Deceuer Quests, Full Moon, and Catch-all [Open]

[curruid_coinchenn]

Who: Berserker! (Cú Chulainn Alter) and you!
When: Throughout Deceuer
Where: Various places
What: Quests, full moon things, and more
Warnings: Violence, nsfw


[ 1A. Knuckle Crack the Bone (Ethical Bones) ]

[ Well, at least his hoarding instinct can be put to good use. Since he favors skulls, giving up the smaller bones he typically collects is no problem. The problem is, though, that Berserker's methods are not what one would consider "ethical": the bones he collects tend to be from the animals he hunts for food.

He can be found just outside the bright wall, stripping meat from the carcass of what used to be a deer (mostly with his hands, a knife is utilized only when necessary). As the ribs are revealed, he breaks them off cleanly from the spine and sets them aside. His work is meticulous and it's all he's focused on...Seemingly, anyway. As he's being observed, he speaks without stopping his work. ]

If you want the bones, you're out of luck. Find your own.

[ 1B. Walk Me to the Graveyard (Ethical Bones pt. 2) ]

[ This time Berserker can be found further out of the city, armed with Gae Bolg (his spear) and ... a shovel? In his time spent outside of the city, he's located makeshift graves. What are graves full of? Bones. His methods may not be "ethical", but it's unlikely these bones will be missed.

Knee deep in a half-dug hole, he busies himself finding the bones beneath the loose earth. He carefully sifts through the dirt, leaving the bones he finds in a neat pile by the stone marking the grave. Again, his attention seems to be completely focused on his task until he hears something close. In an instant, Gae Bolg is in his hand, leveled at whatever made the noise. ]

What are you doing out here?

[ It might sound threatening if it weren't so apathetic. ]

[ 2. Setting Up Shop (City-wide Quest #2) ]

[ Of course Berserker's going to help Waver and Caster set up shop. He's grown quite fond (and protective) of Waver, partially due to them being Bonded to the same person. Caster...He owes a lot to Caster, too. This is the least he can do. He can be fond doing whatever requires the strength of a dragon, but mostly cleaning. Sweeping, mopping, scrubbing...

He does stop eventually, though, to take a break. He takes a seat in the corner where there's a number of bottles of ale: his gift of encouragement for those helping to get this place set up. As he settles in for a little rest, he opens up a bottle and takes a drink. Noticing someone nearby, he offers an unopened one. ]

If you want to take a rest for a moment, here.

[ 3. Small But Dangerous (Full moon) ]

[ Unlike last month, Berserker is conserving warmth by taking on his smaller form. About the size of a large housecat, it's much easier to keep warm when he's this small. He can mostly be found around familiar places, curled up on hearths in the shops or bars he frequents. He can be recognized in this form by the crimson scales beneath his eyes that mimic his tattoos.

If someone disturbs him, he pops his head up and hisses, baring his mouthful of sharp teeth. ]

I'm not a pet. Try that again and you'll regret it.

[ 4. Wildcard ]

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Comments

1A

[quickwhip]

[ Trevor both looks and feels like shit and it's only the beginning of the month so of course a nice ol' stroll out here in the middle of fucking nowhere is sure to help, right? Who knows, it's sure as hell not him.

It's not necessarily the cracking of the bones that catches his attention so much as it is the scent of crimson splashing so strongly in the open air and it's in a way that he's never quite experienced before. Yeah, he's been around bloody and dead things and bodies before and the scent of death and rot definitely has a smell to it. But this is different and it's as if he's a vampiric moth drawn to a crimson bloody flame that he finds himself standing there and just... staring.

You know, until he realizes that he's being addressed and just who is addressing him. Snapping himself out of the sort of daze he has himself in, he blinks and pulls a face when he actually takes in everything that Berserker is doing. ]

Why the hell would I want bones?

[ This is either a really weird hobby of Beserker's or that dragon hoarding thing since he mentioned skulls or something for that from what he remembers. ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Can't it be both? It's definitely both. Bones fit as a weird hobby and uncontrollable hoarding need.

He stops in his work to look at Trevor. Definitely not the best shape he's ever seen him in. The changes must be hitting him particularly hard and he can sympathize with that (how weird it is to be able to feel that emotion now...). ]

You look like shit. [ A beat. Oh, this might not be a welcome offer, but...The deer is recently dead and still warm. ] Do you want its blood instead?

[ It's not a cruel offer, quite the opposite. He expects it to be taken as a jab, though. It's fine. ]

[quickwhip]

[ The offer makes Trevor go tense and he's damn near sure he's obvious about it. ]

No.

[ He snaps that rather quickly in reply, tearing his gaze away from the blood that his eyes had flicked themselves to and had even lingered on. Pulling his cloak around him tighter, he turns some from Berserker, swallowing thickly as he tries to just... not. ]

And I may look like shit but at least I don't look like a fucking creep out here doing... whatever it is you're doing.

setting up shop!!

[usurpers]

[ helping out was a quick thought; he had cu’s back. eren had enough enchanted tattoos as is, but he knows he’ll be frequenting for touch ups here rather than the other place he went to on the fly months ago. especially now in the winter, where heat enchantments were what he needed more than normal to stay awake like any other. strictly fire based, it’s the worst weakness he could have.

the dragon has just finished bringing in some equipment and organizing where they’d stand, more or less, following instructions that, in this corner, he happens to be holding upside down (so instead of the desired side of a room with furniture it ends up being the opposite). the dull orange glow of the runes along the entirety of his arm wings are duller by the second, and so are his eyes, heavy and dragging open. if he leaned too much into this drawer, he’d start to nod off in three, two—

he jolts back up when offered a drink, and steadily reaches for it. cracking open the top is the slow part two. his body wants to brumate so bad. ]

I need it, [ down a gulp of ale like water and hoping it burns in his belly, he nods. ] thanks.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker's not terribly fond of the cold, though it doesn't affect him the way it does a fire dragon. He watches Eren's ... questionable approach, noting how nodded off before snatching the bottle from his hand.

Hm. Well, at least he's doing better in comparison. He takes a much slower drink as he settles back against the wall, adjusting his wings so he's more comfortable. ]

You're not handling the cold well, are you?

[ State the obvious and be a dick. He's good at this. ]

[usurpers]

[ he takes a few swishes before the first mouthful is gone. oh, that is some pretty good ale. the obvious doesn’t deter him, at least not yet. ]

I’m not an ice dragon. [ if they could state the apparent, two can play at that game! he squints, his forked tongue flicks— he recognizes berserker‘s essence, is reminded of his stature, from around aefenglom as well as the skies of dorchacht on the night of the resistance’s rebellion. they shared the sky, in fact, though chaos had been to rampant for them to meet. the gaze he gives acknowledges, and isn’t much of a guess. more like a statement. ] Or like you.

[ which is venomous! he can smell it. ]

3

[blackbonded]

[ He settled down for a drink at a tavern not expecting to have the grumpster cat to snap at him earning him a raised brow. ]

Uh... duly noted?

[ Really, he shouldn't be surprised by anything anymore. ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ He's especially grumpy in this small form. A small, angry, poisonous dragon is probably a bad thing to have around too many people, but it's fine. Berserker gives a warning growl to the unfamiliar man before shifting where he sits. ]

You're lucky you didn't get bitten.

[blackbonded]

[ Shiro doesn't mean to, but he's staring. What he thought was a giant lizard the size of a cat looks to be more of a miniature version of what looks to be a dragon, but that's not possible. Dragons aren't real, his mind supplies automatically but he has to stop that thought in its tracks and take a step back. With everything he's seen here since his arrival it's not exactly out of the realm of possibilities. Still, it throws him off so completely he barely hears the response and his mouth moves before his mind has a chance to catch up. ]

Do you bite?

wildcard - forge

[boneofsword]

[Archer's forge is not bigger than a shed, but is fully equipped. He dips heated piece of metal held in tongs into cold water, so focused on his work that he doesn't look up. Ciaran is a familiar presence, though, and gets a brief glance and a nod after which Archer returns to shaping a short blade.

There are several unfinished pieces around - another blade, several not yet engraved arrowheads along few engraved ones, and barely worked on long shaft of metal. It's slightly longer and thicker than the Noble Phantasm they both are familiar with.]

Cú isn't home, he won't be back before dark. Good that you're here, I wanted to ask you something, from one dragon to another. [he adds, suddenly a bit tense.]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ It's more out of a passing curiosity he's observing Archer's work -- he knew on some level what he was capable of, but it's another thing to actually see him at work. It's entrancing to watch and captures his whole attention, the entire purpose of his trip over here forgotten for the moment.

He's forgotten entirely that he'd asked a question. Had he asked a question...? Nevermind, it's not important; there was an answer now and an additional request. Ciarán looks at the other dragon now, head cocked to the side slightly. ]

Hm? What is it?

[boneofsword]

[From one of the small jars and boxes Archer takes a few pieces, opague with reddish and black tint.]

It may sound silly, but do you shed scales?

small dragon!!

[tryhard]

[ Startled, Waver immediately pulls his arm back, tucking it against his chest to avoid those teeth. Waver's heard that he can do this, but he hasn't actually run into Berserker in this form.

He's doing his rounds -- something that's clearly become a monthly habit -- of checking in on the people he instinctively considers part of his pack. Being the closest, Berserker and Diarmuid are top of the list.

When he comes in, though, Waver finds... the small dragon curled up by the hearth. There's no question who it is, both because of the location and the scent, and so Waver had gone to him at once, crouching down and reaching over to touch the small Berserker curiously. Apparently, the petting isn't appreciated.

Instinctively, Waver growls back, baring his own fangs in return. ]

Jeez... sorry. You don't have to be so mean about it.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker had been asleep until the hand on him startled him awake. He's especially bitey with how small he is and Waver's lucky he didn't have poison coating his teeth for just such an occasion. Once he realizes exactly who it is he threatened, he settles down pretty quickly.

It's just Waver, someone familiar and someone he doesn't actually mind handling him. Sometimes unfamiliar (to him, anyway) guests came over -- that is what he'd been expecting when he snapped at the hand that touched him.

With an indignant huff, he shifts onto his other side. Part of him does kind of miss the extra warmth of that hand on his side, but a larger part of him would like to maintain what little dignity he has at this size. ]

It's just you...I'll be as mean as I like when someone is doing something I find demeaning.

[ Though he kind of diminishes the impact of his point by stretching his head out towards Waver's hand, asking for more pets. It's okay when it's from people he trusts -- it's why he let Enkidu and Diarmuid carry him around before. ]

[tryhard]

[ Waver's grumpy now, though. And petulant. He pretends he doesn't see Berserker leaning closer and rocks back on his heels, looking like he's about to stand back up. ]

Oh, it's demeaning now, is it?

[ He huffs, covering his hurt feelings with sarcasm. ]

You didn't seem to find my touch so demeaning the other night when you were cold.

But if my presence is such an insult to you, I'll leave.

2.

[lonewanderer]

[ It's not the first time that she and Berserker have helped set up a new shop together. It is the first time that he's offered her a drink, and the chimera blinks at him for a moment before accepting the unopened bottle with a taloned hand. ]

Thanks.

[ She pops the bottle open and then takes a seat. ]

Things look like they're coming along nicely in here.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Not a face he's seen in awhile and ... they both look at bit different than that time. Still, he recognizes her voice and accepts her company. Anyone willing to help out people he's come to care for (that's still a weird concept), he will tolerate.

He takes another silent drink before saying anything else. ]

Mm...They are. [ Still not much of a conversationalist, though. ] Waver asked me to help.

[lonewanderer]

Caster didn't ask, exactly, but... [ she shrugs, looking around. ] He didn't need to.

[ They're bonded, and Lex has always been interested in the tattoos. He hadn't needed to ask, because of course she was going to help him. ]

Have you gotten any of the tattoos?

For Diarmuid and Waver

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ It's absolutely freezing and the blizzard outside only makes it that much worse. Berserker has been huddled in front of the fire place as it's the only warm spot in the apartment. At least they had enough wood to keep it going for awhile, so the dragon wouldn't be so miserable. He's bundled in a number of quilts on the floor in front of the hearth, a shivering mess. Nothing he can do can seem to keep him warm and that distress is hard to hide from ... any of his Bondmates.

The only sign of him under the pile is his tail tip hanging out from underneath it. This is pathetic and he hates it. He refuses to seek out anyone's help in keeping him warm despite knowing it would help a lot.

When he hears a door shut, unsure which door it is, his muffled voice can be heard. ]

I'm over here if you're looking for me.

[ua_duibhne]

[It's typical, really, that their neighbourhood would be one of those to get hit with blackouts. Diarmuid's done what he can, packing the larder with food, gathering as many quilts as he can together and enchanting them with heat spells, but there's not much more that can be done when the cold seems to permeate every surface. Even now as he staggers back into the apartment, it's with less than half of the wood he had wanted to buy for their fire.

Shaking powdery white snow out of his hair, he glances across the lounge.]

... Cú?

[Ah, there he is. Diarmuid takes a moment to wedge the draft excluder back under the door and double check that the windows are still tightly locked before heading over to the fireplace. For all his size, Berserker really has managed to completely bury himself under the blankets and it's kind of impressive. With the last of his damp clothes shirked and replaced with the sweater and dry lounge pants he left on the side, he crouches down and lifts the corner of one of blankets, peering at the dragon huddled within.]

How's the craic down there?

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Perfect, someone he can safely leech warmth off of. Berserker shifts forward, peeking out from the edge of the blankets with his normal indifferent look. He grabs onto Diarmuid's wrist, his expression turning to one that could only be described as pleading. ]

Lay with me.

[ It's less a request and more a demand, though a gentle one (Diarmuid's lucky that Berserker didn't just drag him into his nest like he'd sprung a trap). His beloved Bonded is warm and he is safe to be vulnerable around; cuddling with him would be a nice reprieve from this weather-induced misery. ]

...Please.

2

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Admittedly, Judar wasn't doing a lot for bringing things in or helping move the junk and donations around so it worked in the parlor in some aesthetic way. He would a little, but after a weird way his ankle had rolled from an earlier assistance, the steadily transforming faun was more likely to pull himself elsewhere.

Not exactly cleaning, unless you counted cleaning up Caster's work, with the magic. Waver couldn't always be around, or had other things to do as well, and it was just a good idea to have another set of trained eyes on how things were being done. Similar to Waver, the magic wasn't exactly a perfect match to this world, but it gave a base and Judar's magic came with an understanding of how to balance some elements for particular effects, and a familiarity with crafting magical tools for continued use.

So a break from the books and lists of available ingredients was a welcome one. He wasn't familiar with the dragon double, but it wasn't so different from how Judar wasn't familiar with a lot of the people here. ]

Thanks. His handwriting's a headache.

[ At least it is after several hours, catching all these obvious shortcuts that didn't care about the risks, all for in-the-moment convenience. Reckless is the word that comes to mind. Immediately after accepting the bottle, opening and taking a healthy swig of it. ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Reckless is the perfect word to describe Cú Chulainn, no matter the form he may take.

Judar is unfamiliar to Berserker, so he gets a cursory glance. It doesn't surprise him that Caster knows so many people -- he's quite a bit more well adjusted, after all. ]

Is it that bad or are you just tired of dealing with the way he does things?

[ Waver has complained about his recklessness before and, knowing Caster as he does, none of this surprises him. ]

22nd Deceuer

[ua_duibhne]

[Maybe it's just the atmosphere making him sentimental but Diarmuid's been more obviously tactile as of late. Whether it's with Waver or Berserker, he's quick to lace fingers together or embrace, to place kisses on hands and cheeks or even just indulge in a light touch across backs and arms. In his second life, Christmas was more something he was aware of thanks to the Grail's influence but Grianstad an Gheimhridh has never lost its personal significance. Rebirth. New beginnings. The start of a thaw. It's no wonder that this solstice holds an even deeper meaning than usual for him.

The longest night of the year draws in with startling speed and, beyond the window of the apartment with its layer of frost, lamplights glow like indistinct, yellow-white halos. Maybe if he were in a different mood, Diarmuid might take the time to sit by and watch the evening pass with something alcoholic, think over the time he's been here and how things have changed. But that's not on the agenda tonight.

Languidly, almost cat-like in his movements, Diarmuid slips onto the couch beside Berserker and drapes an arm around his middle. With the softess of sighs, he presses a kiss to the sensitive skin of his throat, then another to his jaw with the suggestion of one more to follow for his lips- only to stop at the last moment.]

Cú... [Another sigh. Gentle, wistful, barely a breath against his skin.] Help me bid winter farewell.

[It's not often he initiates in such a bold manner- and it still feels a little alien and unrefined- but he can't help it.]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ The significance of certain dates and the passage of time have been of little concern to Berserker for a very long time -- he knows of the old celebrations and traditions, of course, but he found little purpose for them. His indifference to most things extended to them, though that has changed. Many things have changed since his time here...Maybe indulging in those old traditions would be another thing that change.

But...there's a more pressing matter to address right now. He feels Diarmuid's weight on the couch first, looking at him without turning his head. He, too, has been growing more comfortable with physical affection from his Bondmates, both giving and receiving. The kiss to his throat draws a quiet gasp from the dragon; while he might be more used to affection like this, it still holds an unmistakeable thrill. Berserker puts an arm around the witch and draws him that much closer. ]

Right here? [ He teases before kissing him, open mouthed and eager. ]