𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ

⠀⠀ 𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑐 𝒗𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑳𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡ℎ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

ᅠᅠᅠ
𝑝𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋-𝔥𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗋𝗒, 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥-𝔡𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘬 ;
𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 .ᐟ
𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆 . . .
𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝑐𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝑦𝗈𝗎 𝖛𝖆𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊 𝔬͟𝔫͟𝔠͟𝔢.
ᅠᅠᅠ

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

well sure, why not throw that in as well

[𝓢𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝑪͟𝑹͟𝑬͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑼͟𝑹͟𝑬 .ᐟ @EXlTIABILIS]

its word play

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

oh you’re saying ‘come in’? I wasn’t hearing the pause

[𝓢𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝑪͟𝑹͟𝑬͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑼͟𝑹͟𝑬 .ᐟ @EXlTIABILIS]

@LILITHIIAN

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

—— gaze shifts to a balcony level, spotting a Lily by a table just before she disappears again. He hums and shifts his hands to hold her in a dancing pose, eyebrow arched in

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

He doesn’t flinch and he doesn’t falter. He keeps watching her, something soft and affectionate settled in the lines of his face. He is so familiar and yet so unlike himself, all at once. A version she has never met before, and a version that probably has never really ——

[JEHAN | MARI @SidereusIgnis]

His words relaxed her— if only a little bit.

A flash of indignation shot through her soon after at his insistence that she was safe. She... *knew that. To a point. Surely he could understand her hesitation. Had lived in her head long enough to know.

It didn't stop her

+

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

—— existed… or at least not for a long time.

“Whatever you wish. It’s yours to explore.”

He snorts at her, glancing up at the ceiling and offering a shake of his head in answer. “I doubt I’d be of use.“

Hardly a moment later, music begins to softly fill the room. Val’s ——-

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

—— ballroom floor, still holding her. He is a tactile thing. He always watches her reactions more than he follows her gaze. “My own. Though credit should be extended to some… perhaps talented… members of the coven.”

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

“No time limit. You can’t draw attention beyond these walls… or rather, these grounds.”

He just grins at her, then fakes a confused look, as if to ask what the problem is. There’s a flash of wanting to do it again, but he refrains.

“It would be her choice. Not yours or ——

[JEHAN | MARI @SidereusIgnis]

" Mmhm. Do I have a time limit for how long I'm allowed to be here? So I don't draw attention or anythi— Val! "

She cut herself off by digging her nails— sharp and yet neatly manicured— into his shirt. If she was going down, she was going to take him with her.

Marinne

+

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

—— analysing every inch of the estate.

“Marinne. You are safe here.” It’s said in an impatient drawl, even if well intended. “If it will soothe you, you can dream of walking this place tonight. You will know it like your own home when you wake up.”

He sets her down on the ——

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

@SidereusIgnis —— so. He does not then linger beside them, though his pace isn’t rushed either.

“Goodbye Jehan. We’ll see each other soon.”

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

@SidereusIgnis —— sensation of guilt in the belly and in the chest has reached his own form for the first time in centuries… he shouldn’t soften just because of that. “I wish she had not ruined you.”

He is not abrupt in getting up from the table, but there isn’t a moment of hesitation to do——

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

@SidereusIgnis —— his hand and shakes his head. “Enough. I do not wish to feel your effort anymore. If I wanted to know, I understand how to release the information. I don’t know if that would do more harm than good, and I for one refuse to do any of the sort without your permission.”

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

@SidereusIgnis —— that. I think, should she have any understanding of what I’m doing… and she asked you to find a way to give her something - be that access or information - you would do it. What I don’t understand is whether that is your choice or one she has chosen for you.”

He waves ——

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

—— scenes. The chandelier is just as grand, decorated with what appears to be to be rubies along side the glass pendants.

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

“Mmm, it seems so. I’m happy to answer them, but you don’t need to ask them all at once. We have plenty of time.”

He grins at her, lowering one arm to just hold her with one. He waits a moment and then drops her just a little, only to immediately catch her again.

“Drop you? ——

[JEHAN | MARI @SidereusIgnis]

She hopes he keeps that tactic and skill for the rest of his life. As long as it keeps him alive, that's all she cares about.

" Between the two of us, you must answer at least a thousand questions a day. "

Mari had just enough wherewithal to bite back another. It was

+

[𝓐𝑩͟𝑶͟𝑴͟𝑰͟𝑵͟𝑨͟𝑻͟𝑰͟𝑶͟𝑵͟ .ᐟ @LILITHIIAN]

—— perfectly maintained gardens. Somewhere in line with the foyer, but deeper into the house, he pushes through some double doors and into a large ballroom. Mosaic tiles flooring, grand windows with sweeping curtains, and a painted ceiling with gothic and slightly disturbing ——