songerein | { when it snows }

Entry tags:

{ when it snows }

WHEN IT SNOWS

All items on this post will last/be available for the entire month! So timey wimey shenanigans are allowed.

More details on everything can be found here. We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during A.

I. REVEREIN

II. DREAMS

COMMENTS

I. REVEREIN THAWED

After freeing the Ice Queen from the glass shard from her chest and clearing the dreamscape, the blizzard that affected not only Reverein but the Wildlands and beyond finally dissipates and soon everything returns to…mostly normal.

A. Glitter Snow. While the freezing sleet and ice of the blizzard is no more and a more gentle winter has entered Reverein, the fresh new snow that falls is not one one might want to stick their tongue out to try and catch a snowflake. Unless one likes the taste of glitter.

🎉 Good luck getting it out. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad if the glitter melted like snow, but it does not. It sticks to everything everywhere and while some might like a splash of colors, others may not.
🔮 Dreamglobes. Some fae are passing out empty spherical glasses, suggesting those who are interested to collect some of the glitter snow into them and then set the snowglobe next to their bed before sleeping. Whatever dream they have will be captured into the glass and upon waking will create a physical representation of the dream to create a little special "dreamglobe." Hope it's a good one!
✨ Glitter Collector. There are a number of people and shops that actually want the free glitter and ask for anyone to collect as much as possible. Works well for those trying to clean up and not sure what to do with it. What kind of products will end up coming from them well.

B. Mari Lwyd and Family. Mari Lwyd has finally returned to Reverein, and she's bringing along some family she's found. However, they can be a bit of a handful. Some are friendlier than others while others are going to make full use of this glitter snow with pranks and mischief. But they all just intend to have a good time, something that everyone may be in need of after that blizzard.

💃 Little Pranksters. The young Lwydlings cannot sing or speak, but they love to dance around and make all manner of noise—they also bite if you're being a big fat party pooper in their presence, and are a lot more likely to pull a few harmless pranks than their dear older cousin Mari Lwyd is. Very quick, they have the same vanish-and-leave-you-with-bad-luck if harm is attempted on them. Have a dance off with them, or aid them in pranking those who are being big fat grumps/meanie-butts.
🔥 Bonfire. One of the merry friends looks like a very tall pile of long hair and arms, but with them they seem to be carrying a basket and filling it with sticks and other kindling. This is for giant bonfires! Help gather wood and kindling to make a great bonfire to welcome some warmth in this winter, and aid any lost to not wander in this cold.
🥜 Nurturing Gifts. There appears to be another skull-faced being wandering around with their own 'little one' in tow—and despite the horned and frightening appearance of the larger fur and hyde clad figure there are small gifts to be shared. An act of kindness rewards one with a bundle of magic beans that if nurtured and cared for will bear a great gift come spring. Great.

C. Hot Springs. The dragons are holding an open invitation to anyone who wishes to use their hot springs to warm up after that frigid blizzard. The dragons in particular will be practically living there, so hopefully others can squeeze in a spot. Rooms will be available for anyone who wishes to stay the night, and all amenities will be available: food, recreational games, etc. Just beware of the monkeys that have descended down from the mountain seeking warmth as well. They are prone to stealing things, particularly clothing—and wearing them.

D. Dream Board. This is the perfect time to do many of the Dream Board prompts, and while the full details are on the notes, here is the quick list of what they are:

Dream Board List:

⛄ Snowball Tonics: Transform into massive, different colored snowballs.
🔔 Bell Choir: Grab a bell and play for a concert!
🧣 Never-Ending Scarf: Help untangle the beautifully, extremely long crocheted scarf, dodge cats, and get the whole thing together in one place.
🍻 Keg Brawl: A game where one must carrying a keg of ale from one end of a field of ice to the other while avoiding the other team trying to stop you.
🐶 The Inugami. Help a pair of spirit dogs find each other.
🌠 Falling Stars. Make wishes upon the falling stars before they cause too much damage!

II. SHATTERED DREAMS

Although the Dreamwalkers were successful in removing the strange glass shard in the Ice Queen's chest and ended the nightmare dreamscape that caused the blizzard, the Ice Queen still has yet to awaken. Jack Frost has taken her to Orkili to try and purify her with the pods, yet it only caused an adverse reaction, prompting the Orkilins and Jack Frost to ask for help from the Dreamwalkers once more. Isolated in a separate room where neither dreamotion nor nightmare energy can enter, those who are willing to investigate the Ice Queen's dream will be able to freely dreamwalk, with the warning that she seems sensitive to positive dreamotion so everyone should take caution when using it.

In the meantime, there are some other happenings going around in Orkili, including investigation into some nightmare crystals.

A. Piecing it Together. Those who enter the Ice Queen's dream will find themselves free floating in a dark void with large reflective glass-like shards with blurred, fogged scenes reflecting on their surface. They float aimlessly through the space, and a closer inspection will reveal that these shards can fit together and likely form a larger image. The goal is to now try and put the pieces together, though it's not as easy as it might seem.

🪞 Nightmare manipulation. For whatever reason, those who either have high nightmare resistance or can control nightmare energy will be able to move and be around the shards with very little effect to them.

💥 Too much of a good thing. Because the shards are dark and clearly exude nightmare energy, there will be those who will try to use positive types of dreamotion to purify the shards. Some dreamotion will be safe to use and will help clear up the image on the surface. However, too much focus will have a negative feedback where the dreamers are pushed back with a freezing gale and the shard they are focusing on will crack and break into smaller pieces. Nightmare energy can help mend the cracks, so it's better to try and use both at the same time.

💔 Blurred visions. As the surface of the shards clear up, various scenes of different themes can be seen, both good and bad. Love, heartbreak, hatred, anger, joy, jealousy, loneliness, fulfillment, family, abandonment. Those who experienced the ice mirrors in the previous dreamscape will feel a strong familiarity with these larger shards, except these are clearly towards the Ice Queen herself.

This is where we want players to come up with any scene that the Ice Queen may have experienced that could be reflected on the shard! We'll request submissions and piece together a story based on player input. Don't worry about any contradictions, we'll work it all in one way or another. The only constant is that Jack Frost and the Ice Queen do have a close, romantic relationship, which is why Jack is very worried about her.

B. Unwanted Intruder. While in the dream, a grotesque looking noctaere will appear and try to attack and consume the shards. Should it succeed, the Ice Queen will receive physical damage that everyone will be able to hear and feel inside the dream. The void will contort and turn more like sludge. Attempts to use dreamotion will only worsen it, but those who can control or absorb nightmare energy will take it away from the Ice Queen. How it affects them however, will vary between dizziness to momentary lapse in judgment and may need to leave the dreamscape.

Those monitoring outside the dream will witness the Ice Queen scream and her skin blackening as if charred by fire. Same thing applies here: those who try to use dreamotion to heal her will only worsen it, but those who use nightmare energy to either draw it out into some other container or absorb it themselves will be able to pull it out of the Ice Queen. Those who absorb the nightmare energy will have similar varying effects, from just light dizziness to becoming more irritable and hostile. Attempts to try and directly pull out the nightmare energy otherwise will be unsuccessful—it will only work when the noctaere has consumed a shard and caused the physical side effects.

No one will turn noctaere through this method because not enough nightmare energy will have accumulated.

As for the noctaere, it will sometimes appear outside the dream, and those who encounter it or deliberately try to hunt it down either within or outside the dream will find both dreamotion and nightmare based attacks effective against it. However, it's a very tough and difficult foe, so while it can be damaged, it cannot be defeated at this time. Those who investigated the claw marks from a few months ago will notice it leaves behind the same claw marks. Those who witnessed it will also find it familiar and can safely say it's the same.

I. REVEREIN

II. DREAMS

COMMENTS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Alas and woe betide him, Yato is too busy fending off assorted buckets and brushes and rubber ducks to see the most dangerous threat of all coming his way. Which is probably a good thing, otherwise he might have stopped folding up on himself, which is preventing most of the accidental flashing.

All he knows is that suddenly there's a familiar pressure around his neck, choking him into submission despite him thrashing about trying to get his bearings. Although once stuff stops hitting him, he registers where he's felt this grip before and all but goes still, staggering to keep up with Hiyori as she leads him into the changing area.]

H-Hiyori?!

[Twisting in her hold to get a better glimpse up at her face, he finds himself with a cheek squished against a towel-covered boob and promptly goes redder than someone who's spent all day in the hot springs. SOMEBODY SAVE HIM.]

Uh... h-hi?

[Where does he put his hands?? Better still, where's his towel?! Ooooh shi--]

[ once in the changing area, she drops her chokehold and throws the spare towel at him. any females in the area quickly scurry away at the two of them, whispering amongst themselves.

nobody is going to save him now. beg for salvation. ]

Hi? Hi?! Yato, what were you thinking?! [ immediately going into lecture mode as she stands there in her towel and not much else, water dripping off her hair. at least, in her case, it's not the first time yato has seen her like this. ]

Please tell me you didn't do this on purpose!

[Thankfully for all the nearby ladies, Yato is far too preoccupied with the fact Hiyori is also at the hot springs to take any note of them. And as soon as the towel smacks into him, he's scrambling to get it fastened around his waist, eyes darting from her face to a bit lower then the floor and back again.

He'd be begging to the heavens if they weren't such dicks, so instead he's mentally begging to Hiyori herself to please not crack his nuts.]

I-I I was just trying to get to the mixed baths, that's all...! I was an accident, I swear! You know me, Hiyori-- I only have eyes for you!

[He blurts out that last bit without thinking, then belatedly hopes she'll take it as one of his usual overly dramatic pronouncements. Thankfully, he's already so heated in the face that any further change is likely to go unnoticed.]

[ well, she does need some sort of jewels to pay the dragons for letting her stay...

that response rushes her with an influx of too many emotions. a sort of illogical fury that he's trying to get to the mixed baths and not just the boys' side. exasperation that this all is some horrible accident because trouble follows him wherever he goes and he's clueless when it counts. a walking disaster.

finally, an inexplicable feeling that yato admits to only having eyes for her. at least before she realizes that's not true. it can't be. why go to the mixed baths then?? ]

Wh, what I know is that you're a huge moron sometimes!! At the worst times!! [ all she can think to say as she's bombarded with too many emotions at once. two of which she can't make sense of. as she stomps up to him, she grabs his arm and continues hauling him out of the changing room now that he has a towel around his waist.

they get stared at as towel!hiyori drags towel!yato around. ]

Edited 2024-01-16 00:19 (UTC)

[O-Oh dear;; Not his family jewels, plz...!

It's probably a good thing that he hasn't come out and confessed his reason for looking into the mixed baths: in the hope that she would be there so he could apologize for the incident the other day in her bedroom. Not the most ideal of places to do so, but one that would do in a pinch. This... just wasn't how he expected to bump into her, that's for sure.

Even as he's being dragged bodily from the room, he presses the palms of both hands together to beg her to believe him, stumbling as he struggles to keep upright and keep his towel on all at the same time.]

Yes...! Yes I am! The hugest, biggest moron that ever walked this side of the Near Shore! Pleasedon'tputmeinoneofyourwrestlingholds--!

[As they pass by the ladies heading in, he mutters plenty of apologies and excuse mes. Best to try making a graceful exit even if his entrance was less than stellar.]

H-Honestly, Hiyori, I took a wrong turn and got mixed up... It was an innocent mistake, I promise! I'd never try peeping on anyone on purpose!

[He just. Takes the opportunity to enjoy it when luck happens upon him, that's all. There's a difference!]

[ cough 'em up.

NOT the most ideal places at ALL. if he wanted to talk to her, they could find someplace to meet up!! that is not the hot springs!?

him begging and agreeing to his idiocy does little to placate her. she's still so red. thinking again about all manner of things. while she doesn't put him in wrestling holds, she's got SUCH a grip on his arm while heading in the direction of the mixed bathing. if that's where he wants to BE so badly!! because... there's not much she can say to argue against it other than she DOESN'T LIKE IT.

why doesn't she like it...? ]

I believe you!! [ hiyori says so angrily, so loudly as she continues marching them forward. yato is a pervert, but he's never purposefully peeped-- oh, no, he undressed her when he possessed her body. he did that. well she still believes him, anyway.

and if she put him in her wrestling holds now, that would be

very dangerous. unlike him, she has sense. sometimes. ]

I believe you, but you just-! I'm j-just!! [ ARGH. ] I'm taking you where you want to go! So you don't take another wrong turn and get mixed up again and end up back at the girls' bath because you cause so much trouble!

[Only for her~

Nobody said he was particularly smart about these things. He'd finally worked up the nerve and was just like "Go for it, Yato!" Without much else in the way of forethought. In hindsight, this was a bad idea; he'd gotten lost because he was distracted by thoughts of her.

Stuck in her iron grip, he lets out little OWs the whole way but otherwise doesn't fight or try to escape. He's just being melodramatic again, as per usual. She sure does have a hold on him...! Does she really think he's going to turn tail and either run off or try to head back into the girl's bath? Or maybe she really is just that pissed at him... He ducks his head sheepishly as they walk, finally getting his footing and straightening up.]

Y-You do? Then why-- [Is she escorting him... wherever they're going? And she does sound pretty damn angry, still. Enough so that he doesn't dare trying to cross her when she's in this mood. No more poking fun like he did back in her bedroom.]

Oh. I... appreciate that. Really. [He sounds sincere enough, even if he's too nervous to meet her gaze all of a sudden. Hesitating a moment, he swallows and follows it up with:] A...Actually, there was a reason I came here. I'd been looking for you, see, and I-- Well, I wanted to... apologize.

[ c'est romantique.

a very bad idea if the way she holds him tightly and pulls him around is any indication. although the march hiyori puts them through starts to slow. as her grip starts to soften. anger isn't an emotion she can hold on to for too long. particularly when it concerns yato.

an idiot would try to run, yes. he might have proved he's both an idiot and smart by his choices within the last few minutes.

"why"? does she need to spell it out?

they come to a stop without anybody around and she turns toward him with a lost look. there's a lot to apologize for, but if he came here with that in mind, it couldn't be for his awful mistake of stumbling into the ladies' bath. ]

While... I'm... taking a bath?

[ ...

as if expelling all of her exasperation, she sighs. ] Yato... [ (gentle, annoyed, tired) ]

It must've been bothering you for a while if you didn't think that far ahead. [ that much she can tell. whatever it is, she's probably forgiven him for it anyway. like most things. ]

What do you want to apologize for?

[Perhaps in a strange contradiction, the looser her grip becomes and the more relaxed pace put him even more on edge, nerves starting to get the better of him as his brain finally kicks into gear. This... really isn't the best place to do this, is it? But it's a little late for second guessing himself, so he has to plow on ahead regardless of his sudden reservations.

Out of habit he goes to put his hands in his pockets and almost loses his towel in the process, catching himself at the last moment and using the motion to make sure it's securely tightened.

He's a bit flustered here, Hiyori! Work with him!]

Ah, w-well... That is...

[There's a definite deepening of the blush on his cheeks and it's not from the heat of the hot springs, not when they've been well outside of them for a couple minutes now. He shakes his head both to clear his thoughts and to agree with how little thought he gave to this whole idea.]

The other day. When we were... designing the mirror coverings in your room. ...the comments about your underwear. I shouldn't have said that and I'm sorry! [He finishes up the last part of his apology in a rush, refusing to look at her. He half expects to get a slap to the face for bringing it up again, but then, Hiyori's never really been the slapping type for the most part.]

[ definitely, undoubtedly far too late to second guess yourself now, yatogami.

what is there to work with...? ]

My-- [ oh. that.

no, she can't blame him. not when she ran off and didn't come back until past dark. part of her was shocked he didn't go looking for her. shocked and something else. he was certainly giving her some space, though.

and now.

as mentioned before, she's already forgiven him for it. it's not like it was an exceptionally HEINOUS error. like wearing her uniform. finding a cursed notebook with her name all over it. doujin in her likeness. coming at guys she knows with a baseball bat or sekki. finding her sleeping body in her bed and taking pictures with it to post on twitter.

stalkercreeper things.

yeah, commenting on her underwear seems relatively tame. she isn't quite sure how to respond. yato never really apologized for his strangeness before, but it's... bothering him more than usual. why, she doesn't know. or does she? ]

I know I got angry, but... I'm used to that weird behavior from you. You just say things. I'm not sure why you're apologizing now of all times.

[ HIYORI THAT DOESNT MAKE IT OKAY. IF HE'S TRYING TO BE BETTER, LET HIM. ]

[ --come to think of it. ]

Is this... about the happy thing you said before?

[Too bad, he's not only second guessing, but thirding and fourthing as well.

Little does she know how much self-control it took for him notto go racing out around sunset in order to find her, and how instead he spent that time pacing about his room and flailing about on the bed, kicking himself for being a dumbass. Only the knowledge that Reverein is a fairly peaceful town was enough to keep his nerves calmed enough for him not to panic.

....and yeah, mentions of her unmentionables is pretty damn low on the list of Just Creepy Stalker Things he's engaged in in the past. But somehow this just feels like he's done her wrong. Maybe it's because she didn't get mad at him in the same way, didn't wrestle him into submission but instead fled without a word, and stayed away for the rest of the day. Usually she just rolls with his idiocy and everything is fine between them.

But something hasn't been fine for a while now, and he's not sure what it is. ...or at least that's what he keeps telling himself. Though in the deepest recesses of his heart he thinks he knows. Or he hopes, anyway. And that makes it even harder to deal with. That's what this whole song and dance is about.]

That's-- [How can he explain it in a way that makes sense but doesn't give away too much? He bites his lip in thought, debating on what to say when she continues, homing in on the issue.]

No--! I mean, yes! I mean, maybe?? It's just, you seemed upset... hurt that time, so I-- [......] ...is it really that odd for me to apologize?

[Maybe just wanting to do so was revealing too much in the first place.]

For being inappropriate and not having boundaries? Definitely.

[ a smile finally cracks across her face like the first sunbeams after a storm. part of her is serious, and part of her is teasing. those portions are about even. while true yato has never really felt guilt or apologized for his bizarre ways, she's not unaware that things are different. it must be why he feels the need to apologize.

typically, she would hit him and they'd fight until things were fine again but she couldn't bear being in that room at that moment. it's been some days since then. the reason she came home at all was because she knew yato would have a fit otherwise. ereshkigal would have let her stay over if she asked, right?

from one god to another.

no, it's not like that. ]

I've already forgiven you anyway. [ hiyori goes on to explain, nudging his bare side with her elbow and belatedly realizing he's shirtless. her arm is quickly tucked back against her side as she fights the heat crawling across her neck and ears. ]

S-Sorry for... running off. [ if anyone is acting weird, it's HER. ] And for staying out late, but thanks for giving me space and not dragging me back. For caring so much about my happiness, too. You're an idiot, Yato, but you always mean well. It's difficult not to forgive you when I remember that.

...oh. I never really realized...

[Or frankly cared, and that's the key point here. For the first time he's actually begun to give enough of a damn what someone else thinks and feels to actually apologize. Although to be fair, he's never really had to make apologies for his behavior before. Not with how he was brought up. Gods can do no wrong, etc, etc.

Still, he's grateful for this chance even if it seems to be making things even more awkward on his part. Hiyori though... she seems much less irked now that he's apologized? Is that why people do it? Surely can't be for his own benefit, although he is starting to feel a touch better with her smiling.

...no, definitely better. He almost manages one of his own, but doesn't quite make it there, still hampered by guilt and embarrassment.

Once she admits to forgiving him, though? That makes his heart soar and try to pound its way out of his chest. Especially when her bare skin touches his, sending a jolt throughout him.]

Huh? Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong. [His eyes meet hers briefly, then he's glancing away again, color spreading across his cheeks.] Y-You're welcome. I figured you'd be safe enough here, and that you'd come back when you wanted to. It... didn't seem like a good time to crowd you. Not when I knew I was the problem.

[At her compliments, he shakes his head, little ponytail swaying.] You give me way too much credit. I've still got a long ways to go.

[ well.

that explains a lot if he never realized (or cared) how clumsy he could be. for a long time, she thought he was just super rude and shameless most of the time. something softens in her a little more at the confession. it's not that he can't feel bad, then, but she already knew that. he's just paying more attention, being more considerate. god of happiness. ]

Well, I-- um. I, I just wanted to, okay! [ maybe not to him, she didn't but she's been doing a lot of things wrong in her opinion. there's no reasonable answer she has for him. nothing besides something totally crazy like "the reason I was so upset and ran away is because I'm tired of you seeing my underwear on accident and then teasing me about it and I don't know how to deal with that feeling." fighting and bickering is easier than whatever that was. coming to terms with it is an ongoing struggle, too.

since when did he understand her so well, though? he knew not to crowd and pester her even if it wouldn't have been a surprise if he did chase her. even if he didn't like it. that... means a lot. he trusted her instead of wailing and doing his obnoxious things. before she can say anything about it, yato says he has a ways to go. sure, but ]

I think, of anybody, I give you the right amount of credit.

[ YUKINE MIGHT (WOULD, DEFINITELY) DISAGREE ] It's good to want to improve, though.

[ his little ponytail... so bouncy... ]

-- Did you really come all this way just to apologize? Not to enjoy the hot spring at all?

[In all fairness to Hiyori's assessment, he was partially (and still is to a degree) rude and shameless. Talking about a girl's underwear sure doesn't fall under the category of polite and courteous, for sure. But in general those sorts of incidents are done deliberately to provoke a response, because he's a bit of a stupid jerk who doesn't know how to deal with people properly. Not that he himself realizes that, either. Self-awareness? Dunno her.]

O-okay. If it makes you happy-- [There's that line again... For her happiness. So much is for that reason anymore. Though he IS her God of Fortune - that's what he's supposed to do. The promise he made to himself on her behalf. Which is a complete contradiction to how he teases and pokes fun at her, but have people - even gods - ever made perfect sense? Not him, that's for sure. He's gone through so many phases in his life, it's hardly a wonder he's a bit of a mess.

Even then, though, he's learned a lot about Hiyori since coming here. Living with someone 24/7 gives you a much closer insight into who they are than just occasional visits. Maybe that's why he's having a hard time reconciling his old behaviors with his more considerate new ones. ...even then, Hiyori still sees him in a positive light. So like her.]

You do? I mean, guess you do. I hope.

[He opens his mouth to say something, but promptly closes it again at her questions. Jerking his head back around to face her, his face turns a shade brighter.]

Well, not exactly. I figured I'd do both if you were here. ...d-did you want to... maybe hit up the hot spring... t-together? The clothed one, of course!!

[ there's that line again. what about his happiness? it's all well and good to want someone else to be happy, but it shouldn't be ALL about her!! just when it matters. not talking about a girl's underwear, for one. having some self-awareness -- like she can talk.

especially in one category. speaking of hypocrites. she's a mess, too. he's not alone there. she's not a mess because of any phases though. it's because of one person. one god. ]

I do. [ from spending almost a year with him, for living with him and spending every day in close quarters and the same house for months. yukine may have a few months over her, but if things keep going as they are... that gap is going to close quickly. strange to think about. that they're encroaching on half a year. following that, a year.

everything here so far has seemed so slow in comparison to the year before. days are largely peaceful. with some excitement thrown in here or there.

excitement, indeed, like JOINING YATO TO THE HOT SPRINGS. is that a good idea?! even to the clothed one. it's not like a water park!! half of her is saying no no no don't! do it!! this is screaming bad idea, hiyori! but the other part... this other part of her she doesn't fully grasp... ]

U-Um. [ if he thinks his face is red, no. hers is RED RED. ]

The clothed one... like bathing suits. Like we're... having fun at a pool.

[ only not at all. ]

S... sure. Okay.

[ WHAT COULD GO WRONG!!!! ]

[What can he say? She should know well enough by now that he never does anything by halves, and tends to be more than a little bit obsessive once he fixates on something. (Of which she has become his main focus for well over a year now.) It all adds up to mean that he gets a bit stupid(er) when it comes to Hiyori and her happiness.

They both have a stupidfying effect on one another, though, so turnabout's fair play. They can be a couple of ~~lovesick~~ dweebs together.]

Yeah. [It is hard to believe that they're already coming up on their fourth month here in Songerein. Sometimes it feels like it's only been a couple of weeks, others it feels like it's been a lot longer than that. Which is neither good nor bad, as he's been enjoying his time here with Hiyori, but also missing being back home.

Which is why he wants to take the chance to do things here that they might not get the chance to try when they return. He wouldn't be surprised if she turned him down on principle alone, given what recently transpired between them. That she doesn't immediately decline is enough to get his brows raised, and her reasoning it out makes him go slightly slack-jawed, until her agreement finally has him gulping nervously even as his heart begins pounding in his chest.]

E-Exactly--! Just having a bit of fun splashing around...!

[Why does his voice sound slightly higher-pitched than before, then...]

If you go grab your stuff, I'll get mine and meet you there?

[ no, he doesn't do anything by halves. not like her, apparently. yato's father called her feelings half-assed. are they? whatever those feelings are (she knows she knows she knows) they don't feel half-assed at all. they feel a little bit consuming. a little bit prickling, all over her skin.

his staring, his eyebrows raising, his jaw-dropping, his higher pitch only makes that feeling stronger. it was so much easier to ignore it all when something was going on. she doesn't have the luxury of getting kidnapped or yato disappearing for a month or heaven attacking (that's not luxury that's the opposite of luxury) to fall back on.

as much as she misses being back home too, and those excuses, she's eventually decided it's no use crying about it either. everything will be fine.

everything will be fine if she joins him in the hot spring, too. just! splashing around!! in a hot spring. where you're not supposed to splash around.

what is she doing. ]

Yep. I'll meet you there. [ hiyori nods, feeling her own heart start to beat painfully in her chest. hard and a bit adamant. telling her all the things she doesn't want to say aloud. she isn't ready to. not yet. as much as she's started to say them to herself, in the privacy of her thoughts. ]

See ya!! [ that said, she turns and heads in the opposite direction in all but a sprint. back to the ladies' bath where she left her clothes and a bathing suit. just in case.

What the heck am I doing?? I must be out of my mind. Me? Going to the mixed baths? WITH YATO?

sure is. just a bit later she's there and clutching her towel to her chest, hiding her bathing suit behind it. men and women both are loitering about, so there are no cries about PERVERT this time. as she thought, this is pretty normal around here. there's no reason to get annoyed that yato wanted to find the mixed bathing. none.

but she was. is.

Something is going to happen, I know it. lamenting to herself as she puts her clothes in a cubby and glances around furtively for a certain pair of eyes or any other sign of him. his smell. ]

[In that same way, with precious little else to focus on, Yato's begun to notice that all his hyped up feelings of adoration and affection have given way to a more subtle, sublime emotion. One he definitely won't be naming, to Hiyori or himself, because that way lies disaster. But it's still increasingly difficult to dismiss as mere infatuation or obsession.

But for now he can go on pretending, or doing his best to, anyway. To both of them. By acting like everything is perfectly normal, and this is a perfectly normal things housemates do together.

It kind of is, isn't it? Families bathe together. Friends bathe together. So why not them? That's what they are after all, friends!!

As Hiyori beats a hasty retreat, he raises a hand to wave her off.]

S-See ya! [Although she sure did move fast... Maybe she was cold? It is winter, after all. He sure feels plenty warm - in the face, if nowhere else.

With almost as much vigor, he hustles to the men's changing room to grab his new swimming trunks: blue with a cute cat print on them. No capyper merchandise here, regrettably. Once all kitted up, he makes his way into the mixed bath's changing room, towel covering his waist again just to keep warm.

Spotting Hiyori he slowly weaves past the other people to reach her side. She can probably smell him coming, sweating up a storm as he is out of sheer nerves. Upon reaching her, he lightly touches her arm to get her attention.]

H-Hiyori. You ready to go?

Yes!!

[ high-pitched. if her tail was out, it would be bristling and puffed up. smelling him coming did nothing to prepare her for his light touch on her arm. the clamminess of his palms gets lost in the humidity of hot springs. lucky for him. ]

Y, yes. [ no. what. there aren't many things she backs out on, if ever, but she's starting to think maybe this SHOULD be one of them. it's yato's unsure, nervous, flustered look that stops her. he may be sweating up a storm but there's some kind of thunder and lightning in her heart.

beach. beach, it's just like the beach. there are people here, besides them. it's not like this is intimate or anything. nnnooononono. it's like they're hanging out as usual. just in water.

if she thinks of it as bathing together she'll pass out.

reasoning her way through it isn't helping much, though. what if!! she just thought of yato as yukine! for now! okay, if it were yukine, ]

There's a spot over there, I think! Let's go!

[ when hiyori grabs yato this time, it's at his wrist. it's far more gentle as she leads him over to the hot spring, walking along the edge of the pool off to some quiet section away from people. pretend as she might, his smell pervades her senses like a constant reminder that this isn't yukine. ]

[Thank goodness for small favors about his sweaty ass hands if nothing else. He doesn't need to be dirtying Hiyori up before she gets clean. ...NOT LIKE THAT!!]

Okay, good! [He manages to swallow his way to a more normal sounding voice this time, even if there's still a slightly wavering edge to it. Hiyori may have agreed to this, but that doesn't mean he's any less nervous. If anything, his trepidation only grows the closer they get to actually being in the same hot spring as one another.

His mind is already going places, extraordinary places, of what could happen once they're in there. Will she want his help scrubbing her back? Would she care if he got them into a water fight? What kind of bathing suit does she have?? All are soon to be answered to one degree or another and he can hardly handle it.

Especially once she gets her hands on him and begins to guide him with care past the other bathers to a more secluded spot. His heart goes from thrumming regularly to hammering like a war drum, and he keeps his eyes peeled on the back of her still damp hair, including the way it drapes down her shoulder blades.]

R-Right! It sure is... uh, soothing here, isn't it?

[Except soothed is the last thing he feels right about now. Instead, he feels a little like he might throw up. Which would make for a miserable time, so he ignores the flip flopping of his stomach and tries to focus on how good the water is going to feel. Rolling off his arms, down his back, over her chest...

Fuuu--

He is so damned screwed. And the worst part is he's done it to himself.]

[ not like what ]

Yeah, well, it's supposed to be. You've been to a hot spring before, right? [ they went when hiyori had her ski trip with her family so she KNOWS he has.

the entire reason she came here, on her own no less, was to relax. not think about things. to revel in hot, healing water and be away and maybe... find herself. suffice to say, it hasn't been working out. funnily enough and as a complete contradiction to her current thoughts, more than the hot springs ever did, yato's smell and presence brings her comfort as much as it makes her uneasy in this situation. it's a frustrating and altogether confusing way to feel.

they reach the spot she pointed out, off behind some rocks, and she lets go of him to untie her towel. revealing one of the places his mind had wandered off to -- what kind of bathing suit does she have? this kind. here it is. blue with a very, VERY familiar print of small, cute cats. pink is normally her go-to color, but after yato made comments about how much of it she owned, she decided on this number. while throwing him a small glance from behind her hair, she's neatly folding the towel. more like fidgeting with it. nuance. ]

... Look. I can wear other colors, see?

[Nothing~]

Of course I have! Just how inexperienced do you think I am? [He's just trying to make polite conversation, sheesh! Throw him a bone, here.

Perhaps that's why they ended up bumping into one another: they had similar ideas and reactions to dealing with said ideas. Or for Yato's part, he was following what he'd hoped was Hiyori's train of thought. Either way, he's glad things have worked out the way they have, even if he's sporting a few bruises from his brief venture into the ladies' bath. He got to apologize to Hiyori and spend some time with her. What more could he ask for?

...apparently not much. For as she reveals her bathing suit, he's dumbstruck not so much by all the skin she's showing, but the style of swimwear she's chosen. An exact match for his own trunks. Are they really that much alike in taste? Is it mere coincidence? Fate?? He doesn't know, but somehow it makes him suddenly bashful about revealing his own. As though it might be too much like appearing as a couple to be sporting matching prints. Still, he nods as he finally takes in the full sight of her in a proper, cute bathing suit. Color heats his cheeks again from within more so than the surrounding air and he fiddles with his own towel, not quite removing it yet.]

Y-Yeah, I see. It-- looks good on you. Brings out the color in your eyes.

[Which it does, at least to him. A nice, beautiful contrast, making her pink eyes the star of the show. Hesitating a few moments longer, he nervously watches her.]

Now, you might be in for a bit of a surprise here... But I promise I haven't been stalking you this time, okay? [That's all the warning she gets before he unfastens his towel to reveal his own blue cat print swimwear. He'd thought they were a nice color, is all!]

[ polite conversation? so not yato. come on, it's your best friend here. here's your bone. ]

Hmmmmmmm. [ hiyori (pretend) thinks about it seriously. ] Very?

[ hot spring virgin.

obviously messing with him as she finishes up her folding, smiling to herself despite her flushed cheeks. that's for barging in on the ladies' room and for wanting to spend time in mixed bathing, even if it was to look for her. even if he's 100% within his rights to. they might have wound up here together but the way they did was pretty convoluted because yato can't just MESSAGE her and chooses to look for her while she bathes.

don't know if that one can be lived down.

in the end while she's not thrilled how things went, she is glad to have at least one thing off her chest. which the blush reaches, now, as yato compliments her. she turns to thank him but stops short at such an OMINOUS warning.

oh god what. THIS TIME? the compliment hasn't really sunk in, nor his statement after, before yato's swimtrunks are revealed. a place she didn't want to admit her mind went to -- what sort of fashion would he wear when he's not in his damn jersey.

turns out? hers. her fashion. ]

Ah. [ the towel slips out of her hands, unfolding as it falls to the ground at her feet and nearly into the hot spring. ]

GO HIYORI GO~

HE'S ONLY ALLOWED TO SEE HER TOWELNESS im jk..... half jk

HAHAHA... FOR HIS EYES ONLY

ALL HER CENSORS HAVE CROWNS ON THEM

THE CUTEST CENSORS 👑

👑🌸 EVERYWHERe

🌸 CENSORING THEIR DIGNITY

🌸 HE HAS DIGNITY? 🌸

HE USED TO

WHEN???????? 1/2

no subject

WHEN... THEY FIRST MET? MAYBE??

BZT. TRY AGAIN

SOB OKAY MAYBE BEFORE THEY MET???

REMEMBERS HiM IN BEETLE COSTUME.....

WHEEZES... M-MAYBE WHEN HE WAS A GOD OF CALAMITY?!

> MURDER > DIGNITY

MURDER FTW!!

LMFAO NOOOO

OH. DARN.

u HAD ONE JOb

and that was TO KILLLLLL

NO!!!!

oh... :(

ur job is to be ✨DA BESSSSTTTTT ✨ 1/3