Fairy Tail RP

Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

• Patch Notes •                 • New User Guide •                • Guild Information •

    Fine China

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 17th March 2021, 3:35 am

    The months that followed Valentine's day were peaceful. Percy seemed to float through life with some sort of newly discovered clarity. He took the time to smell the roses, sometimes literally. It was common for him to go on long walks around Rose Garden, admiring the flowers he was supposedly allergic to in the park and sampling vendors and restaurants he'd never tried before. It was as if the creature of habit had simultaneously broken every single habit he'd been known for. His words were happy, almost bubbly, and silky smooth. He could laugh and charm the cashiers of places just to make them smile. It seemed like it came so easily as it did for his brother. In the evenings he wanted to go out to find somewhere playing music, when before he'd shown little to no interest in it. Even as Leon finally took his therapist's advice and went home to River Village, Percy went with him as he said he would with no complaints, despite his previous aversion to the rural town. He stayed with Leon while he acclimated back to normalcy. He made nice with Robin and helped the dog acclimate to Cat, and was pleased when it appeared the two would be friends. In fact, despite how disconnected to his world it was, the town his lover had chosen to live in grew on him. It came with many benefits to balance out the increased presence of insects, such as no one knowing who he was and a level of privacy he'd never encountered. In River Village, they could just be Percy and Leon with little worry about someone seeing them. That was the biggest draw, though he had to admit that a change of scenery made it seem like a vacation.

    Even on in the days that Percy had to leave Leon on his own and return home, the Dagger would wander out on his own, preferring calm walks to jogging and sparring these days. He was more than happy to leave the lab to collect dust, only tinkering in there enough every day to say they worked for his meetings. He pushed deadlines back, which had been unheard of, but after justifying it to his father (who was proud to learn about his involvement in Bellum), it was all approved and seemed okay. One large, important main task continued to loom, but it was as if he'd forgotten about it. Project D.E.E.P. was imminent, and he'd already extended the deadline as long as he could. Still, it was about half finished and he worked on anything but it.

    Speaking of working, on the days that the pair were actually in the lab trying to return to their pre-war lives, Leon hadn't had to pop Percy's focus bubble to eat since they'd gotten back. The inventor stopped on his own often for snacks and meals and general breaks. He also finally took all Leon's nagging to heart and was way tidier as he worked. Everything was organized and labeled. Hopefully, his lover was proud of him.

    It was as if nothing bothered him anymore. It was impossible to make him angry, not even when playing videogames. He took losses with graceful laughs and wins with quiet acceptance when he didn't insist that Leon had been robbed of the win by the game itself being unfair. Even in their rare spars, he'd allow Leon to get some hits in and took them without so much as a puckered brow. It was only compliments and encouragement. Other than the brief flash of anger when Leon had broken his arm, Percy had displayed none of his short temper. It was all smiles and laughter and support for Leon's wellbeing. Percy seemed happy, for once.

    This particular morning, one that had yet to see the sun peek over the curve of the world, Percy felt like meeting Leon for a breakfast picnic and a walk by the river. This year's Spring had just been born, so it was just starting to warm and things were beginning to turn green again. When he'd visited River Village last, he'd noted a flyer about a seasonal festival, which he also intended to check out with Leon later. It was a day of fun he had planned, which apparently was starting at 4 AM.

    His sleek, black car rolled carefully through the town as the only car on the road at this hour. Everyone was still asleep, and though the roads were deserted and he could have been driving as fast as he wished, he was driving under the speed limit and with purpose. Though his navigational system could lose signal out here in the country, it was pretty reliable so far to get him into Leon's driveway with no problems at all. Percy glanced at the time on the dashboard. It was earlier than he'd intended, but there was no reason to wait. He'd been unable to go back to sleep after a fleeting dream woke him, so the only thing he could think of to do was go ahead and make the drive. At least this way, they'd be sure to catch the sunrise.

    Getting out of his car and grabbing the basked and quilt, a very perky and awake Percy made his way to Leon's front door. He knocked as if he expected Leon to be asleep, though that thought hadn't fully crossed his mind yet. All that filled his mind was excitement over the day he had planned for himself and Leon. Even though they still saw each other nearly every day, he missed Leon being around all the time and the comfort that brought him. Maybe he was being a little needy today, in his own subtle way. Or maybe he was just the type to do sunrise breakfast picnics now. "Leon! Open up," he called, grinning to himself. There was no way this surprise could go wrong, right?

    [wc: 992]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 18th March 2021, 2:02 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    Leon was a little wary of returning home since they last talked about it, but coming back to the village ended up being a good change of pace. It wasn't that Leon disliked Rose Garden, but once he lived somewhere more rural and country like the River Village, there was a certain ambiance that simply couldn't be found anywhere else. It was a small village, so the locals knew each other, and they were really friendly and generous to top it all off. Not only that, but Percy, Robin, and Cat were with him too—whether it was every day or every other day, it felt like everyone he really needed in his life was there with him. A cozy cabin in a quiet but friendly village with lots of natural beauty and sea life... although he hadn't lived here long, Leon was beginning to imagine that if he were to settle down, this is probably what his life would look like.

    Of course, nothing was ever that easy. Just because he wasn't waking up in a fit of screaming terror every night didn't mean that Leon still wasn't wrestling with his demons all of the time. He was usually a heavy sleeper before the war, but now it seemed like every little thing could disturb his slumber, and he'd always have the same nightmares too. He'd open his eyes to a cold and snow-caked battlefield, dotted with corpses and explosions than rumbled the earth beneath him. The nightmares would always end with that horrific scene before he blacked out, blood spilling out of his armless joint as he cried out Percy's name, and he'd always wake up after that.

    Lately, he was beginning to see a repeat of the night he broke Percy's arm, too. His heart and stomach would sink and curl whenever Percy would look at him with that flash of anger in his eyes—he really didn't like it when he looked at him like that, even though it was just once. And although it was clear that Percy had forgiven him and that they had both tried to move past it, Leon's feelings of guilt and fear seemed to linger in his dreams.

    . . . . . . . . .

    Splash...

    Leaned over his bathroom sink, Leon splashed some of the running water into his sweaty face. As usual, a nightmare woke him up, and he ended up falling into the habit of wobbling to the bathroom and dousing his face in cold water to sort of "snap out of it". It'd be really amazing if these sorts of nightmares disappeared after just a little love and support, but as far as he knew, war veterans were known with coping with PTSD for their entire lives. Sometimes he got a little depressed knowing that these memories were just going to be a part of him for as long as he lived, but the fear and anxiety seemed small compared to how much better he wanted to be for both himself and for the people around him. Still, it was hard. He grew to expect these nightmares, but he still was never really braced for the horror that transpired within. Sometimes it really felt like it didn't get easier.

    He would've sat on the toilet seat until he was comfortable enough to go back to sleep because even if it was a nightmare that woke him up, it was still 4 AM and early enough for him to get a few more hours in, but something... unexpected happened. Outside, he heard someone call for him, eagerly waiting for the door to be opened. It was obvious that it was Percy—he'd recognize his voice anywhere. The strange part that it was Percy.

    Taken aback, Leon didn't say or do anything for a moment before he finally got up and went to answer the door in his lounging shorts and tank-top, some of his hair still wet with sweat and water. Well, lo and behold, it was none other than Percy standing at his cabin porch at not even the crack of dawn... with a basket and quilt.

    "Percy?" Leon said hesitantly as he cautiously opened the door, mindlessly wiping some water from his cheek with his wrist with an obviously puzzled look on his face, "Percy—hey—everything alright? What are you doing here so early...?"


    || Word Count: 727 || Thread WC: 1,719 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 18th March 2021, 4:52 am

    "Everything's fine. I was afraid we'd miss the sunrise," Percy answered innocently, despite the oddness of it all. Of course, everything was fine. He just couldn't sleep anymore tonight. It wasn't the relief he felt just seeing the dark-haired man, so much so that he released a soft breath he hadn't realized he was holding. It wasn't because of the brief but alarming dream that he'd already forced himself to forget. He just didn't want to wait to see Leon today, so he came early. Even if the sun would sleep for about three more hours, it was better to be too early than too late. "Did you have a nightmare? You should have called me," Percy asked as if he didn't already know, seeming oblivious to the strangeness of his presence at this time of morning or night, depending on your life choices. Since the door was open, he slipped inside and sat down the things in his arms, turning toward his lover with a bright, energetic smile.

    He hadn't brought Cat along this time, since he didn't intend to stay more than a day or maybe two. If those plans changed, he'd contact one of the Dagger staff to care for him, though he hadn't had too much use for the hired help these days. Everything, even his car, was spotless. It seemed like he was already cleaning and organizing, more than he did any other type of work. There was an almost frantic, nervous energy constantly coursing through the young man as if holding still would kill him or something. If it wasn't for his smiling face and very even temperament, he would have seemed panicked. Given how long he'd been like this now, it was becoming his new normal. "If you want to lay back down, you can. I'll keep an eye on the time. Oh, and don't worry. I didn't cook any of the things in the basket. It's all bought fresh from that little cafe in the center of town. They weren't open yet, but since they were already in there baking they opened up for me. That was nice, wasn't it?" chattered his hyperactive lover, now standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. No amount of 'personal growth' could rid the inventor of his more awkward traits, such as not knowing what to do with himself.

    Actually, now that he was thinking about it, he was a bit cold. The forecast for the day was warm, but perhaps the green hoodie over a white teeshirt wasn't exactly enough to fight off the chill of sunless hours chilled by leftover winter. The ripped black jeans hung a little loose on his hips, and the holes at the knees showed the same pink flush that his fingers, ears, and nose currently had from the nippy air. It wasn't until he felt the warmth of Leon's rustic home that his body recognized it was cold and started to shiver... or maybe he'd just noticed it. He searched for some sort of blanket, which was actually the quilt he'd brought to sit on. Picking it back up, he unfolded it and wrapped it around himself.

    [wc: 529 || total: 2248]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 18th March 2021, 12:35 pm



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    "Sunrise?" Leon repeated, looking at Percy as if he was speaking another language. Well, he might as well have been, because the Percy he knew would never be out and about at this hour unless he was in the lab working on something, but Leon knew that neither of them even thought about going to work right now. Before now, he tried to take all of the small but alarming changes in Percy in stride, but it was like every day it was something new and strange that happened with him and made it difficult for Leon to not get concerned about it—especially now, with this whole... sunrise-and-picnics thing.

    As Percy stepped inside the warm cabin home, Leon wordlessly closed the door behind them as he tried to make sense of his boyfriend's sudden appearance. Percy chattered away like it wasn't four in the morning and seemed pretty determined to see the sunrise, even offering to wake Leon up just before it happened. Honestly, going back to sleep sounded pretty good right now, but between the nightmares and Percy's abrupt arrival, Leon knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly especially knowing that he was getting up in a few hours anyway. Part of him was a little irritated by it all.

    "Okay, but why do you wanna see the sunrise all of a sudden? That's not like you," Leon asked, his voice still low and groggy from slumber. After turning off the bathroom light, he walked around his home and grabbed two stoneware mugs, and turned on his coffee maker in the kitchen. Even though they complimented each other so well, Percy and Leon had very different tastes when it came to home decor. While Percy's home was simple and contemporary, Leon's was more rustic and cozy. All he was missing was an elk's head mounted on the wall and a rifle leaning against the doorway to make one think that this was a hunter's cabin, and Leon liked it that way.

    He tossed a couple of logs into the woodstove once he noticed how underdressed Percy was and reunited with him at his small but spacious table, placing a now-full mug in front of him and sat across.



    || Word Count: 371 || Thread WC: 2,619 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 18th March 2021, 3:00 pm

    "Isn't it? I just haven't seen one in a long time. I'm usually too wrapped up in work or asleep," Percy said dismissively, seating himself at the table and cocooning himself more properly in his quilt. He murmured thanks as Leon provided him with morning caffeine, something he hadn't taken the time for yet and, given his energy level, didn't need to function anymore. His chilly hands reached for the coffee-warmed mug and simply held it for warmth for several moments before he took a small sip. "I thought it'd be a nice memory. River Village isn't so cluttered that you can't watch it peek up over the misty mountains. The colors are...pretty," he said, his eyes shifting from his lover's face to the jumping flames in the woodstove, where they remained as if entranced. Leon's place wasn't his style, but he'd be lying if he said it hadn't grown on him. He was actually really fond of it. It had a homey warmth that his place had never had. It felt more like home than the main estate. How was it that everything Leon did, said, and touched was just bathed in this... comfort? It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. Percy was vaguely aware of the changes in his behavior, but he'd deluded himself into thinking it was just the reality of war shocking him out of bad behaviors, and all the rest was just because he'd never had anyone like Leon in his life before. That was actually a good point. "I've never had anyone to watch one with," he added, finally turning his eyes back to Leon with a smile. "I was really lonely before, remember?"

    Truthfully, he wasn't really sure why he'd wanted to see the sunrise all of the sudden. All the things he'd just said weren't lies, but they didn't explain why he thought of it this morning and couldn't shake it. It was just like every other impulse he'd had for the past few months. Why suddenly green wasn't as horrible as he remembered. Why he suddenly redecorated his home. Why he'd packed all the things he'd liked before away. Why work seemed like a chore and cleaning kept his mind from feeling cluttered. Why he'd suddenly wanted a pet. The impulses just kept coming, taking him out of his distant existence and into the world as if he suddenly desperately needed to fit into it somewhere. Maybe at the core of it all was Percy had always overthought and worried about things until he talked himself out of them. Now, he was just doing whatever came to mind with little to no thought at all.

    "If you don't want to go to the meadow with me, you don't have to. I can go on my own," Percy said suddenly, giving Leon an out. He hadn't considered whether Leon wanted to partake and he had no intentions of forcing him. However, 'i can go on my own' was an unintentional, extremely optimistic lie. It was highly likely he'd get completely lost trying to get to the spot he'd envisioned for this romantic idea.

    [wc: 521 || total: 3140]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 18th March 2021, 3:25 pm



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    "No, I'll go," Leon quickly replied after being offered an out, "I haven't seen one in a long time either."

    Like every instance where Percy would show some new and strange behavior, the more he probed Percy to explain why this was all happening, the more Leon began to second-guess his suspicions. On second thought, it wasn't really all the weird that someone would suddenly want to see something like a sunrise. Hardly anyone ever got up early enough to actually see it, so it would make sense that it'd be something you'd have to prepare for, right? On one hand, getting up before the crack of dawn sometimes just happened—Leon did that too every now and then, so it wasn't really that weird, right? And it's not like he hadn't noticed that green hoodie either. For someone who he knew disliked green, he owned a lot of green things.

    Although Leon was trying to make sense of it all, he still felt like something was wrong, but not wrong enough for him to confront Percy about it. After all, what was he supposed to say? Stop having such good habits? It sounded ridiculous, honestly, but Leon couldn't seem to get on board with whatever... this was.

    "But still, you came really early. Sunrise isn't for another, like... what? Three-ish hours? What are we supposed to do until then?" he asked, looking at Percy and sipping his black coffee. Part of him was hoping he'd want to cuddle a little in bed or something, but seeing how revved-up he was, it might've been wishful thinking.


    || Word Count: 265 || Thread WC: 3,405 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 19th March 2021, 1:08 am

    That was a good point. What were they supposed to do while it was still dark? Percy's easy-going smile shifted into a more perplexed and embarrassed expression. For someone who was usually always prepared if not overprepared, he was woefully under planning this whole sunrise thing, though the festival part would surely go more smoothly. Even though he was a bit too energetic, he wasn't in the mood to jog or anything like that. Taking a walk in the dark was probably not the best idea. He didn't know if River Village had any ghosts, and the mere thought of it made him uneasy, but not as terrified as he'd normally be. It seemed there was only one option, which wasn't a terrible one.

    "I guess we have no choice but to snuggle under your covers," Percy sighed as if disappointed, but it was put on. If there was anything Percy loved more than he used to love work, it was being cuddled, especially when he wasn't feeling well. And even though he wasn't necessarily feeling bad, his stomach was always cycling between gnawing hunger and intense nausea. After just the sip of coffee, he was plenty ready for some Leon snuggling. He'd already started losing weight, but it wasn't really enough to have to explain other than he was eating better and trimming some excess as if he'd had much excess to worry about. Percy knew that if the issue didn't correct itself soon, then he'd have a harder time hiding it. He didn't want to keep his distance from Leon, but... he may have no choice in the future.

    Standing up, he slipped off his shoes and moved toward Leon's bed to flop down, still wrapped in his quilt. After setting an alarm on his phone to about a half-hour before the sun should be peaking around the curve of the planet, he patted the mattress invitingly. There was something about being surrounded by Leon's scent that made his heart flutter as he smooshed his face into the pillow. If he hadn't been in the mental state he was in, he probably would have either fallen asleep with him or maybe hoped they'd mess around for the next three hours. But as he was, he was content to cuddle and watch Leon relax or just watch the flame reflect on the walls until it was time to go.

    [wc: 400 || total: 3805]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 19th March 2021, 1:43 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    Leon didn't say anything when Percy talked about snuggling together, just smirking tiredly at him instead. Part of him was really relieved that out of all of the changes Percy was making these days, his delight in physical affection hadn't changed. If he had gained some sudden aversion to Leon's hugs, cuddles, and kisses, the dark-haired Hoffman wasn't really sure if he could take it. He knew that he could be a really touchy man, but it was that physical touch that gave him the crutch he needed to cope with his nightmares. Without it, he wasn't sure how he'd feel—obviously not great.

    Neither of them had seemed to touch their coffees before making their way back to Leon's bed, thick with bedding and blankets. He followed closely behind his lover onto the sheets, lying down with his body pressed up and against him. His arms coiled around his quilt-padded chest and his legs seemed to wrap around Percy's, leaning over to sleepily layer his ear and cheek with early-morning kisses before plopping his head down back into his pillow. Although he was put off by Percy's sudden appearance, part of Leon didn't mind being disturbed so early in the morning if it meant he'd get to cuddle his boyfriend until dawn. That wasn't to say that he didn't already do that every time they spent the night together, but it would be a while before it ever grew old.

    "You're gonna overheat if you keep all of those layers'on..." Leon murmured, his words beginning to slur together as the weight of relaxation hit him the second his body collided with the mattress again. He nuzzled his mouth into the nape of Percy's neck, trying to kiss him again, though he just ended up talking into it with his eyes closed. As strange and wrong as these last couple of months had felt, this was one of the only things that continued to feel right—this weirdo in his arms like this. And before he knew it, Leon was completely knocked out again.

    . . . . . . . . .


    || Word Count: 342 || Thread WC: 4,147 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 19th March 2021, 2:25 am

    Of course, Leon's last words before Percy felt every single one of his muscles relax into sleep would be a nag. He smiled to himself, happy that the man could get a few more hours, even if that meant Percy would be left with the silence. One way or another, he would have been left to think in the quiet darkness of denied slumber, so at least he got to feel his lover's rhythmic breaths against his back. There were even a couple of times where he almost nodded off himself, comforted by the arms around him and the warmth of his quilt and the fire not too far away. Every time he did, though, he'd see a flash of red, and then his body would jar awake as if he'd had that really annoying falling dream that always woke everyone up. He used most of the time to wonder what the festival was going to look like, or imagine what their breakfast was going to taste like. He even scrolled through articles and various apps on his phone while he waited for the time to whittle down until, at last, his alarm went off.

    Immediately silencing the beeping, Percy excitedly wiggled out of Leon's loose grip and sat up. Turning, he very gently but rather insistently shook the man's shoulder. "Hey, Leon...it's time to wake up," he whispered initially, not wanting to scare the traumatized man out of what seemed like a peaceful sleep. Perhaps he should have just left him asleep, but he had said he wanted to go. "We should have just enough time to find a good spot to see the sunrise if you get up now," he said a little louder, hoping to speed up the process. Leon would still have to get dressed, after all. According to the map on his phone, the prime spot in the meadow should be near enough to reach, but he'd let his lover nap as long as he could. Shrugging out of the quilt and folding it, Percy crawled around until he reached the edge of the bed and got up. With one last pat on Leon's shoulder, he padded over to a window to peek out. "Oh, the sky is already starting to lighten. We better hurry!"

    [wc: 380 || total: 4528]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 20th March 2021, 12:40 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    When Leon crashed back down into those bedsheets, he knew that he would have to get up sooner rather than later for this whole sunrise-thing that Percy was on about, but he completely underestimated how raw his feelings could be in the morning. Apparently, the mild irritation from earlier was still lingering, and now having had his slumber disturbed for a second time, Leon was just completely annoyed now. He was already struggling to get enough sleep these days, and honestly, getting up to see the sunrise was the last thing he wanted to do right now just after he managed to get some more rest. He knew what he said earlier, but still!

    "Dude, stop," Leon tiredly but firmly snapped at him before whipping around on the bed and rolling onto his other side, visibly testy. It wasn't like Leon hadn't gotten up at dawn before—if he wasn't coping with these nightmares, this would've actually been around the time he got up every day—but everyone got at least a little irritated when they were woken up early. "Fucking hell, man..."

    There was that back-of-his-head feeling that told him that he had messed up, or at least got a little fiesty with his tone, but he didn't want to say anything again.


    || Word Count: 212 || Thread WC: 4,740 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 20th March 2021, 1:46 am

    There was a moment of silence as Percy stood in the middle of the floor staring at him, digesting the irritable snap. It stretched on, then there was a sniffle. It wasn't the dry, sharp inhale of someone readying an argument or some sort of retort. It was the wet kind that accompanied glossy eyes lined with tears. As he usually did when upset, he half turned so the side of his face that couldn't cry was the only one visible, while the other started leaking like nobody's business. The understandably testy reaction had crushed Percy's happy bounce. Perhaps more than it reasonably should, and definitely more than it normally would have. "But you said..." he quietly warbled, failing to keep the cry out of his throat. Reiterating that Leon had said he wanted to go earlier would be pointless now. Silence filled in the gap as he awkwardly considered what to do.

    Trying to be romantic was harder than he thought. It hadn't been the whole reason for this, since there hadn't been more than impulse initially, but after he thought about the whole thing, it really was like he was attempting a romantic date for his boyfriend. Maybe he'd gotten a little overly excited and confident that he was doing a good thing. The fresh bakery breakfast and jams, the quilt, watching a new day dawn in a private meadow, just the two of them. Making happy memories together to look back on, how could that be anything but good? But all he'd done is barge in embarrassingly early with a half-baked plan and made Leon angry. He was used to messing up social interactions and essentially getting his outstretched hand smacked away, but it hit way differently when it was someone he cared deeply for. Biting the inside of his lip to keep it from quivering, Percy turned with his quilt and hurried to put his shoes back on, then went for the door to grab the basket he'd come in with. "Sorry. Go back to sleep. I'll go on my own," he said in a low voice, devoid of its former liveliness. The two-toned man didn't hesitate one more second before slipping out of Leon's house, leaving it untouched as if he'd never been there other than the now-cold coffee at the table and his lover's ruined mood.

    In his rush out of the house, Percy dropped his car keys and cell phone that had been haphazardly stuck into his hoodie pocket and didn't notice. He made a beeline for his car, intending to hop in and drive home to forget the whole mess, but then he abruptly turned and jogged into the trees in what he thought was the direction of the meadow. It was at least in the direction of the brightening sky, which was good enough for him. He'd come to see a sunrise in the rural beauty, so that's what he was going to do, even if he had to do it alone. Then he'd just forget the festival and go home.

    As he walked through the thick forest, the solitude allowed him to work through the sadness from earlier. No one was around to hear, so his quiet sobs and sniffles would remain a secret between him and the birds just starting their morning songs. He should be used to this by now, yet it stung so strongly that it consumed all of his thoughts. Percy had zero sense of direction when he was paying attention. When he was distracted, he somehow paid even less attention to things the at might have kept him going in the right direction. This forest stretched seemingly endlessly in all directions with trees that didn't lose their leaves in the winter, so the sky, his only beacon, was blocked from view. By the time he realized he'd been walking a while and had yet to reach the clearing, all he could see were shadows and dim pinpoints of light from a sun not yet cresting but on its way. "Crap," he muttered to himself, then reached for his phone in hopes of using his trusty map app to point him in the right direction... but it was gone! After frantically searching all of his pockets for the device, fresh tears for a different reason brimmed and fell from his undamaged eye. He was lost!

    "...Crap!"

    [wc: 730 || total: 5470]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 21st March 2021, 1:01 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    Hearing the tremble in Percy's low and quiet voice made Leon's heart sink, even though he continued to lay there in bed. He was tired, but what he said definitely made Percy upset, though he couldn't tell for sure whether or not he was actually on the verge of tears from his sleepy point of view.

    "Percy..." Leon groaned as he rolled over to face him, but by that point, his lover was already halfway out of the door. He didn't sound nearly as excited about the sunrise now, and there really wasn't anyone other than Leon to blame. Regardless of whether or not he was right to have been so irritable, Leon couldn't just go back to sleep knowing that he had put Percy in a bad mood—let along on the verge of tears.

    Suddenly roused by the final thought, Leon whipped himself out of bed, grabbed a jacket that was dangling off the back of a chair, slipped on some cheap sandals, and followed after Percy out of this house. He was expecting to see his two-toned lover down the street or maybe even in his car if he was really keen on getting to the meadow as fast as possible, but was nowhere to be found. Leon pinched the corners of his eyes wearily as he pulled out his phone, tapping away until he pulled up Percy's number and called it. Maybe he was a little too upset to pick up, but it was worth a try... or so he thought until something unexpected happened.

    When Leon dialed Percy's phone number, not only did he not pick up, but the phone was ringing on the ground in front of him, along with his car keys. There was no mistake that this wasn't intentional, and wherever Percy was, there wasn't a reliable way to contact him. And with his sense of direction, it was bad news.

    "Shit, shit, shit..." Leon cursed under his breath, snatching the phone and keys off of the dirt path and into his pockets as he hurried to close the door behind him. Robin slipped out of the door before he could and just decided to tag along on this venture to find Percy.

    . . . . . .

    "Heeey! Percyyy! Percyyy!" Leon called out, his dark hair dangling over his face as he trudged through the forest. It was obvious that he cut through these thick woods in order to get to the meadow—it was the fastest way, after all. But there was no way that the split-haired man managed to get there by himself without losing his way, especially since this small forest was deceptively difficult to traverse through if you didn't know where you were going, and at some point, Leon began to lose track as well

    He continued to walk deeper into the forest, yelling into the dark green scenery in hopes that Percy would respond—but nothing happened. He and Robin ambled through the woods, though Leon was obviously way more panicked than she was, and sifting through his feelings of regret. He was always a man of his word, so he obviously should've gone, but he let his lingering anger get the better of him. Maybe he was being too hard on himself, but hearing the low tremble in his lover's voice crushed him a little, making him want to instantly make amends even if it was Percy who overreacted in his eyes.


    || Word Count: 575 || Thread WC: 6,045 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 21st March 2021, 5:04 am

    After realizing he was really and truly lost in a forest in an unfamiliar area, he started frantically running in random directions, which didn't help matters at all. He still never broke into a clearing, and he wasn't aware that he'd basically wandered in a circle. Everything was just going downhill, he wished he'd never come here, and now the stress had his stomach hurting so much that he had to stop walking to sit beneath a tree. He bent forward with his arms wrapped around his middle to try and soothe it, though it didn't work. Yes, it was stupid to want to see the sunrise. He knew that now. And it was even more stupid to get so upset by Leon's snapping at him that he ran into the forest, knowing full well that he had no sense of direction but still believing he could just follow the light. It had just hurt so badly to hear Leon's harsh words that he couldn't think clearly, and he'd already not been thinking super clearly since he woke up. What was wrong with him?

    It was quite a long time until Percy heard his name being called into the woods. It echoed confusingly, enough that he couldn't tell which way it was coming from. His good eye was a bit puffy and his cheek was splotchy from his panicked crying, and as much as he wanted to stay away from Leon right now, he also desperately didn't want to be lost anymore. He hated being lost. There weren't very many things that would put him in this much misery and terror. "Leon?" he called in a trembling voice, jumping to his feet and spinning around as he looked for the source. He used the back of his sleeve to wipe away the tears, even though the relief of being found almost caused a whole new wave of them. "Leon!" he called again, grabbing his basket and quilt and rushing off to try and locate the man belonging to the voice.

    It was still a few more minutes of wandering on both their parts, seeming to narrowly miss each other a couple of times before Percy caught sight of the dark-haired man about twenty feet to the left through a gap in all the trees. "Leon," he called once more, turning to make a beeline for his boyfriend and his dog. By the time he reached him, he was panting and watery-eyed once more, relieved and sorry and guilty and nearly sick. Even so, either because he was afraid Leon was still mad or because he was mad at Leon for snapping, Percy resisted throwing himself into the man's arms and instead stood a small distance from him, the basket held between them like a shield. Mismatched eyes lingered on him for a moment before they dropped to the ground. He was uncertain what to do. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, looking as if he wanted to shrink in on himself until he didn't exist anymore. What a disaster this had all been!

    [wc: 512 || total: 6557]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 21st March 2021, 6:56 pm



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    Finally, the two had reunited in what felt like the middle of nowhere, chests huffing and puffing and eyes glossed with guilt. It was obvious that the exchange from earlier didn't leave a good taste and either of their mouths, but regardless of how he felt about it, Leon was just relieved to have found him at all.

    At first, Leon didn't respond to Percy's low and quiet apology. After all, all he could notice was the small but ever-present distance between them. Was he still upset? Honestly, Leon couldn't tell whether he was apologizing for getting so emotional back there and leaving or getting lost in the first place, but after catching his breath and taking it all in for a moment, Leon sighed.

    "Man, how did you not notice your phone and keys fall out back there? I swear you're the smartest idiot I know," Leon rubbed the back of his neck with a small shake in his head before pausing, stopping to look at Percy with a remorseful look on his face, "...Me too. I'm sorry, too. Shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

    After his contrite apology, Leon quietly and casually took the liberty to reel Percy into a tight embrace by his arm, both arms wrapped around him as he gently rocked them side to side. Meanwhile, Robin was circling around the two lovers and relieving herself on trees, completely oblivious to their small quarrel. At some point, she eventually tried to wiggle in between their legs, to which Leon only peeked down and smiled before sighing again.

    "Are we cool?" he pulled his head away only to quickly peck Percy's wet cheek, hoping he'd respond well.


    || Word Count: 282 || Thread WC: 6,839 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 22nd March 2021, 1:04 am

    Percy had nothing to say to the comment about dropping his phone and keys. He only stared at the ground more intensely. He wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed, other than he was just too emotional to get out of his own head and hear them drop. Not having his phone had really been the kicker with being lost and had sent him spiraling, and even as he was pulled into Leon's embrace, he hadn't fully recovered from it. The sparkle he'd had when he arrived had disappeared into a vague gloom. His interest in the sunrise had completely vanished. Even now, it was hard to keep the lump out of his throat as sobs threatened to tear out of him, and he wasn't even sure if it was about Leon's reaction or the disappointment about the sunrise. It just seemed to have a life of its own, clawing at him from within like a beast too big for its cage growing more agitated simply by remaining restrained. It was as if there was a dam inside of him was holding back dark, raging waters, but it had started to crack under the pressure and was leaking through his right eye. Percy had no idea why he felt so intensely upset, but he was pretty sure it wasn't the ruined morning.

    After a moment's hesitation, he dropped his head into Leon's shoulder and returned the hug with his unoccupied arm, fingers knotting into the man's jacket. He used this opportunity to breathe a bit like he had when his arm had been broken. Deep breaths, in and out, waiting for whatever this feeling was to pass. It was nice to get Leon's sandalwood scent with each inhale. He could focus on that. After a few moments of the gentle swaying, the tense muscles in his shoulders and neck relaxed and he sighed. His mind slapped some duct tape on those cracks in the dam and everything was better. He managed a smile down at Robin as well when she crammed her way between their legs in an attempt to be involved in whatever affection was happening, then he turned his face up toward Leon. Though the tears had finally stopped, his cheek was still damp when the dark-haired man kissed his cheek and asked if they were ok. "Yeah, we're cool," Percy replied, releasing the man to fish for his phone in this pockets. With his prosthetic sense of direction back in his hand, he located Leon's house on the map and now knew which way it was back. With his basket and quilt held in the crook of his stronger arm and his phone in that hand, he gently pinched the hem of Leon's jacked in his other hand as if he'd disappear. "Let's go back. We can sleep more," Percy added, ready to get out of the forest and forget the early hour mess.

    [wc: 486 || total: 7325]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 22nd March 2021, 11:15 pm



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    When Percy reached out and grabbed the hem of his jacket, Leon smiled at him with a sort of softness in his eyes. It was kind of nice to see that amidst all of the changes Percy was making lately, some of his quirks stayed the same. Still, when Leon pressed his lips against his cheek just now, he couldn't help but notice the wetness. It could've just been his body playing tricks on him since he was still recovering from that early-morning grogginess, but what if it wasn't? He knew that he was being kind of irritable earlier, but was that really all it took to make Percy cry? Leon wasn't sure what to make of it or whether or not he should be concerned, but he was wary nonetheless.

    "We can, but as you can see," he kept one arm wrapped around Percy's shoulder, pausing so he could gesture his outfit—or lack thereof, "I'm already pretty awake. Still wanna find someplace to set up and we can eat?"

    Although Leon didn't have much interest in getting up so early before, he did now. There was no way he could go back to sleep after all of this, and the morning air was perfectly crisp to sit down and eat whatever Percy said he packed in that basket of his. Sure, he was completely underdressed for the cool weather, but those concerns lived in the shadow of his desire to just relax with Percy this morning. His therapist had told him to take it easy and to stay away from stress, and doing anything with his split-haired lover seemed to ease him. That, and... well... he still felt pretty guilty.


    || Word Count: 281 || Thread WC: 7,606 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 23rd March 2021, 1:37 pm

    Percy took a moment to decide, rather on the fence about whether he wanted to forget the whole thing or try to salvage what he could of it. After shifting his weight back and forth between his legs in a rhythmic, contemplative motion, his thumb tapped around on his screen to bring the meadow he'd intended to run to into view. Getting lost had thrown him way off course. It was embarrassing to see how far in the wrong direction he'd gone, but it still wasn't too far of a walk as long as they kept going the right way. He carefully turned his body beneath Leon's arm until his phone was pointing in the right direction, and only then did he seem to give into Leon's suggestion. "Yeah, we can," he said passively, leading Leon in the correct direction now. The shadowy woods were a lot less scary when he knew where he was going.

    After a decent but comparatively short walk, Percy found the gentle meadow he sought. He wasn't sure what had cleared it out this way, but the tall grasses made it seem like they were walking on cushions. Wildflowers were already blooming, and as it sloped gently downward, it kissed one of the eponymous babbling rivers which would provide the rhythm for the waking bird songs. On the other side of the river was more thick forest, crowned in a hazy pink and orange glow as the sun made its way up. Slipping from under Leon's arm, Percy laid out the quilt on the lush leafy rug and plopped down, putting the basket toward the front of the blanket. What he brought out were the most delicious-looking baked goods like muffins, bagels, croissants, scones, coffee cakes, and biscuits. Then out came some homemade jams, cream cheese, cured meats, and bacon. Lastly, thermoses of orange juice and coffee emerged with two cups, and the breakfast feast was complete. He looked over at Leon and smiled, seeming back to his 'normal' self. However, as hungry as he'd been earlier for the offerings in his basket, now he only grabbed half a bagel with a little butter on it, which he picked at as he watched the sky.

    "It's pretty," he said quietly, a little sad they'd missed the beginning of it, but it was still rewarding to see the colors and the sun as it poked up above the treeline. If he'd been an artist he might have captured a picture on his phone to paint later, but that wasn't Percy's thing. He could only enjoy something for what it was in the moment. He turned to look at Leon. "There's a festival in town today," he told him, deciding that surprises weren't the way to go today. It was probably best to plan it out and get Leon's opinion before he tried any more things. "Do you want to go?"

    [wc: 484 || total: 8090]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 25th March 2021, 12:06 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    Leon was a little relieved to hear that Percy wanted to go despite their upsetting start to the day, but he really wasn't expecting all of this. He remembered what Percy said earlier today about the stuff he bought for their picnic, but it was one of those things where it didn't sound as incredible talking about it as actually seeing it unfold. Watching Percy prepare the spread of pastries and breakfast-items, Leon was glad that he changed his mind about coming here—it would've been such a waste.

    Leon first sunk his teeth into a few thick strips of bacon and a coffee cake he picked but hadn't touched yet, watching as the daytime colors slowly filled the sky from the meadow horizon. It was a nice view for sure, but he spent most of his time glimpsing at Percy. He seemed fine now, is what it looked like. It felt like he was just one mild inconvenience away from sobbing if he wasn't crying on the way here, and yet he seemed perfectly fine now. It wasn't like Leon hadn't hurt his feelings before, but this just felt... a little different, is all.

    Honestly, he wasn't sure whether he was just being overly suspicious of his boyfriend's behavior because of all of the other small but noticeable changes he had been making lately or if maybe Leon's words just hit a little differently today, but everything just felt one hair away from being off. Leon really wanted to talk about it. He wanted to talk about whatever was on their minds while the morning dew was still on the green blades of grass when the sun was still finding its place in the sky. His therapist had told him to take it easy and to relax, and honestly, seeing the sunrise like this—or part of it—Leon had never felt so relaxed, and yet he wasn't nearly as at peace as he wanted to be. Between the trauma he had to work through and Percy... it was beginning to feel like a race in whichever could put him more on edge while he was awake. He'd talk about it today!

    ...Or so he thought!

    "Festival?" Leon repeated, a little surprised to have been invited out like this. The moment he opened his mouth, Percy would, of course, say something a little out of character as he now had a tendency to do. It wasn't like the two of them never went out and did things together, but it just felt like it was Leon who was doing the inviting and all. Needless to say, bringing up Percy's weird behavior again was out of the picture right now. "When—er—when is it? I didn't think you kept up with stuff like this."


    || Word Count: 460 || Thread WC: 8550 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 25th March 2021, 3:06 am

    Leon seemed pleased with the contents of the basket, which further polished his dimmed mood back to nearly sparkling. Not enough for him to enjoy much of the spread himself yet, but as long as the buttered bagel soothed his irritated stomach, maybe he could try a biscuit with some tart jam. He really was a fan of tart and sour things. "It's starting around noon and lasting until dark. I saw a flyer last time I was here. You said everyone here was really nice and all, so maybe spending time at their local festival would be fun?" Leon's boyfriend explained.

    With the shift from night to day happening rapidly, the banishment of darkness seemed to quiet the tumultuous waters viciously battering against the hastily patched emotional dam. With a deep sigh, one of contentment and almost relief, the frenetic energy he'd been brimming with since he arrived disappeared and brought back the very even-tempered man he'd been since they returned from the war. His tense, coiled posture he'd held on his folded legs relaxed into a more reclined position. In fact, he flopped entirely over onto his side, his legs vaguely bent and his arm elevating his head. He was angled toward Leon, offering him the perfect view of both his lover's chiseled jawline and the orange juice sky.

    "It said something about music, crafts, games, and local treats. I think I even saw something about dancing to celebrate the beginning of spring being a long-running tradition here. It might be some sort of demonstration, but I kinda hope they open it up for everyone to dance in the evening. I like dancing," Percy said casually as if it was some sort of well-known fact that the otherwise artless Dagger liked and was quite good at moving his feet to a beat. It was quite possible that only his brother and the very few of his brother's friends who had paid attention knew this about him, but it didn't occur to him at the moment. Percy just knew it'd been a long time since he'd flexed that muscle, and if Leon was up for it, today seemed like the perfect time to do so. No one knew him here. He could bask in the privacy of a small town and let loose. "So...are you interested, Leon? It's okay to say no," he added, once more giving him an out. Leon had been the one dealing with the most, after all. If he didn't feel up to it, Percy would understand. He might go alone, though. It was another one of those itches he felt like he needed to scratch, much like the sudden idea to see the sunrise.

    [wc: 448 || total: 9000]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 26th March 2021, 12:50 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    "Yeah, sounds good." Leon almost instantly complied, not giving the whole thing much thought. A lot had happened since the moment they took that plane to Bellum, and even after all the hugs, kisses, and mischief in between, there was still this hole in Leon's stomach that always consumed him each night. Percy's support kept him from breaking down all the time, but it was like holding someone back from peeking over the railing—safe but not safe enough to keep a good conscience if you let go.

    Later That Day

    The morning was both stressful and relaxing all at once, so Leon insisted that they wait a few hours after the festival started before they got ready to go, and honestly, he was glad that he came. Seeing all of the lights, the smiles, and the glee that filled the streets made him realize how much he wanted to go to that festival in Bellum during their service. Whether it was because of that hole in his stomach or a newfound joy for festivals, Leon felt comforted by the cheerful ambiance of it all.

    As usual, the two of them seemed to do most of the activities that seemed to cross their path as they aimlessly ambled through the festival. River Village was small enough for the entire event to take up such a large chunk of the village, so it seemed as if they could be walking on and on and they'd never find a point where they'd have to stop and turn around. However, there was a point where Leon had to stop and find a restroom between it all since all of the festivities could easily distract him from his most basic needs. A few minutes passed, and after weaving through chunks of people, his marigold eyes caught sight of his split-haired boyfriend amongst the crowd.

    "Hey, I'm back," Leon announced himself as he approached him, hands tucked into his loosely-fit hoodie as he faced Percy, black hair dangling in front of his steely features. It had been quite a long time since he last cut it. "I saw the whole dancing thing on my way to the bathroom, by the way. Looks like anyone can join in, but there'll be a competition in about... like ten minutes? You wanted to watch, right?"

    Leon remembered what Percy earlier today about dancing, but somehow he just assumed that he meant that he liked to watch people dance, not dance himself. Imagining someone as awkward and bashful as Percy dancing was really quite the sight to behold in Leon's mind, and every single time Leon thought about it, he'd end up thinking about what happened during the Christmas season last year and how this guy just froze up during the karaoke bit. Really, the only way they got out of that catastrophe was only because Leon—while not being a singer—had a pleasant singing voice. From that day forth, the dark-haired Hoffman just assumed that things of that nature were just not in his lover's DNA.


    || Word Count: 506 || Thread WC: 9506 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 26th March 2021, 10:53 pm

    Leon would apparently receive more surprises this day, whether Percy meant to give them or not. As his lover returned to him with news of the dancing, the shorter man's face lit up with interest. The whole festival had been surprisingly well done and entertaining so far, which he hadn't been expecting since it wasn't in a city or large town, but it was arguably better planned than those in Rose Garden or Era. In fact, maybe it was the laid-back atmosphere coupled with passionate locals who actually cared that made it something special. The couple had been having a lighthearted blast so far, and maybe it was that high combined with Percy's changes in personality that urged him to do something unexpected with little fear.

    Normally he shied away from crowds as much as he could, with the exception of business meetings for Dagger Corp. And even with those, it was because he couldn't get out of it, so he just accepted it and made the best of it. However, knowing he only had ten minutes to sign up, his strawberry vanilla head turned and he rushed off into the crowd in the indicated direction. "Get a seat!" he called back as he jogged out of sight without much more explanation. This whole 'living life in the moment' way of life was certainly changing things up.

    He arrived just in time to put his name in the ring for the competition, then he was faced with coming up with a routine. Thankfully he still remembered one from his days in dancing class which had always been a crowd-pleaser at parties. Practicing it a little out of sight reinforced his muscle memory for it, so he was secure he could do a decent job. The other competitors were diverse enough that he would have a little direct competition from the younger contenders, but allow the more traditional dances from the older locals and the contemporary crowd. It was a contest to be sure, and while he was normally very competitive, today he was just doing it for fun. Because he liked to dance.

    While he could do many other styles of dance, Wallard had made sure of that, Percy opted for the more athletic, street styles like hip-hop and breaking. His music choices were largely lyricless and had the perfect bass and percussion for him to keep rhythm. When it was his turn, he walked out onto the makeshift stage, looking as awkward as he normally did just existing with his head empty.

    But then the music started.

    Percy burst into action with dynamic, precision-controlled movements. It was as if his body was one of his finely tuned machines from the lab. He did exciting flips and twirls, some complicated pop and lock, then some more intricate movements that seemed like an integration of ballroom or swing before he dropped into some breaking and handstands. It was masterfully done and obviously inspired by his martial arts training, but it was also oddly emotive for the normally restrained man. Percy was more the type to have bursts of emotion when his cup overflowed, but this felt like he was speaking a language that conveyed his thoughts and feelings way more clearly than his words ever could. Too bad he didn't speak it more often.

    The crowd seemed receptive of his display, but he hardly seemed to notice. His routine was short and sweet, and once he was done, an out-of-breath Percy bowed his thanks for the crowd with a grin, then walked off stage to join Leon in the stands to watch the rest of the contenders. "How'd I do?" he asked as he plopped down, still a little sweaty and winded, but seeming vibrant as ever.

    [wc: 626 || total: 10132]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 27th March 2021, 1:28 am



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    When Leon mentioned the dancing competition, he wasn't really expecting such an eager response from his boyfriend. Without explanation, Percy ran off and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Leon with the simple task of finding a seat. Either he had to use the bathroom all of a sudden or he really wanted to see those dancers. In either case, the split-haired man was gone before Leon could say anything.

    When he arrived at the part of the festival for the event, Leon did as he was told and found two spaces towards the front of the row—one for him and one for Percy. Problem was, Percy never showed up. A few minutes passed and there was no sign of him despite the event starting soon, and Leon was beginning to worry. It was easy for people with a normal sense of direction to get lost at places like these, so he couldn't imagine how problematic it'd be if Percy ended up lost. If anything, he didn't want a repeat of this morning. So before it could happen, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, looking through his contacts so he could call Percy as he glanced around for his familiar face. But just as his thumb hovered over his contact, that's when Leon saw him step out onto the stage... as a participant.

    "...Percy?" Leon almost gawked, nearly dropping his phone as he stared wide-eyed at the stage. He almost couldn't believe that it was Percy standing there, and he could hardly comprehend what he did afterward.

    When the music started, so did Percy as his body turned and twisted in lively spurts of artistic expression. Every movement was masterful but fun, controlled yet natural, and seemed to excite the crowd just as much as it obviously excited Percy. As for Leon, he almost forgot to breathe. Never had he ever expected something like this from him, but he couldn't complain either. It felt as if his heart skipped a beat, or maybe several beats as he watched his lover absolutely dominate that stage as far as he was concerned. He didn't know what sort of face he was making right now, but he could feel his cheeks light up a bit more than usual as he witnessed the Dagger. The performance was actually a lot more short-lived than expected, and Percy was soon finding himself bowing to the obviously-pleased crowd and making his way back over to the still wide-eyed Leon, who stared at him as if he were standing there naked.

    "...Holy shit, dude," Leon managed to mumble, way too captivated with his lover to pay attention to the other contenders on stage. The things he was feeling now were similar to how he felt when he first met Percy and learned of his scientific talents, and how he'd feel even now when he would talk about his inventions—or used to. Now that he thought about it, this was all probably part of this... weird phase Percy was likely going through, and it was a shame since Leon couldn't have been more enamored with the sudden realization that his boyfriend could not only dance, but dance well. "Since when could you dance like that?! How come you never told me? You were amazing, man! I mean, the way you... you like... you know?!"

    Leon was usually a pretty collected person with occasional bursts of passion, and this just seemed to be one of those occasions. He was absolutely fawning over Percy with a look of unsullied love in his eyes, swindled of his usually steely and stoic demeanor with a captivation like no other. His cheeks tinted pink and his eyes wide, he leaned in closer to Percy with each compliment as he essentially fanboyed over his performance. If there was anyone who was on the frontlines of inflating what little ego Percy had, it was Leon.


    || Word Count: 652 || Thread WC: 10,784 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 27th March 2021, 2:21 am

    The expression on Leon's face as he approached was surprising but amusing. Now that he thought about it, this was probably quite the surprise. They'd never been in a situation for him to have displayed this skill, and maybe it did seem random. He'd always been good at the physical aspect of the art, but it had taken a lot of tutoring by Wallard to get to where he was today. It had felt really nice to flex that muscle after so long, even if it was in a rather uncharacteristically showy way. It was as if everyday post war brought him more into the shoes of who he could have and should have been. Someone more like Artemis. "What's with the face--" he started to say but was interrupted by Leon's exclamation. His brows raised and he looked a little stunned.

    As usual, the compliments and ego-boosting embarrassed him, but in the best way possible. The man at his side knew just want to say to make him feel good, just as much as he knew just the right way to tick him off. He took everything his boyfriend said to heart. Enamored as always with the rare glimpses of Leon's passion, the dark-haired man's tinted cheeks were contagious, spreading across Percy's as well and even over his ears, but he didn't shy away. Instead, he wrinkled his nose but still smiled. "I think you're exaggerating," he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. Even if he didn't know how to accept such praise, the glowing softness in his eyes reflected his lover's amorous gaze. It was probably clear to anyone watching them that the two were crazy about each other.

    "It just never really came up. We weren't anywhere where there was dancing, you know?" he responded sheepishly, meeting that wide-eyed gaze of his with his own awkward one. There was a glimmer of cockiness lurking beneath the embarrassment, a ghost of the Percy that appeared in training, spars, and boxing matches. Maybe in a different life, he could have been just as comfortable on a stage expressing himself as he was dodging and punching. The lurking, pleased cockiness seemed to manifest in a less annoying way than usual, though. "Will you reward me?" he asked his fanboy in a quietly flirty tone, his smirk suggestive. He leaned a little closer, wordlessly asking for what he wanted as usual. A kiss would be a nice reward. That and... "I can show you some moves later," he said, this time sounding unintentionally suggestive, which he seemed to realize too late. Not that it was wrong, but he figured, after it hung there for a moment, that maybe he should clarify that he wanted to normal dance, not the other more X-rated kind. "There's a block party dance after this. We could dance together," he said quickly, but then seemed to reconsider the more perverted connotation from seconds earlier and smiled mischievously. "And then... maybe tonight...too." Even this more lively, seize the day Percy was struggling to get accustomed to flirting or romantically teasing his lover, but he was certainly trying when it seemed right. Trying was what was important. He'd get the hang of it someday, much like he'd got the hang of dancing. Practice, practice.

    [wc: 547 || total: 11331]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Leon Hoffman
    Leon Hoffman

    Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Posts : 271
    Guild : Guildless
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 259,635

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Leon Hoffman 27th March 2021, 6:37 pm



    Fine China 59LBSTE

    Will it be easy? No; Worth it? Absolutely



    When Percy leaned in and asked for his reward, Leon responded by smoothly leaning forward as well, but lingered for a moment before he actually gave Percy a kiss so he could let him finish his thought. At first, it was hard to tell whether Percy was trying to flirt with him or just stringing him along, but it seemed like both of them were on the same page by the end of it all. It was nice to know that despite all of these new and surprising things that were coming up since Percy came back from war, that he still really sucked at flirting.

    "Maybe?" Leon quietly repeated as if it were a joke, finally leaning into a short but passionate kiss. Although the arousing thought was certainly something he was looking forward to, it almost lived in the shadow of his awe for Percy's skillful dancing he was experiencing right now. After all, how could he not be blown away by that artistic display? Even though Leon's lips weren't smiling as he pulled away from the kiss, his cheeks and eyes seemed to glow bright enough to match any toothy grin. His metal fingers eagerly crept up to Percy's hand, slowly intertwining with his as he averted his gaze for a moment. This was all amazing and all, but the idea of dancing himself seemed alien to Leon. Honestly, he couldn't even imagine it—though the embarrassment was already vividly portrayed in his mind. "I'm telling you right now that I'm only capable of doing like... a waltz, or something. When I was younger, we all had to learn how to dance, and I was awful. No way I can move like you, man."

    Despite how unpleasant memories of his home were, Leon stared at the remaining dancers with an amused look on his face. It was true, after all. He had two left feet and just settled with a basic understanding of waltzing and then abandoned the idea of dancing altogether. He never thought that the possibility of dancing would come up again, much less between him and his boyfriend.


    || Word Count: 353 || Thread WC: 11,684 || WC Needed xxx || Job Approval ||
    Notes: ???
    @Percy



    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Gwydion
    Gwydion

    Alt Account- Quality Badge Level 1- Quality Badge Level 2- Quality Badge Level 3- Limited Edition- Buddy Buddy- Taskmaster- Halloween job event participant - Character Application Approved!- Complete Your First Job!- Player 
    Lineage : Truth
    Position : None
    Faction : The Luminous Covenant
    Posts : 374
    Cosmic Coins : 0
    Dungeon Tokens : 0
    Experience : 336,993

    Fine China Empty Re: Fine China

    Post by Gwydion 28th March 2021, 8:36 pm

    Percy was pleased with his kiss and idly brushed his thumb against the thumb of the metal hand he held, despite knowing that Leon couldn't feel it. The tech enthusiast was actually rather intrigued with experiencing his own invention in this way. It was one of those weird things he'd never considered--why would he?-- that he'd be giving one of his projects to someone close enough to him to touch in this way. The circumstances were still the most awful thing he could remember and something they both still struggled with, but Leon slowly using the appendage in his daily life was enough to make him feel better about it. There for a while, he'd thought he really messed up. The human element to these types of procedures was something the clinically minded Dagger had a tendency to overlook.

    Snorting at Leon's almost shyness about dancing, he waved it off with his free hand. As his eyes turned toward the remaining dancers with interest, he tried to put his handsome cheerleader at ease. "I don't expect you to move like me. A waltz is fine. We can waltz, then. That's where I started too," he said with an easy smile, though there was a deviousness that really wanted to see just how bad Leon was out of morbid curiosity. Imagining it was....cute. "Anyway, most dancing in social settings is grinding and swaying. It's not meant to look good, just feel good, right? Or, if you want, I can teach you a couple of easy things. I don't really care as long as I can dance with you." Percy was being surprisingly candid for once, despite being unable to flirt or ask for a kiss just moments before. Perhaps it was because he looked at dancing, though it could be intimate, as less affectionate? He still had a lot to learn about giving and receiving affection, but his desire to dance with his boyfriend fell outside of that category. On the off chance Leon refused to dance, he still planned to dance by himself for at least a little while. It'd felt nice to do it again.

    In the end, Percy didn't win the competition. He got a respectable third place and a nice red ribbon brought to him and pinned to his green hoodie, making him look even more Christmassy than he already did. He didn't mind, nor was he a sore loser about it. Normally he might have been a bit miffed, but he hadn't felt properly competitive in a while. He was just happy to have watched all the interesting dances and that they'd allowed him to participate.

    Just as they'd watched the sun come up hours ago, it was starting to sink below the treeline on the opposite side. Decorative paper lanterns with paper mache flowers started to light up, as did the crisscrossed strung lights over the walkways. Behind where the seats and stage were set for the contest, everything had been cleared out for people to gather and dance. The music consisted of more contemporary music common in clubs, inviting the younger crowd to participate with something familiar and easy to bob to. Percy stood, eyeballing the flashing lights that accompanied the music. "So, what do you say? Wanna dance until the fireworks start?"

    [wc: 549 || total: 12233]


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


      Current date/time is 28th March 2024, 3:26 pm