crescentview | autumn catch-all

autumn catch-all

WHO: Aether and you!
WHAT: Open prompts
WHEN: Throughout autumn
WHERE: Various
WARNINGS: None for now

A. Arco Lunar
[The date with Steinbeck aside, Aether is curious to explore Arco Lunar on his own. You may see him looking at the sea while leaning against the railing, trying out different dishes in the buffet and peeking inside the spa or massage studio.

It's really rare for him to be surrounded by such luxury. He's just a traveler, after all and the best he can usually get is a comfy, but modest room in an inn... or his current home.]

B. The Dulces Sueños Resort
[Obviously, Aether wouldn't be himself if he wasn't curious about the resort. Perhaps you are the one who invited him to go, perhaps the two of you just bumped into each other and now venture into the resort together.

If you use the open bath together with Aether you will pick up that beneath the optimistic demeanour, there's actually a lot of lingering loneliness and exhaustion.

If the two of you end up spending the night in the same room, you will see one of Aether's memories. Was it a good one of fun festivals? Or was a sad memory of something lost?]

C. Chocolates
[Perhaps you are minding your own business, when suddenly someone hugs you. A sheepish voice quickly says:]

Sorry! I didn't really mean that...

[The traveler laughs softly, if not a bit awkwardly and pulls away. The chocolates he received seem to cause the person who has eaten them to want to hug others. Aether wasn't aware of that, of course, so he tried one in the morning and its effect seems to linger for the time being. It's a bit awkward, but he doesn't mind too much.

He may be giving some away depending if you're fine with such an effect or not. Or maybe he'll just decide that you need all the hugs you can get and will gift you one without an explanation.]

D. Wildcard
[If you'd like your own starter, a completely different prompt, etc feel free to contact me at discord Ashka#4609 or plurk (spiritualwhisper)! Or just go for it. Also if you'd like to do something from his bingo that's also fine! :D ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[His breath catches in his throat, unsure how to react to such a soft, gentle treatment. He knows that Vanitas is just giving him the same kind of affection that Aether had given him earlier and yet...

It feels surreal somehow, to be lying here with him, close, feeling Vanitas' warmth, having a soft kiss planted on his forehead. Aether's heart beats faster in his chest, but at the same time the hollow hole in his heart doesn't seem to bother him so much anymore.

There's something very comforting in Vanitas.]

[ He'd be shocked if Aether said any of that. The thought that he could be someone's source of comfort seems so false that he wouldn't be able to comprehend it. Even so, though, he pulls back and looks down as his hand gently finds Aether's. If Aether will allow it, he'll thread his fingers in between the other's, for the first time since any of this started.

He's not sure why he feels the need to hold Aether's hand in such a personal way, but it feels like the right thing to do. Funny, that. He's been trying to do right by him since their first date. It's a first for him. ]

[He takes a slow, deep breath, realizing how unused he is to this kind of treatment, when the only person who's ever held his hand like this was his sister.

But again, he doesn't pull away. He doesn't want to. Vanitas has been nothing but gentle with him and he's soaking in his warmth like a sponge. He would've thought that he's so starved of affection? Aether wants to laugh at himself, but again, he makes no sound. He doesn't move either.

Relaxing against Vanitas, he wishes to just fall asleep and not think about anything anymore.]

[ Luckily for Aether, Vani will be the first to fall asleep, with how relaxed he is. His eyes flutter shut and he keeps his hand in Aether's throughout the night.

Aether may have an unusual dream, though. It's one of a young, feverish boy lying in bed, recounting his family history. His mother died giving birth to him, and his father died in a...vampire attack? How peculiar.

It's all his fault, though, he insists. His arms are covered in bandages and his eyes are welled up with tears. He shouldn't have been born. And despite how a voice from beside him says he's a kind child, he vehemently denies it, and cries himself to sleep.

...What a strange dream. ]

[A strange dream indeed, one that makes Aether incredibly sad. Meanwhile, Vanitas will see an even stranger dream of Aether and his sister finding each other, yet parting ways much to Aether's dismay.

It's obvious from this that the traveler is much more than just a human. That there are many secrets to him.

In the real world, Aether awakes, eyes wide open, before he frowns to himself. He doesn't know what to make of what he's just seen, but his hand squeezes his roommate's as if trying to comfort him.]

[ Vanitas wakes up not long after Aether does, in the middle of the night. His eyes shoot open, and he stares at Aether, trying to process what he'd just seen. A blonde girl with features that mirrored his roommate's. Something about an Abyss...500 years...Aether's voice, ringing in his ears.

There's no way that was...

..He shakes his head. He's going to hope that was all just a strange dream, and that he'd woken Aether up because of it. ]

Go back to sleep. Don't mind me.

[He can see that something is wrong, that Vanitas must have seen something in his dreams as well. Aether gives him an concerned look, moving their joined hands closer to his own chest, cradling Vanitas' close to provide some sort of reassurance.]

I... I had a strange dream.

[His voice is quiet, but in the silence of the night it's enough.]

I saw a young boy who was lying in bed. He looked sick and had his hands bandaged. He was recounting the tragedy that had befallen his parents... and he cried.

[Aether's own eyes don't even hide the sadness. He's witnessed many memories before, so in a way he can guess that what he's seen is something from Vanitas' past.]

Edited 2023-02-08 11:32 (UTC)

[ Vanitas definitely has at least one hand he keeps bandaged at all times, and given that both he and the young boy share similar features, that is most certainly Vanitas' memory that Aether saw. His expression gives it away, too.

It's not a pleasant one.

He's silent as his eyes widen. His hand starts shaking. There's no doubt about it now, he'd seen Aether's memory, which means..

...

I don't think Aether's in any danger.

Noé's words ring in Vanitas' head. He remembers attacking Noé that night, out for his blood, and it was only his genuine care and affection for Noé that kept him from ending the other man's life. It was a choice that startled him, but one he doesn't regret. Now, though, when he's faced with Aether –

the instinctual voice inside him tells him to destroy him. Attack him while he's vulnerable. Vanitas can do it. He can end this, end his feelings once and for all... ]

[ ...but he can't. He remembers how he felt after he attacked Noé, and as much as the monster inside him wants to tear Aether apart, the better part of Vanitas is fighting to quell it.

He knows he can't do it. He can't hurt the boy he's fallen hopelessly in love with over the past few weeks. And Aether can see how Vanitas feels, with how high his affection meter is.

But he can't stay here. He doesn't trust himself. Vanitas pries his hand free from Aether's grip, lets out a shaky breath that's akin to a whimper, and storms off into the restroom. He shuts the door behind him. ]

[He can see all the emotions that go through Vanitas and he knows that he's seen something he shouldn't have. Aether's eyes widen and he wants to hold the other's hand more tightly, but his roommate pries it free and runs away.]

Vanitas!

[Worry and panic overflow him, but Aether doesn't just sit there. Before thinking it through, he rushes after Vanitas and tries to open the door to meet him.]

Please... please, talk to me. I know I saw something you don't want me to know, but please... you can trust me.

[What should he do if Vanitas won't open the door? If he could only call for Noé and ask him for help...!]

Don't come in here!

[ He's frantic when he says it, and his fingers are pushed through his hair. He's an absolute mess and while this does, indeed, involve trust issues, there's more to it than just that. He's breathing heavily and panic is racing through him, making his mind go blank.

Kill him. Those words echo in his head, and he has to sit on his hands to keep himself from doing anything rash. There's a thud as Vanitas places his forehead against the closed door, facing Aether, who's standing on the other side of it. ]

Don't...don't open it. Please. I won't ask anything else of you, ever again.

[ His voice is shaky, almost like he's ready to collapse. ]

[Maybe it's only a coincidence, maybe it's Aether sensing something, but the traveler also sits down and places his forehead against the door. His eyes close.]

I won't open it... But you have to promise you'll come back to me.

[Please, don't run away.

He feels helpless, worried, but he wants to believe in Vanitas.]

...

[ He doesn't say anything, but Aether can probably hear his breaths from behind the door. They're heavy, after all.

After several long moments, the door handle jiggles, and he lightly pushes the door open. His head is down, one hand covering his face. ]

...Sorry. I'm – I'm sorry, Aether.

[When the door open, Aether stands up and wants to wrap his arms around Vanitas, but stops himself. His arms hang open as if allowing the other to chose.]

Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong.

[He hopes he can reassure his roommate.]

[ Aether won't have to do anything. Despite how distraught Vanitas looks, he moves his hand and steps forward to put his forehead on Aether's shoulder. ]

...I caught a glimpse of yours, too. Your sister, and something about an Abyss.

[ He breathes out, shakily. ]

That's why you feel alone.

[His arms wrap around Vanitas almost instantly and he presses him close to himself, as if wanting to protect him from something.

The other's words cause Aether to freeze, though. His shoulders tense.]

The Abyss... is what took my sister away from me. [He confesses slowly, unsure which memory exactly Vanitas has seen. Was it the one in the Chasm where everyone talked about their fears?]

...I'm not quite sure how it happened, because she was kidnapped by a god before my eyes. Then... the next thing I know it's this... this thing called "the Abyss" that seems to have taken her.

[ In response, Vanitas raises his hand and rests it on Aether's forearm. He's quiet. So this is what Aether meant by being kidnapped? ]

She said that she wouldn't stop until the Abyss reclaimed their throne. I was under the impression the two of you are on opposing sides of whatever's happening in your world. And yet...all you want to do is return home with her.

Edited 2023-02-09 17:25 (UTC)

[A small gasp escapes him and Aether freezes completely.]

You... you've seen her and me talking...?

[It was that moment, wasn't it? Aether doesn't know what to say, how to react. So he stays in one place, frantically trying to come up with something to say.]

For a brief moment, yes.

[ The way Aether reacts reminds him of his own reaction earlier, just severely toned down. He's not afraid if Aether wants to harm him; what actually scares him is the thought that he may be able to fill the loneliness in the Traveler's heart. It's a thought that feels futile, like it couldn't be true, because it's easier to be rejected than it is to be accepted, but regardless...

He pulls back and looks at Aether seriously. ]

You're lonely, Aether. I felt it in the bath. You've been so focused on helping me, but I've realized that you've tried to conceal this since the beginning.

[ He leans forward and puts his arms around the other, finally. He won't say he understands out loud, but he does.

And, once again, he hears Noé's words echo in his head: ]

Stop using all of your concern on me, will you? People want to know your true self. Don't deny them that privilege.

[ He says, like he's not part of that group himself. ]

Edited 2023-02-10 01:21 (UTC)

[He tries to avoid Vanitas' eyes, shoulders still tensed. It's not that he doesn't want people to know him, it's not that he wishes to be alone.

He just has no other choice.]

I am a traveler. I don't belong anywhere. I can be a friend, I can help... but eventually I will leave and never come back.

[He takes a deep breath, hand moving up to touch his own heart.]

It's better like this.

[His voice grows quieter.]

There's no need for anyone to worry. When they think about me, I want them to remember the good moments and then tell themselves that I'm away on another journey... just like always. And there should be nothing else to it.

[He doesn't want to cause pain or heartache. He's fine if he's nothing more but a fond memory, never known fully by anyone and yet remembered with a smile.

...Asking for more would be so utterly selfish.]

[ Aether's words hit him harder than he expected. That's not what he really wants to believe, is it? After everything here – what Vanitas felt in the bath – there's no way that didn't mean something. ]

Don't be ridiculous.

[ If he sounds annoyed, hurt – sorry, Aether. He is. ]

There's no way you're leaving this place while only leaving such a shallow impression upon people. Do you not realize that people already look at you as someone more than just a simple traveler?

[ His frown deepens. ]

Unless you're telling me that this is how you truly feel about – [ Me, he almost says. ] about those you've encountered here, that they'd [ I'd ] be able to forget about you so easily, at this point. Even if you tried to separate yourself now, you can't erase the impact you've left on other people.

[ ... ]

You want to get your sister back, right.

[ Another pause, then: ]

You're not going to do that alone.

I...

[He takes another deep breath.]

I don't want to be forgotten. I truly am glad if I can change something in someone's life... but my journey won't end.

[So it's better. It's just better if they don't know where he came from and where he's going.]

...If you know too much about me, if we... are more than just friends and then I'll leave... it will hurt, won't it?

[He's aware how deep his feelings have gotten. It's more than just caring about Vanitas. If it was something so simple, Aether wouldn't be so happy to be so close, to feel his lips upon his own.

...And he knows that Vanitas likes him, too.]

[ He's grumpy again, but he's at least not raising his voice, just getting huffy. Aether's finally addressing the elephant in the room, and it makes him embarrassed, and color rises to his cheeks. It's a nice change of mood, at least. ]

That's why I'm saying you – you aren't going to look for your sister alone.

[ Ugh. This is so embarrassing, but – ]

I've got things I need to do back at home, but the passage of time flows differently with different places. I've figured that much out since I arrived here after not noticing Noé'd been gone for months. So, if that's – if that's the same thing here, I want to...

[ His arms tighten around Aether, even if he can't look him in the eye. ]

I want to help you. As long as I can go back home and do what I need to do eventually, I can spare some time to help you find your sister.

[ ... ]

If that's not going to work, though, I don't care if it hurts. Okay? For all we know, maybe it'll be the other way around. Doesn't mean I'm going to regret anything that's happened here with you.

[Aether stays silent for a moment, but a smile blooms on his face. It's a very sad, lonely smile.]

You're so kind... truly.

[Aether doesn't deserve him.]

...But my journey won't end when I'll find my sister. It will only end... when the two of us finally find a place to call home. Somewhere where we would be accepted.

[It's a long, long journey. Far longer than anything Vanitas imagines.]

I... don't even know if I can take you with me.

[ The way Aether's smile looks makes him think that he'd feel all of that loneliness again, if they were in the bath. He understands, if only because he's so lonely himself, but that's for an entirely different reason. That's because he chooses to do this. It's easier to keep people away so they won't get hurt like they always do.

With Aether, though, it's different. Vanitas's frown deepens into something that's not frustrated, hurt, but...sad? Idly, he thinks that he should accept what Aether's saying, because he can't save everyone, and he's come to realize that long ago. But he can't bring himself to do that. Aether is clearly suffering more than he realizes, and... ]

...

[ He's not the type for sweet words, but quietly, Vanitas grabs Aether's hand and places it over his chest. ]

You've...always belonged here.

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spoilers! 1/2

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