middaeg | Aguril Catch-All Prompts (open and closed)

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Aguril Catch-All Prompts (open and closed)

Who: Soren and the Aefengang (that's you guys....)
When: Anytime in Aguril
Where: your heart's desire.... or wherever the prompt designates
What: Open and closed prompts for events and quests and whatever strikes our mutual fancies. Prompts are in the comments.
Warnings: Minor blood. Mimes. Will add warnings as/if they come.

If you would like to plot a custom starter for your character, feel free to hit me up at

wingything or my CR plotting meme comment! I absolutely love tailoring threads for just one character. Feel free to create your own starter in the comments below if there is something different you have in mind (wildcard option??).

➤ Red-String Strung Along. Soren and some poor shmuck (your character) discover that they are ~destined to be~ via the red string spell that went haywire. Original prompt can be found here.

➤ Match Made. Two prompt flavors: help Soren try to find mates for difficult customers, or get paired up with him for a complimentary date instead and see if you can get him to say yes. Quest page can be referenced here under the part-timer quest titled Match Made.

➤ Forget-Me-Nots. Two prompt flavors: Soren experiences pleasant memories while picking flowers, and then there's the option where one of those flower-loving foxes bites him, causing him to accidentally poke himself on the toxic thorns. Quest page can be referenced here.

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[ Boo, he keeps taking his arm back. That's no way to be escorted! She'll live with it for now, though, since he's not being too grumpy about everything else. She taps her chin thoughtfully, considering. ]

There's a very nice, cozy place I know of down by the waterfront. Out of the way... a little pricey... good food, though.

[ She gestures and starts down the street. ]

I think it'll work perfectly.

Cozy sounds agreeable. Pricey isn't a concern for us. In fact, this is an opportunity for us to try the most expensive food we can at the cheapest price possible.

[ Which is a grand total of 0 cunes. In all seriousness, Soren can afford it with or without the vouchers, but he's still quite the penny pincher even when he's loaded with scales and coins. And he never treats himself to frivolous luxuries like nice meals. Old habits die hard. Or maybe his taste buds don't work. Who can say... ]

What kind of cuisine does it serve?

It's a local sort of cuisine... quite a lot of fish, as you might expect. I think thyey also have some very interesting noodle dishes. Lots of sauces, rich flavors, very hearty.

[ She's practically gliding along. Someone is in an excellent mood. ]

It's hard to put a name to it, I suppose. They like to incorporate spices and foreign elements, which I suppose makes sense considering the port.

Edited 2020-09-13 18:20 (UTC)

[ Soren can see that her spirits have lifted, and it's not an unpleasant energy to be next to. He hums in passive interest and picks up his pace so as not to fall behind, though nobody could describe his cadence as gliding along. ]

Local cuisine with a faraway touch... It's probably something I haven't sampled yet. You'll have to let me try your favorite so I can see what you like about it.

[ Unless the description is too weird to stomach. ]

Of course. I don't mind sharing with you.

[ Which could have several different meanings, but maybe she's just being friendly.

Maybe. ]

How are you faring as of late? Anything interesting happen?

[ Maybe indeed. Don't worry, Iramaat. Soren's mind entertained contexts beyond food. He averts his eyes and keeps them fixed on their footpath ahead. ]

Well... [ He recently got Bonded again, though it might sour her mood to bring that up of all things, so Soren practices some discretion in what he says for once out of consideration for her feelings. Good job! Ike would be proud of you. ] ...Things haven't been too bad on my end, despite everything. I recently got a steady job over at Inkchanted.

[ If only she knew, she'd tease him relentlessly. Fortunately for him, she doesn't, and so she simply strolls along iwth him. ]

Oh, Inkchanted! What are you doing over there? I'm still mostly doing oddjobs, helping out where I can. Not that I really want for money...

[ The invigorating but refreshing scent of the sea grows increasingly stronger. ]

Ah, the odd jobs. Yes, that is what I was doing for a while up until now. I help out behind the scenes. Desk work, mostly. Taking appointments, keeping schedules, managing inventory, mixing alchemical compounds for the inks and paints... It might be dull to you, but I'm good at keeping things in order.

[ The sea, the sea, the wonderful sea! Iramaat leads them down a side-street, still chattering away. ]

Well, it's better than a sharp poke in the eye, I imagine. And if it keeps you busy and content, then I shan't complain about it. I'll continue to be a wandering spirit and share half my excitement with you. How does that sound?

It sounds like one of us will be excited. [rude, soren!] I've been told I'm difficult to rouse.

[ More like he knows he is. Also, speaking of sharp pokes, he's leaving himself woefully open to a riposte here. ]

Oh? Would you like me to try rousing you again?

[ Iramaat, please. ]

[ Augh!! His blood spikes. She made him think of it again! He groans. ]

I deserve that comeback, don't I?

[ And, like she pointed out before, he isn't exactly saying no, either. He turns his attention back to her, the rise of her cheeks when she grins, lips he's kissed before, a voice strung on notes pitched by pleasure... Simply by the trick of association and familiarity, the idea seems even more appealing. When he speaks again, however, it's in the same serious tone. ]

Will we make it to dinner, Iramaat? Or will I be more of a challenge when I'm not drunk and letting you touch me while I'm a hormonal mess?

[ He's still a hormonal mess. ]

You left an opening, I thought I might slip into it.

[ She winks. Yes, that's probably another double entendre. As he continues to speak, she watches the way his lips move, traces the movement of his eyes - the way his tail flicks behind him. She's reminded of the dimly lit room, the heated touch of skin and scale under her fingers-

But they're no there right now, are they? ]

My dear Soren... I'm not a lecher. Not all the time. I'm perfectly content to share a friendly dinner with you.

[ She gives his shoulder a reassuring pat. ]

But what comes after dinner - well, I'll leave that up to you. [ She laughs, amused at herself and at him. ]

But if you would rather skip dinner for now, I can't really object, can I? I am fond of you, Soren, whether you're drunk or not, whether you're a "challenge" or not. That's just how it is. Although I'd hate to think that you went to bed with me simply because you were drunk and there isn't any sort of connection....

[ That last sentence right there in particular makes his skin crawl. Even if the remark is glimmering with hints of playfulness, her show of high spirits could be obscuring real umbrage, the potential to be wounded should he scorn her. ]

Then don't think about it too much.

[ But it's not like him to tiptoe around feelings, much less string anyone along or get their hopes up for something that won't be reciprocated at the level desired of him. ]

[ Her expression falls into a mock-pout. ]

Soren, you know it isn't polite to string someone along, don't you?

[ She sighs expression evening out a little. ]

Just tell me the truth of it, one way or another.

[ This is already becoming so tiresome. If there are any hazy expectations about the nature of their relationship, Soren wants to clear them up for his own sanity. ]

I don't harbor any special feelings for you, Iramaat. I am not interested in cultivating romance between you and I, and no sweet words nor attempts to win my heart will ever succeed to that end, so if there are any hopes, I would advise you dash them now. Yes, there was a connection. But it wasn't very deep. If I really am stringing you along, I hope that I have snapped the illusion once and for all, for there were no strings on my end attached to you.

[ It may be cold, but it has to be said. ]

[ Oof. That does sting a bit. But she refuses to let it dissuade her. Instead, she intertwines their fingers and rests her head against his shoulder, pushing close against his side. ]

It doesn't need to be a romance, Soren. It doesn't, I promise.

[ She's reminded of their conversation in the dream, alongside the banks of a babbling brook. Her voice has dropped, lost some of that playful lilt. ]

I'm not in love with you. [ She doesn't like baring her heart like this, but she did tell him to tell her the truth and perhaps that deserves something in return. ]

But I do love you, if that makes any sense. You don't - you don't need to be mine. I don't want that. I know your heart belongs to someone else. [ There's a hint of melancholy about her as she continues. ]

I'd still like to spend time with you. [ Her eyelashes flutter and she glances at him, the angles of her face giving her the look of a youth. ]

I'd still like to share myself with you. [ That's probably an innuendo. ]

If you'll let me. If you'll still... I don't know what the word is. Be a companion of mine?

[ A part of her feels as if she's about to have her heart dashed out on the cobblestones and she's already preparing to be vindictive about it. ]

[ The abrupt contact makes him prickle in a way both stimulating and irritating. Their conversation makes it more unpleasant. They slow to a halt in the middle of the street. He steals his hand back and edges away, but not completely — her choice in words commands his attention.

Romance — in love — she knows his heart belongs to someone else. Yes, her statement rings true beyond a doubt. His heart, his mind, his body, his life: all Ike's, but she spins it with the implication that Soren safekeeps feelings flushed that hue for him.

Could he deny it? If permitted to flourish, would those feelings be wrong? Soren's stunned in the face of her acknowledgment. And after she goes on about how she'd still like him, even though it's not all of him for hers to keep, the tension in his body sinks.

The truth is, he just wants Ike right now. It never matters how.

But it's impossible and he's implacable. How Soren matters to Iramaat doesn't seem to matter, either; she wants him in her life, some way, some how. It's pure. It's simple, if not potentially demanding due to the degree. The fae couldn't tell lies, she'd said before. But she's no fae any longer. And if there is one admission he cannot bring himself to believe, it's this: ]

How can you love me?

[ He stares at her and speaks to her incredulously, and as though trying to scrutinize the veracity or even the meaning of such a love. It's foreign to him. It chills and unsettles. She's too close. His heart rate climbs. ]

Are you sure you're not just... confused? Desperate? Why, of anybody, me?

Why not you?

[ She says that as if it's simple, but she knows she needs to elaborate. She turns away with a little sigh and paces, hands clasped behind her back. He doesn't want her touch. Not now. And that hurts, but - what else can be done? ]

You showed me kindness. You're delightfully blunt. You seem to be able to do what you like, speak your mind - can I not enjoy those traits of yours? I cannot say I'm desperate. I may have been, earlier, but... I have a bonded. Does that mean I should stop thinking about you? That I shouldn't enjoy your company?

[ Baring one's heart is hard. Especially since she no longer has her fae tricks to hide behind. ]

Do you think you're uniquely unlovable? Unworthy? Do you think I waste my time? Maybe I do. But if I wish to waste my time with you, why not? Is that wrong? The lives of mortals are short - so I will enjoy it, if I am doomed to be one.

[ This conversation is growing more uncomfortable by the sentence, and Soren's frown deepens in turn as he listens. Stern agitation dominates the way he receives her defense of her love's validity, as though prepared to brook it even before she can claim the chance to dissuade his resistance to the concept.

In truth, he masks the pain of empathy. She is obviously hurt by him and the way he confronts their relationship with each other. But she understands him at the level he desires of her. She's aware of why he could never meet her even less than halfway. ]

What time we have together is fleeting in this realm, whether you're destined to live one more year or one thousand. However, to say that you love me... [ He shakes his head, perturbed, arms tight. ] Perhaps it amounts to the differences in how we relate to others. I don't understand what it's like to love someone the way you do me. Personally, I could never say that about someone I only met earlier this year.

[ Not even his newest Bond, Caster. No, he could never say he loved him in any way without it seeming strange on his tongue. Not even after they'd been through hell together. He sighs as he tries to untangle this complicated matter further. ]

But maybe it's useless to contend with semantics. Do I enjoy your company? ...Yes, I can say that I have. Even if there are times when I don't. Am I wasting my time with you? Me being in Talam at all is a waste of the precious time I could be spending living the way I'd rather be, with the man you've noticed my heart truly belongs to. I don't harbor any special hatred for you either, Iramaat. I'm just me. And if you can deal with that, then let's get on with our date.

[ Iramaat listens and while her smile stays in place, it falters a little. She knew this truth was coming, that she couldn't keep pretending forever, but she would have liked to. She would have preferred to. It's easier to pretend, she thinks. It's easier to hide behind half-truths. To be the gallant heroine and the knight, like she's always been. She can't do that here, though, and she hates it. She hates how ephemeral it all is, she hates that she can't be in control.

She hates, she hates, she hates.

So why shouldn't she take comfort where she can?

Her control slips and there's a flicker of pain, of her mask slipping when he says this is all a waste of time (not his exact words, but close enough for her to understand (or thinks she does). ]

I suppose I have to deal with it.

[ Her voice is uncharacteristically brittle. ]

It's better than being alone. [ She sucks down a breath and there's a moment where she feels pinpricks at the corner of her eyes and a tightness in her throat and she refuses, refuses, to let that happen and so she chokes it back and smiles. ]

But perhaps I shouldn't have dragged you out here in the first place. Maybe I'm being foolish. You don't want to be here, do you? With me. Doing any of this.

[ She gestures, encompassing the city, them, all of this. ]

I oughtn't to force you.

[ Anyone with a little bit of empathy couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Were she a stranger he had never consorted with, someone who hadn't stargazed familiar constellations with him while he recovered from a cherished memory's end, who hadn't suffered losses like he had... he might shrug her off even more brusquely and decide the burden of handling the delicate feelings he'd cracked with crude tact was too troublesome to bear.

It still is. He's not noble enough to hold fast and stay with her while she reminds him how he's lacking and he reminds her how she's truly alone with him, no matter how much her voice erodes at his sympathies and her tears sting him. This moment is charged, unsettling to him, and he's never handled a situation quite like this before. Why, he's never even heard someone say that they love him. Not with any sincerity. What is he supposed to do with that?

Solemnity paints his expression, tinged with regrets. He remains polite in his bearing, but it just makes him colder. ]

I've done quite a fine job at souring the mood, and I suspect that this will be lingering heavily between us. You said you were bonded now, yes? [ Soren waves his hand at her in dismissal and shifts away to advertise his intention of leaving. ] Go surprise them with something nice. I think it will cheer you up, too.

Edited 2020-10-06 06:35 (UTC)

[ Cold and distant. She's never quite felt like this before. She's known for a time that he won't be a One True Love. He isn't hers and she isn't his and she can live with that. She's had dalliances before, she's had people she's cared for and not loved loved. He doesn't seem to want that, though. In a way, he seems unwilling to even try and that stings but she still wants to try. Even if he's pulling away. ]

Soren - wait-

[ It's impulsive, but she's always been impulsive. She follows him with a step, then two, and wraps him in a quick hug. It's not all that romantic, probably. It's just someone seeking comfort and companionship in a moment where they feel alone. Then she releases him, takes a step back, tries to smile even if she's still aching from the rejection. ]

I'll find you later, then. And we can have a drink or something and you can... I don't know, complain about your day to me.

[ Unsaid: don't simply walk out of my life. Not yet. ]

[ The dragon stiffens in reaction. This time, he doesn't pull away. He doesn't return her hug, either. But he accepts it. When she steps back, she finds the rueful disturbance living in his eyes more evident. The rest of his face yields with less expression, as if unsure how it should move. It's painful simply to remain here any longer. Finally, he looks away and stretches out his wings for flight. ]

Later, then. Have a better evening than I left you with, Iramaat.

[ With bursts of his wings that whip the wind around them, he takes off, up up and away, and heads opposite the sea, back the way they came together. ]

Edited (i don't know how brackets or spacebars work) 2020-10-09 03:04 (UTC)

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Aguril Catch-All Prompts (open and closed)

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