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TDM #5
It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:
As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.
“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”
And you most certainly do.
Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.
MOLTEN MEAD Though the thick drink itself is room temperature, it bubbles sluggishly, and feels very warm going down. The bold flavor affects your mood. You feel very bold! Like you could do anything!
BESALT BRANDY a hopefully staple drink for the brewery, this liquor is smooth and rich with a peppery bite. Ironically after consuming it, you kinda want to bite someone! Not hard! Just a little nip and nibble!
THAT ASHY ESPRESSO a single potent shot of dark espresso swirled with a gold-tinged cream. Intense and bitter with a hint of caramelized sugar. You are now very awake, hyper, and excited.
PYROCLAST'S WHISKEYa glossy black whiskey that turns a vibrant glowing orange when swirled. You now breathe fire.
EMBERMARK WINE a rich, velvety, spiced wine that immediately makes one feel mellow and calm.
As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:
You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:
The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.
The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.
The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.
Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.
The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.
If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.
But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.
Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.
In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?
The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.
If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.
In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
Currently, the main feature of Ignacia’s Cradle is the Lava Flats, home of skilled smiths that use the extreme heat of the lava to melt the strongest metals and create unbreakable weapons, glassmakers and jewelers who fashion elaborate headpieces, rings, and amulets. These items are sold at the Ember Market on the outskirts of the Flats.
At the edge of the city lies the Ashfall Terrace, where a small farm using the rich volcanic ash and soil is in its infancy, as well as the Basalt Brewery where clever alchemists are researching ways to use the extreme heat to craft new and unique beverages that they are eager to find folk to test them out on.
The hot spring of Ignacia’s Cradle is a breathtaking anomaly located just beyond the Ashfall Terrace, tucked into a secluded crater formed by the celestial impact that gave rise to the city. Here, molten veins from the Lava Flats weave beneath the earth, heating a natural reservoir that bubbled to life amidst the chaos. The spring’s waters shimmer with an ethereal brilliance, hues of deep turquoise blending with molten gold and fiery orange, as though Heaven’s Bow itself left behind a fragment of its essence. Steam rises in curling wisps, carrying the tang of minerals and faint traces of sulfur.
The spring, known to locals as The Ember Veil, is both a sanctuary and a marvel of natural wonder. Its soothing waters are reputed to heal wounds and fortify the spirit, with the temperature kept in perfect balance by an intricate system of naturally formed vents and channels. The edges are lined with intricately carved obsidian benches, where patrons can soak their feet or meditate in the rising steam. Plants resistant to the intense conditions—vivid fire lilies and ash ferns—dot the perimeter, their resilience a symbol of life’s ability to flourish even in the harshest environments.
Sometimes, when two or more individuals share the waters, the spring creates a subtle connection between their minds, allowing memories to surface like ripples on its surface. These shared memories appear as glowing, translucent scenes that hover above the water, visible to all within the spring. Participants can relive moments from their lives, experiencing them through each other’s eyes, fostering profound empathy and understanding.
Another of the spring’s mystical properties occurs when bathers who enter the waters feeling drained, injured, or burdened by grief often find their vitality restored. The waters seem to draw out negative energies and emotions, replacing them with a warm, invigorating sensation that spreads through the body. In rare instances, the spring has been known to accelerate physical healing, mending minor injuries and soothing chronic aches, as though the magic itself is stitching the body back together.
A lesser-known but equally fascinating effect happens on particularly clear nights, when the moonlight reflects on the spring’s surface, some bathers report fleeting glimpses of potential futures. These visions are often cryptic, appearing as brief, dream-like flashes, but they have guided many to life-changing decisions. The alchemists of the Basalt Brewery believe this effect stems from residual cosmic energy, and they have begun experimenting with enhancing it through the addition of rare minerals and lunar elixirs.
Even the air feels different—lighter, sweeter, as though the universe itself is celebrating. The songs of birds harmonize with the melodies of impromptu musicians who feel inspired by the sun’s radiance. Those with magical abilities sense their powers of healing and creation magnified, as if the sun itself lends its strength to their intentions. Long-held grudges seem to melt away under the sun’s tender gaze, replaced by tears of reconciliation and words of forgiveness.
The Radiant Sun touches every heart differently:
◾A widow finds peace as memories of her late spouse no longer bring sorrow but gratitude for the love they shared.
◾A timid youth finds the courage to confess their feelings to the person they’ve admired for so long.
◾A gruff warrior lets down their guard, laughing freely with their companions for the first time in years.
For a fleeting moment, the world feels as it should be—unified, harmonious, and drenched in love.
But as the day wanes and the Radiant Sun dips below the horizon, an unease begins to settle...
Under the Jealous Moon’s influence, emotions twist and darken:
◾A once-reconciled pair of siblings argue over old grievances, as jealousy over perceived favoritism resurfaces.
◾A couple, who had spent the day lost in each other’s arms, now question each other’s loyalty and intentions.
◾A nobleman, inspired to be generous during the day, grows suspicious of those who received his gifts, fearing they may exploit his kindness.
The air grows heavy with tension, and the magic of the Radiant Sun fades, replaced by the sharp sting of distrust. The moon’s pale light seems to follow people like a judgmental gaze, amplifying every fear, insecurity, and lingering resentment.
Worse still, the night seems endless, as though time itself has bent beneath the weight of the Jealous Moon’s envious glow. For three long days and nights, the moon lingers high in the sky, its pale, piercing light casting a shadow over hearts and minds, amplifying discord and despair. Its power sows strife among even the closest bonds, driving some to dangerous extremes. Yet, when all seems lost, the scholars of the three factions unite their wisdom and uncover a glimmer of hope—a means to dispel the moon’s cruel influence. For those who have not yet succumbed to jealousy’s grip, there remains a chance to reclaim harmony, a chance for redemption before the damage becomes irreversible.
The solution lies not in complex rituals or rare relics but in the simplest and most instinctive actions: physical connection. To weaken the moon’s hold, people must embrace one another—offering a hug, a handshake, or even resting a hand on someone’s shoulder. These gestures of closeness disrupt the isolation and mistrust that the moon thrives upon. Sitting side by side or holding hands creates a barrier against its oppressive light, reminding the afflicted that they are not alone. Even small acts, like sharing warmth through proximity or clasping arms in solidarity, build a shield of connection that the moon cannot penetrate.
As these actions ripple through the night, the Jealous Moon’s light begins to dim, its sharp, cold glow softening until it fades from the sky entirely. The tension in the air lifts, replaced by a quiet calm that feels almost foreign after the chaos of the past three days. Slowly, the world seems to exhale, and the darkness that clung so tightly to the hearts of many begins to loosen its grip. People step back from the brink of despair, their minds clearing as if waking from a long, disorienting dream. Relationships strained by the moon’s influence begin to mend as apologies are exchanged, tears are shed, and bonds are reaffirmed.
With the Radiant Sun rising again, its golden-pink hues spilling across the horizon, life begins to return to normal. The birds resume their morning songs, markets reopen, and the hum of daily activity fills the air once more. Though traces of the moon’s influence linger in whispered memories, there is a collective sense of relief and gratitude among the people—gratitude for the light, for connection, and for a second chance to heal.
In the outskirts of Ignacia's Cradle, Aella and Terra, two of the three leaders of the factions, come together to address the gathered crowds. Together they assure the people that this celestial event was a rare anomaly, something never before recorded in the annals of history. They explain that while the Jealous Moon’s influence was unprecedented and deeply unsettling, it was a unique alignment of cosmic forces that is unlikely to occur again in their lifetimes—or ever.
The leaders thank the people for their resilience and compassion, emphasizing how their acts of unity—simple gestures of closeness and connection—proved stronger than the moon’s envy. They commend the scholars for their quick thinking and the Visitors for their role in guiding others through the chaos. Finally, they urge everyone to move forward, not in fear of what has passed, but with the knowledge that even in the darkest moments, their strength lies in the bonds they share.
Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.
Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.
Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.
*February will be the last month to complete quests for this rotation. New ones will go up on March 1st.
For OOC questions, please direct themhere.
All locations are available to be explored! Ignacia's Cradle and Ember Veil have been added, along with details about the Violet Drop regarding the Cult of Triton.
The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.
Participation in the Radiant Sun/Jealous Moon effects is not mandatory.
night sky | original | dryad | in game
jealous moon; (ota)
wildcard
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He was overjoyed to see them out and about again. He didn't have a single doubt! They were super tough cookies. But even the toughest cookies needed a hand now and again. The invitation was honestly unusual- grass-types were indeed weak to fire- but talk of hot springs connected the dots. He hadn't done anything like those in a LONG, long time.
Ignacia's Cradle was hot. His own nature as a demon helped to mitigate, but he was foolish if he ever said it wasn't still a touch uncomfortable. He conjured a fan in his palm and did what he could to help, as if fanning a noblewoman who'd quickly filled her dance card.
"Yeah! We can try. The place is at the edge of town, thankfully... I can only imagine how many bathers would be dropping like flies if they stuck the sucker right in the thick of the city."
Fortunately either knowledge of this place among outsiders still being so early in its infancy, or arriving as a pair and Lulu asking for extra space, was to be the ticket. Helpful intel: Co-ed baths. They just needed to split up the change.
Well. He needed to change, anyway. He had a hell of a lot of clothing to stow away.
But something felt a little uneasy in him. He couldn't pin why, but he chalked it up to being a really fucked-up week.
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Since he needed time yet, she decided to scope the place out, find a good spot to be alone. Thankfully, she did not have to go far to find a pool of water tucked away under a decent sized outcropping of blackened stone. Night Sky was in the water by the time he joined her, arms folded on the edge and her head resting atop them, absently staring at the fire lillies nearby swaying with the swaths of steam that rose around them.
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He would take a few minutes. But after scoping out a spot that Night Sky had found, he opted for a little change of pace: There was no worded greeting, or much else to alert that he'd finished and was good to go...
...Instead there was a little squeak and a chitter, followed by a small splash. He moved like an arrow, darting beneath the water as a sleek little white river otter, black fur marking the smallest, snappy bow tie upon a very faintly pink chest.
He joined her by putting his little black paws on the ledge and resting his chin much the same, turning ruby eyes her way.
"You come here often~?"
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Lulu had a very distinct color set, much like she did when she chose a different form to change into now that she had the ability, and it did not take a genius to put two and two together — especially when he spoke. Night Sky bit her lip, but even that could not stop the sputtering laugh she exhaled a second later.
"Mm. No. It's my first time." She twirled a long brown curl around her finger shyly. "I'm with my boyfriend though, mister otter. So I'd be careful, he should be here any minute."
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A paw went to his chin as he looked around, perhaps searching the steam for this somebody. "Then I should be quick, shouldn't I?"
The otter put on a show. After pushing away from the ledge, he kicked the back paws and twirled his tail like a propeller to give a twirl. With one paw to heart, the other was lifted to implore:
"I must run away with you, fair mermaid! Any river, any lake we flee to will be nothing short of paradise. I will always bring you the sweetest, tastiest fish! I will even give you my most prized rock, what has opened many a plump, tender scallop from the far seas...!" With the flourish of an otter-y wrist, he conjured a rather plain-looking stone.
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"Oh, mister Otter, it's beautiful..." She sighed, reaching a hand out, but stopping herself just before she touched the stone. "No! I can't!" Hand to her forehead, sighing dramatically. "You are a magnificent creature, but I must be loyal to my dearest Lulu. Oh! I hope he comes soon."
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Jealous Moon
It was wrestling with these thoughts though, when he suddenly felt arms around him, and he stiffened just a bit before recognizing the voice. "Um... okay?"
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So he took a breath, really taking the time to figure out how he was feeling. “I… I think so.” Hesitantly his arms came around her to return the embrace, and even that seemed to help warm the feeling inside him. “Better now, I think.”
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He tended to shy away from physical affection on a good day, but with whatever was in the air right now, he probably would have avoided it entirely.
"People have been acting a bit strange." He'd been a bit wrapped up in his head for a while, but he had noticed people being a bit on edge. "What do you think is happening?"
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"Hang onto me as long as you need to."
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I hope this is okay Jealous Moon also wtf why is this a goddam novel
For every bright moment that happened while he was here, it was always almost immediately swallowed by darkness. Like it wasn't even worth seeking anything else. Everything he tried to do, ended up hurting someone, either physically or mentally. Or both.
He had killed one of his first friends, and now Nina was...not speaking to him. Which he knew was a right decision by her. And he had sent her after Finnick, to mend their bond, so what did he really expect to happen? He had made her choice for her, it was the right choice, and she had seen that it was the right choice.
Being right was not much consolation, sometimes.
Lydia had offered him a room, but right now, that didn't feel right either. Better to get away from her, too, before the inevitable way he would fail or disappoint or harm her.
So he was back in his old spot in the woods, staring at the moon like he wished he had a ranged weapon that would hit it. Back here, again, but hey, at least he has jars for the venom issue that is also acting up, adding that extra spice of humiliation to his existential breakdown.
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She has gone on a hugging spree tonight, and desperately needed a break. As much as she adored physical touch, just bodying people in the street was... tiring, in a way. Like she was giving too much of herself to others.
So she was back in the woods, in a smaller version of her wolf form — more green themed husky than giant wolf then as she patrolled into Gadriel's camp, the familiar scent of him giving her pause. He could see her outline though, just beyond the trees, tail swaying absently; bright green eyes shining in the dim moonlight.
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Night Sky. He knew her scent. But she was not approaching. And he could imagine why. She had tried to talk to him afterwards, and he had, predictably, messed that up, too, because it hurt. And he understood why she would stay out of the range of his hands.
It was one thing to forgive from a distance. It was another to risk one's own body again.
He had risen to a crouch when he first scented her, but he dropped back down to the ground. "Sky. May I speak?" He wasn't sure that even just his words would be welcomed. He wanted a chance to say what he could, without her trying to cajole him out of it, or change the subject. Maybe she would forgive him. Maybe she would at least be at peace again.
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She almost spoke aloud, but instead just silently nodded her head, wildflowers fluttering around her to dot the snowy ground. Go ahead.
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But this was the first time he didn't find any comfort in that advice. It made the apology so much harder, because he worried every word would go wrong. He wanted to be forgiven by her, because maybe then he could forgive himself.
"Sky. Night Sky." All right, that was a start. He gave a long exhale of air, trying to steady himself. "I have ordered men to their deaths before. Men I have known and trained and fought alongside for years. And they have died. But I have never killed any directly. I have never had to hold them while they die against me." A shaky breath, and he flexed his hands, as though trying to get rid of the feel of the iron bar that he had killed her with. He could still feel it, biting cold against his palms. This was different. She was different.
She had always been different. "But that is me, and selfishness." And more selfishness yet to come, apparently, because he'd been thinking a lot about this over the last few days. "I have..I never did anything to deserve your friendship. You always gave and shared with me, and I did..nothing in return. Except kill you. I never deserved you." Her kindness, her teasing, her wildness. He deserved none of it.
He dropped his gaze to the ground. He couldn't bear to look at her, how beautiful she was, in this form, even, in the moonlight. This beautiful thing he had destroyed. "I just. I wanted you to know now that at least I know what I have lost. And I am. So sorry." He half turned away, so she could escape, without him seeing, if she chose.
"If me suffering this loss means you are happy, I will endure it gladly. But please, be happy. Be what you once were." Before him, before all the damage he always seemed to do. He was not made for this.
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She had died before, too. Maybe not so brutally, but she knew what it felt like. Of course, being strangled by your friend was a touch different than lying down and coughing yourself to death, but here they were.
She moved away, behind a tree to her right, and seemingly vanished, the woods around them silent until the sound of footsteps in snow rang in the air. She stepped into view in her elven form, shaking leaves out of her hair.
"I don't want you to suffer, Gadriel."
cw: warhammer death talk just to be safe
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jealous moon
It doesn't actually alter his temperament much, is the thing. He's lived with feeling like this his entire life, a thousand years of slow, quiet, building irritation. So as he walks around town, sees the behavior of others turning petty and mean, he's...pleased. And amused. Amateurs, toddler, fools, can't take a little poison in their minds. It's like watching a tavern full of people get drunk off a single sip of ale.
Theoretically, he should be concerned. He just can't muster it right now, in the light of what may as well be a Trickster's Moon.
Trust Night Sky to catch sight of him and recognize he's as caught up in the haze as anyone else, though. Always so perceptive. If she had come up and asked to hug him, he would have agreed easily enough, but to be caught in an embrace with that preamble you need to trust me is possibly even more effective. He's susceptible to affection, and there's only a moment's hesitation before he hugs back and tucks his chin over her head. "Hello, kjaere. I didn't see you there...I was distracted."
Distracted with schadenfreude. Give him a minute, he'll start to come around.
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She curled her fingers into the fabric along his back, held him tight to her with her head pressed to his chest. "What's on your mind?"
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"Some day, I will ask for your secret," he says, and since he hasn't expressed any of what he's been thinking, she would be excused for finding that a complete non-sequitur.
"I don't know. Something's clearly wrong in the atmosphere, the moon, the sky. Everyone's out of sorts. I'm sort of enjoying it, truth be told."
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"My secret?" She repeated, tone curious. There must have been a lot on his mind for him to say something so seemingly random.
"Oh? Why is that?"
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He curls a little closer around her, stroking her back idly. "I spent most of my life out of sorts. Watching my brother hailed as the golden child of Asgard, never fitting in and never understanding why. It hurt."
"And I loved him, but he didn't care that I was hurt." He squeezes her tighter for a second, then relaxes. "Jealousy is a bit part of who I am. Watching other people struggle with it is..."
"I don't know, maybe it actually makes me feel like less of an aberration."
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Night Sky nestled close, inhaling the scent of him and closing her eyes.
"Jealousy is normal." She murmured. "You're not weird for that. Or weird for wanting to see it happen to others, I guess. I'm sorry, for whatever it's worth, that you had to go through that. I think you're wonderful."