . . .

[aesculapian]

Then ... Kuuuha when it is me, and Kuuha-san for Lilith.

[ letting go once they've hit bottom and sort of. starting to pat herself down. downside of not wearing things with voluminous sleeves anymore, as well as involving actual variety: finding a good place to pull summoned things out of. ]

[counteredfaith]

Ah, that's fine.

[ taking a moment to just stare at their surroundings like he's not quite seeing it . . . or rather, like he doesn't recognize it. where the fuck is he ]

[aesculapian]

[ it's a cute little village looking thing! there are little houses and what look like baby apartment complexes scattered in a loose semi-circle by the side of the river, so there's a large meadow in the middle. there are flowers absolutely everywhere— in the old team varieties, mostly, but there are also patches of new color here and there.

finally locating a pocket in her skirt and tugging a rolled up blanket out, despite the pocket having been nowhere near large enough to fit it ]

Oh ... do you like it?

[counteredfaith]

[ oh it's cute

blinks once, twice. the first is slow, but the second is quicker. ]

. . .

Ah. . .

Where is this. . . ? Is this still the forest?

[miraculess]

It is. We aren't running from anything, anymore, so we figured it made sense to settle down.

[ shaking the blanket out

there's an entire tea service on it. like the cups and the sweets and the everything else were tucked into it, somehow? that never gets old. ]

[counteredfaith]

We stopped running? My, many things have happened.

[ blinks, finally noticing the blanket and

oh

blinks

when did this happen ]

You're quite prepared . . .

[miraculess]

[ this spacey kuuha ]

Not really... I'm afraid I cheated. But... mm. The Spill is gone. There's still some cleaning up to do, but there's no rush.

[counteredfaith]

[ he's from outer space ]

I see . . .

[ making his way over to sit on the blanket, and while he does: ]

Would that include myself?

[aesculapian]

... we would prefer it did not.