142A Lynxstride Lane

Log Info

• Title: 142A Lynxstride Lane
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Venom
• Place: Lower Markets, A Private Abode
• Time: December 5th, 2021
• Summary: After a number of adventures, a couple manage to have their schedules line up so that they could have some respite in the condominium they had acquired none too long ago. The living space is nearly vacant, and has less than the bare necessities. But, it's theirs, and that's what matters. They speak of a number of things in their barren home, the elf's new adventuring attire, about their past, Aryia's unearthed memories, as well as Venom's previous injuries. The mute's chronic headaches start to come back up, and the two settle in for a housewarnming meal.

Lower Markets. A Private Abode. Nighttime.

It was a perfect place for a soul or two to live without being disturbed. A small condominium on a off street from the heart of the lower markets. Recently, a couple had leased out one of the abodes, shook hands, and keys were handed over. It was an inoffensive spot, next to an alleyway right as one steps out, with a window that peers into a small dining area that oversees the road. Curtains were drawn over it though, blocking any from peering within.

And within, was barely anything at all, save for some packing crates with their lids removed.

Slipping in from the alleyway and keying the lock in her grey hood and masked face was woman with glowing eyes, her sliding inside without a word, holding the door open for the person following behind them.

An empty living room greeted them. Two bed rooms beyond that with the doors open. One held two sleeping bags shoved together, the other held their equipment. No tables to set their things, no couch to rest on. Just open floor, and a few lone candles scattered about for light.

The cloaked elf sighs tiredly.

Violet's steps are customarily light as she comes in behind Aryia, with a soft, "Thank you."

The dark eyes sweep the corners as is her way, and her arms encircle her lover's waist as the door is closed.

"Are you alright, North Star?" she inquires in a whisper as she rests a cheek against the Mul'niessa's hair. <sildanyari>

Aryia leans into the embrace, relaxing as her eyes slide shut. "I'm well, Night Blossom," she quietly murmurs back in her barely there whisper. She brings a hand up to pull down her mask, and doff her cloak. Both were tossed aside onto the floor.

She gets up on tip toes, and scarred lips seek out unblemished ones for a moment of respite. "That last thing was... ugh, too much excitement." She gently puts a bag on the floor that her cloak had been hiding. "I take it this place has been... okay so far?" In terms of privacy, she doesn't add. <Sildanyari>

The human's arms snug up a little, as she kisses Aryia's hair before relaxing to draw back and look into her face, "It was... wierd." she concedes with a shrug.

Her hand lifts to stroke a cheek, then, "It serves. Do you like it?"

A momentary pause, and a quizzical look into her eyes, and, "Are you sure you're alright? You seem.... tired." <Sildanyari>

Aryia smiles more easily at the peck at her pate, the mute resting her face in the crook of the human's neck to rest for a few beats of a heart. Her nestling into the hand alighting aginst her cheek. "It serves doesn't tell me if you like it not," she teases softly. "Yes. I like it. It's... easy to manage. And quiet."

The question is answered in a roundabout manner. "... it's been a long while since I've had my own place. And the place I had was... way too big," she chuckles quietly. "I am... hale. But tired, yes. There has been a decent bit on my mind as of late." <Sildanyari>

Venom rocks her gently, trying something she picked up in Sloe and Stedi, another Crimson Pen gem the human's gotten her little digits on.

"It's a place to rest, where we can be together, I... like that...?" she returns with mild uncertainty.

She nods as Aryia notes her formerly expansive residence and, in silence, she starts to sign, "The Metal had us in old ruins, carved out of a cave. It was big, too." <handspeech>

Looks like the Crimson Pen actually pulled through this time, the elf in V's arms relaxes further, her breathing going soft as her eyes flutter half shut. "... I like that too," she intones. "And it's ours, so we do whatever we wish to it." <Sildanyari>

She pulls away from the rocking some to be able to see the motioning hands. She nods in understanding. "I've been in places like those before. Mining caves. I didn't like how stale the air was. I don't think The Metal let you keep a mul around though," she gestures with a wink.

She steps out of the hold, and walks into the open living room. Her gaze swings from the bare kitchen with a simple range and counters, to the rooms beyond in the room she's in. She inhales, then exhales, four softly glowing milky orbs of light manifesting in the air to provide better lighting for the human. Though... there wasn't much to trip on in the first place.

The mute runs a hand along a wall, her motioning with the other as she goes. "Paintings and decor, wall papers, end tables and chairs every few dozen feet," she continues, stopping in the middle of the room to face V from the ways away. The mute sighs, folding her hands in front of her for a moment. "More of my past I remember. And more I learn I was someone I would despise. That has been what is on my mind, Blossom." <Handspeech>

"I don't think this was a mining cave. The equipment was all wrong." Violet signs before stroking back along Aryia's cheek to that happy spot behind her ear. <handspeech>

She smiles down into her eyes, her own glittering, "I love you." she intones softly, because she hasn't said it since they got in. <Kulthian>

With Aryia lighting the venue and stepping forward, the human cocks her head, arching an eyebrow. Then, she frowns and steps forward, reaching out to take her hands in her own, "Do you want to talk about it...?"

Aryia gives a nod in understanding. "Yes, wrong equipment for certain." <Handspeech>

The words make a smile spread across her lips, and her shimmering eyes soften. "...I love you too..." she whispers quietly as she's near.<Kulthian>

The query makes her look aside, her intertwining her fingers with her lover's. There's a moment to think about it, but she couldn't say no to those dark pools looking on with concern. "... Zilstrae of House Aeldius," she murmurs. An inhale, and a slow breath out to continue speaking in that subwhispered manner. "I was a priestess of Taara and Maugrim, and my house specialized in conducting marriages in the name of their Union."

She's quiet. Then, "... have I been unusually cruel, as of late? Or... anything odd?" she asks, brows pinched. "I swear I keep finding myself doing things and saying things I don't normally do..."

Violet's grip relents when Aryia withdraws to speak and she nods, taking in the name, and.... expanding understanding of who Aryia used to be.

THe odd question prompts a little shake of her head, "Negative." <Kulthian>

Switching tacks, she continues, "I... know you wanted to kill that Charnathi." she says with a rueful smile, "Information gathering is... what I was built for so... I... sometimes fall back to that... I wouldn't have... if you wanted to, I mean..." <sildanyari>

Aryia sighs softly, and matches the tongue. "You're fine, Blossom. Glad I didn't, wasn't my fight. It was that oruch's. But I did feel his anger and frustration to let it out against his captor."

She shakes her head. "If I ever say or do something out of character of me, please let me know. I don't... catch it very often. Feels like the old me is gnawing at the back of my head from time to time..."

A small huff, then a light smile, shining eyes looking back up to Venom properly. "Speaking of characters, how are you liking Violet? I..." her face tinges red. "... very happy you got to meet everyone. Well, again, but you know what I mean." <Sildanyari>

Venom nods with a little awkward smile, then reaches up for her cheek, "I'll do my best, my love. You are sometimes angry, like, with that guard." There is a little shrug, and she goes on, "I sometimes have... reactions like that to certain things." <sildanyari>

Ral-sara creating Cesran, for example.

"I... expect, as you remember older responses, they might not integrate properly with your current mindstate." <Kulthian>

As for the rest?

A blush and she fidgets slightly, "I... didn't expect to run into so many people who know us at once. I wasn't sure I could respond to so many things in a new mode without response overlap."

Aryia tilts her head into the hand, her smiling some from the gesture. Her hands rise to rest loosely around the other's waist. "Thank you. Sometimes that anger is... from a different me. Not Zilstrae, from when I was a thing." She pats the human's side. "I know you do. I try to catch what I can when it comes up."

The mute rubs her neck. "They integrate a bit too well. I don't even notice their implementation when it occurs." <Kulthian>

The elf turns her head slightly to give the hand on her cheek a small peck. "You did fine. If you end up blurting out a name or something odd, you can just say I told you about." She pauses, then steps closer into V, her subtle tones softening. "... I did really like being close to you while with everyone."

Venom nods, then leans in to kiss the Mul'niessa's forehead, "It may be due to the familiarity of the protocols." <Kulthian>

She draws back, looking into her eyes again and goes on, tracing that little circle upon her cheek with her thumb, "You've had a lot of things to be angry about during that time, my love. It... may take time."

More time than the human has under ideal circumstances, "To work them out, but I trust you." <sildanyari>

The brunette blushes as the last and smiles demurely, "It was nice... if a little tense. I've never tested a new mode with so many familiar people at once."

Torch-bright eyes half lid at the touch, the mute enjoying the simple intimacy. She nods faintly. "I know I do. And it may be a long, long while before that anger fades..." <Sildanyari>

She silently chuckles, shown in her shaking of her shoulders. "And you did so well. I think the only person that picked up on it was Seyardu due to her nose. But, she knows already, so I still consider it all a win."

She takes a moment to simply look over the human, a hand reaching up to cup a cheek, slide down a neck, across an arm and a side, down to a leg. It pauses there. "... how's your leg? And... your stomach? I... didn't get to ask since then," she inquires, a hint worried.

Venom sighs, "I was concerned about that. I've run into people as Venessa before, and wasn't sure how well I could hide my scent."

There is a little shrug, then, "I'll work on it."

She sighs and leans contentedly into the cradling of her cheek, brief as it is, though the caress working down her body prompts some subtle(and less subtle) shifts of her posture before it stops.

She shrugs a little bit, "Seyardu tended to primary damage, but... the rest will mend with time, I suppose."

She sidelongs to a spot on the floor as her hand lifts to absently touch her midriff, "I.... wasn't much use against the demon thing...."

Aryia shrugs. "Could talk to Vaera. She seems like she'd know how to do something about that," the elf mentions, unable to hide the flicker of a smirk that crosses her lips.

"I'm glad it will heal okay." Though, at that, the mul'neissa covers V's hand with her own over the damage spot in question. Her expression softens. "It's okay. You were there, and that helped me a lot. Gave me the strength to wrangle that bitch out of the air, tie her up, in the air, and drop her to the ground. Tran was... something not even I couldn't handle. And I didn't know you had shown up, else I would have warned you how dangerous he is. Thankfully, that was dealt with."

A moment to pause, then a soft, proud smile. "... you're getting better, V. I saw it today..." she croons.

Venom blushes some more, though she does look curiously at Aryia, the expression not one she quite understands, but she files it away for later in case there are more, it may be easier to address all at once.

The human nods, then, "I should have kept to range with him." she concedes, though she seems mollified by the compliment of her work during their more recent outing, "I.... thank you. You were great out there. I was surprised you buried your leg in that thing, when my bullet bounced off the smaller one."

Aryia can't help but slightly grin. "Well... I *did* have my girlfriend there. I had to give it my all. Even though it was... kind of gross. But don't think I didn't see you decimate that invisible thing. You're getting so much better."

She rubs her neck. "Ah the... bullet thing. Yes, I noticed that too. They weren't taking my punches well. Except for- well. I figured out how to hit something so hard it doesn't matter what keeps it safe."

The elf shakes her head, then smile again once more. "Even though it's a bit scary some times, I do like working with you. I- oh! I made something for next time!" she beams.

Reading the grin as a positive given the parameters Aryia sets forward, Venom nods and smiles a little more easily in turn, "That's a useful skill. I should look into that at some point."

She smiles a little more, sobers some and holds up a finger.

She sticks it into the side of her mouth, fishing around for a moment, slipping a peculiar cotton wad out from behind her lips, then repeats for the other side.

It's a subtle effect, one almost forgotten about, but her cheeks lose just a bit of plumpness, leaving them more in line with Venessa's, er, Venom's Acanian features, though her other makeup tricks are still in play.

Cradling the rather wet articles in her hands, she blushes under her artfully applied freckles, then, "Sorry, I... wanted to do something, and those make it feel wrong when we do."

Ahem, "What did you make?"

Aryia winks. "I could show you. But be warned, I punched a *lot* of brick walls to figure it out."

Some poor abandoned alleyway wall was more than likely knocked down in the Warehouse District to figure that one out. One. Or five.

The mute tilts her head to the side, then her brows raise as the effect reveals itself. Huh. Clever. Though she wanted to do "-something?" Aryia echoes, but then she grins and she too holds up a finger.

Scooping up her doffed attired and skipping off into the room that holds all their belongings in crates, the door closes shut. Some rustling of clothes comes from beyond the room. And a minute later, the pugilist remerges

Stepping out of the room is figure that almost threatens to pulls the shadows off the wall and manifest from them. Clad in head to toe in black clothes, a cascading weave of ebon strips of leather cover from torso to legs, leaving arms free. The grey cloak from before breaks up the singular shade, and a more integrated and fashioned black mask covers the mouth and nose. Ears were tucked into a hood, and the only thing that belied the identity was that of a pair of torch-bright eyes.

Such eyes squint slightly from a smile under the mask.

Some sacrifices for the greater good are unavoidable.

The walls will probably be fixed....

Eventually.

Venom's features take a curious cast as Aryia repeats her halting gesture.

She nods once, and watches the Mul'niessa retreat to their equipment storage, waiting patiently for her to finished.

By the time the leather clad figure emerges, V has squeezed most of the moisture out of her little pads.

Her head cants at the image Aryia presents, before she flashes an eye closing smile her way, "Very nice!" she remarks, stepping toward the masked apparition for a closer inspection.

Aryia makes a small noise of satisfaction as she gets V's approval. She folds her hands behind her back and tilts forward, making a soft "Heee" behind the mask. Most of what was on the attire was mostly for concealing identity. But, a small inspection of the cloth and leather weaves would reveal a faint, interwoven metal. Good for ensuring it wouldn't tear, as well as for all sorts of sliding around and diving the mul typically does when she's in her element. "Thanks!" she says with a motion and a thumbs up. "It's not like someone inspired me or anything~" <Handspeech>

Venom continues to close on light footfalls, her eyes roaming over the engineered fabric as her hands busy themselves with divestment of the gloves. She folds and tucks them into behind the sash at her waist, and reaches out to trail a finger along the material along Aryia's bicep. She blinks slightly and cants her head, expression quizzical before she pinches the material between thumb and forefinger, feeling the way it rubs against itself in her grip.

"Interesting. Metal reinforcement. Alchemically infused alloy wire?" she breathes conspiratorially, a certain awed pride underlying her expression.

Each question precedes subsets that she tacks on in half murmured speculation, "Noble or common base?" <Kulthian>

As her hands roam to gently caress different textures along her love's new seeming, Aryia makes her remark, giving Violet pause. There is a blush along the span of her artfully applied freckles and she smiles awkwardly, "I'mm glad I could inspire you, my love." she coos doftly.

With hands framing her small waist as she gazes into the moonlights, "Does it breathe well?" <sildanyari>

The mute nods at Violet's observation, but she scratches her head at the last bit, and shrugs. She didn't know the difference. It was just metal to her.

The corners of her eyes crinkle again in a smile as the human flushes from the comment. And now she was held in place, looking up at the pale woman. A gloved hand reaches up, tugging the mask down to reveal her face fully. She nods, and does some motions to further explain. "Yes, really well! But, uh, it gets a bit cold, so I need to figure out some way to keep the heat in when its cold like it is outside."

She grins. "I'm glad you like it!" Signing hands end up over the ones on her waist.<Handspeech>

She glances back to the equipment room, and steps closer to whisper quietly, "Going to need to get that room outfitted though to make things like this. And your weapons. And to train." Though, she snorts. "But, perhaps an actual bed first, no?" <Kulthian>

That's easy, "Layers." Violet suggests with a wink.

THen, she sighs and leans in to kiss her forehead, then, more seriously, "Magic can take do the job, but there are ways to counter it, which sends you back to the schematics." She idly drums her fingers along the swell of her hips for one sequence, then, "I primarily rely on physical layers as it gets colder, though there is a point where I need to alter my outermost equipment. It brings other issues; weight distribution, water absorbtion, flexibility, response time. Minor, admittedly, for the most part, but can be a serious problem if the situation changes suddenly."

The floral Acanian gets a thoughtul cast to her expression as she regards their lodgings, surveying it corner to corner, then, "We can plan your work space out, first, I have enough practice working in the field that the requirements of my workflow are probably more flexible." <Kulthian>

Aryia takes the suggestion with a playful huff, her tilting her head back and shaking it to make the hood fall backwards. Her ears pop out with a little flick. She sighs silently. "Yes, layers would be good, but anything more than the basics would mess me up. You know how I move. Something I'll have to figure out in the future." Her hips also idly sway as they're made into makeshift percussion.

She snerks. "I just need a table for my things. And a heavy punching bag. Though, despite your experience on the field and me being used to sleeping on the floor, I was spoiled by... um. You're very cuddly." She clears her throat, glancing off to the side. <Kulthian>

Venom giggles a little as her little friends perk out of their shroud to either side of Aryia's features and she nods in concession to the Mul'niessa's perfectly salient points without dimming her expression.

"I did... like not sleeping on the floor, and... feeling you against me." her own hips shift camber as her weight goes to the other foot and she clears her throat, "Is it too cuddly?" she wonders sheepishly. <Kulthian>

She's been a little too... extra in the past...

Best to make sure of their pacing.

A warm smile crests Aryia's lips at that soft laugh. Though, her face grows a bit crimson. As if to answer the worried question, the mute steps in to be against the other. "I wondered the same, as I know I tend to be as well. I... enjoy that feeling greatly. And were it not for needing to eat, I daresay our friends might wonder where we have run off to, despite being tucked firmly in bed," she smiles warmly. "In short, no. I enjoy it far too much." <Sildanyari>

She gets up on her tip toes for a brief kiss. Though, such a tender moment is faintly waylaid by a twitch of pain on her features. She rolls her neck, and rubs at the side of her head before shaking it slowly.

Venom returns the kiss tenderly, moving into position as she feels the subtle tension in Aryia's hips as she flexes up to her tiptoes, humming a happy note, smiling demurely in the aftermath.

It sobers some as she notes the discomfort in her love, and a hand lifts to alight on a cheek, "Are you alright....?" comes the silent inquiry from the other. <handspeech>

Aryia tries to smile back, but again, it's contorted by a smarting of some sort. She rests her cheek against the hand like so many times before, and she sighs softly. "Head hurts... I..." a glance to her feet, then, back up to the dark pools. "I asked Verna to help me again. I remembered more. And... that's made me remember more, and more, and... so much so that I'm remembered random bits and pieces of months at a time. And my head hurts. Some days its really bad, others, it isn't." <Handspeech>

Not good.

The brunette nods faintly, concern in the corners of her eyes before she strokes back along that cheek and asks, "Should I put my cheeks back in and talk to the landlady about some warm water for a compress?"

Her fingertip breezes momentarily out along the upper border of the perky flicky ear, then back to lightly touch the soothing spot behind it, but only to make contact, to guage reaction.

She isn't 100 sure it wouldn't complicate matters, but the silent offer is there, to go along with the more audible, "Maybe some broth?"

Aryia shakes her head. "We needn't ask her, the place at least comes with a range," she motions slowly, thumbing over her shoulder towards the kitchen. It was bare, yes. But it still had *some* basic functions.

Said perky flicky ear does its perky flicky business out of habit. And the spot makes Aryia tense slightly, then sigh in relief as she pushes her head against the finger.

Reacion='yes please do that'.

The mute quietly chuckles, and speaks soft. "Broth sounds... good. Heh. First meal here, huh? Can drag a box over to be a table... sit on the floor to eat..."

She nestles her head into a shoulder. Her subwhispered voice softening to faint winds. "Remembered what I asked of you? If I've done anything odd? It's that." <Sildanyari>

There's a thoughtful consideration in Violet's eyes as Aryia answers her queries, the earflick bringing a subtle, if brief relief to her eyes.

The flinch compromises that for the next, before Aryia's inverse nuzzle against her flingers assures her of what she must do.

"I can acquire materials." she offers softly, her fingers gently stroking that little nerve cluster. <Kulthian>

Aryia's suggestions about the dinner furnishings prompts a quiet, "It would be a familiar setup."

A few silent strokes later, she incrementally increases the pressure but not the pace, andsighs softly, "No incidents to report, unless they've occurred during shutdown." <Kulthian>

Aryia is a bit of a limp noodle at the current moment in time to speak with hand or hissing, her wrapping her arms loosely around her lover's waist and sighing contently. It was a fleeting relief, but it was relief nonetheless.

"Acknowledged. I have some crackers in my bag that we can have with it."

She cracks a glowing eye open, looking up at V. "Familiar? How so?" <Kulthian>

Venom holds her dear gently as she applies her ministrations to that little spot, though the question forces her to trust her to manages her own support for the moment.

By the part of her lips, she was likely about to start to verbally respond when Aryia looked up toward her.

Instead, as vocalization is no longer necessarily, as seems her wont in certain matters, her free hand flicks, "We ate meals from equipment or debris." <handspeech>

A look of understanding goes across Aryia's face, her getting her footing once more as the topic shifts, giving her full attention once more. 'Ah', she mouths. Her own hand gestures back, "I see. Broth and crackers too?" she tries to lightly joke, trying to ease into the subject. <Handspeech>

The brunette smiles a little winsomely, perhaps an unexpected nostalgia, a flicker of reminiscence of the matched set she had been forged with. A unit that would essentially avenge and liberate, if ultimately abandon, her from the Metal.

It passes shortly, and the broken blade strokes the pleasant spot beneath the ivory silk, "When available." she answers.

There was a passing thought if she would ever get to meet the other unit. Either face to face, or in some sort of memorial if they had truly passed on. Though, she knew, she'd help V if that time came to pass.

Aryia sighs in relief once more, able to take the steady breaths in and out once more from the offered respite. She smiles lightly from the answer, then gestures towards the kitchen. "Should we get started on that? Then rest?" she asks in that whisper. Looking forward to laying down. But less so since they'd have to be on the floor with their sleeping bags.

Yeah... she's going to need to hit up Vaera soon.

Not knowing the thoughts of her North Star, Venom continues to massage that spot for her, hoping it helps mitigate her discomfiture until a proper resoution can be found.

She is somewhat heartened by Aryia's response, and she nods, "I can start it, honey, if you'd like to get comfortable?"

Considering the Mul'niessa's comfort over her own, she glances briefly toward their equipment room and one of the corners that offers less sound.

Both sleeping bags and some creative positioning...

That might work...

Aryia's visage dusts a crimson in the low lighting of their new abode. "I can get comfortable. Drag a box over to our room and we can eat there."

She gives the embrace a gentle squeeze before giving a peck on the cheek and pulling away. The headache returned, were the twinge on her face anything to go by. But she kept a front up for it well. Before she goes, she does whisper in passing. "We haven't enough wood for the hearth, so I expect many cuddles to stay warm."

A torch-bright eye winks playfully, and she slips off for eating arrangements. And to change into something more slouchy.

Violet's eyes aren't quite good enough to pull the subtle hue adjustment in her lover's face in what light is available, and, oblivious to the effect her phrasing had on Aryia, is offering a smile as she leans in to meet the peck on the way in, crooning, "I love you." <Sildanyari>

The notation about the hearth prompts a glance that way and she purses her lips in thought.

Thermal regulation will be a concern. Happily, the solution is likely a welcome one, and it mmay have benefits toward that troubling other issue as well, at least as an analgesic.

The rest of her remark gets her a little rosey.

THere is a little quirk of her lips, and a soft, "Compliance." before she turns to see to her prep work for the start of their housewarming meal. <kulthian>

Further darkening of her facial features through crimson is lost to the sparse lighting from the softly crooned words. Though, wishing to return it, a hand outlines in a moonlit hue, fingers twisting to flash a, "I love you too," in the dim light before they vanish into the equipment room.

The first night together in this place. Their place. An idle thought that spawned from her errant memories would wonder what her parents would think of this arrangement. Yet it was quickly dashed away. As there was tender moments to look forward to.

Despite the slowly building headache, she couldn't help but smile to herself. <Handspeech>

-End Scene-