middaeg | [Open] Canon Update & Catch-all!

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[Open] Canon Update & Catch-all!

Who: Crow Armbrust and YOU!!
When: January 4th and thereafter
Where: Mirror House and around Aefenglom
What: Canon Update/Catchall
Warnings: Major spoilers from Trails of Cold Steel 3! Possible themes include death, betrayal, political unrest, mental manipulation, supernatural disasters... I'll update if needed!

I. Mirror House.

[ Crow did not, as a general rule, go to the Mirror House. That's not saying anything against it so much as he just preferred to look forward towards his life in Aefenglom with his friends rather than focusing too hard on a path with no future to it. Feelings get complicated and Crow is allergic to feelings, or at least he doesn't like having his on public display very often. But he'd gone to the mirror house today, almost as if he were compelled to. He didn't stop until he'd reached his own mirror, one that was familiar to him in more intimate ways than any other.

And then he touched it.

He wasn't aware a couple of his friends had been there-- or were perhaps with their own mirrors at this very moment. Either way, his experience was a little different than theirs. For one thing, they were catching up on a few short months-- Crow had nearly a year and a half all at once, flashing vividly behind his eyes in full detail. A life he hadn't expected to keep going, or rather-- to be brought back. Such as it is.

There are physical changes that come for him in a way that the others hadn't really gotten. A year and a half for Crow is enough to grow a little, to fill out just a bit more-- for his hair to grow in length, to become suddenly several shades paler. And at the end of it, Crow lets out a gasp as he finally--

He pulls his hand away from the mirror almost as if he'd been burned. But it only takes a moment of recovery before he's glancing around and then folding his hands behind his head. ]

Well, that's enough time reflecting on things. Heh...!

II. Aefenglom.

[ It's going to be pretty hard for Crow to hide that something's happened when you can take one look at him and tell just by the physical differences that something has. But this is Crow Armbrust and he's very willing to deflect as much as he has to. Of course, maybe you don't really know him-- maybe he doesn't have anything at all to explain. He's more than fine with that, he doesn't really want to talk about it anyway.

After his adventures in the mirror house, you might find Crow eating in a nice spot at a local café, a nice cup of hot chocolate in hand. Or you could find him by the docks, chatting with some of the workers there or else just looking out at the water for a brief moment before moving on. You might even find him wandering around the shopping district, looking for all the world like any other person out to buy whatever it is that's caught their interest. Either way, if you look like you want to talk to him, he'll lift his hand and grin. ]

Hey, what's up?

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[Elliot in the meantime pulls off the heeled boots and slips back into his own, so he doesn't murder himself trying to walk, and heads over to the fitting rooms.

When Crow meets him there...........yeah. He had no idea why he had any speck of hope that Crow would favor shorts. Because of course he wouldn't. He blushes as Crow holds it out]

...Oh boy.

[But, a deal's a deal. He reaches out and takes the mini skirt, before disappearing into the fitting room. Crow will be able to hear the sounds of Elliot undressing and redressing, along with the occasional anxious sound.

Eventually though, he pulls back the curtain of the dressing room. He stands, albeit woobly, in the high heels with the mini skirt. He's even taken off his vest, so his white shirt matches better with the skirt.]

H-How does it look?

[He red from blushing and stands like anyone whose never really wore high heels in his life, but besides that it's definitely not a bad look, especially with the exposed thigh thanks to the skirt]

[ Crow only barely restrains the urge to just immediately take a picture of Elliot, instead letting out a low wolf whistle. ]

You look good! You look really good.

[Thanks Crow for showing SOME restraint, and the flattery. His cheeks heat up, not hating this entirely]

O-Oh...good! That's good.

[Now excuse him as he reaches out for Crow because Aidios he's about to fall over in these things. THIS IS NEW AND HE IS NOT NATURALLY GRACEFUL.]

N-Now how do you move in these things?

[ Crow reaches out to grasp Elliot's upper arms, helping him steady himself. ]

It really is a good thing I didn't go for nine inch stilettos, huh?

[ He's teasing. He wouldn't have actually done that. ...Probably. ]

First of all, you're going to want to take smaller steps until you're used to it. Put your heel to the ground first, then roll smoothly forward onto your toes. Once your weight is on the balls of your feet, shift forward as if you were walking on your tip toes, and push forward for the next step. Keep your ab muscles engaged and push your shoulders back to keep your posture straight.

[Whew! No falling on his face today!]

Y-Yeah, I'd say so! These are scary enough.

[Probably. He tries to take that in, but..]

T-That's so much to remember for walking. [He doesn't even remember the first time he learned to walk!!! He gulps] Just don't let go until I got it, okay?

[Because otherwise he will fall flat on his face. But very shakily, he will try to follow those instructions. Heel to the ground....roll, well, kinda smoothly forward, then...

Sure enough, Elliot is slowly moving forward. It's got the grace of a baby animal trying to figure out how walking works, but he's Doing His Best]

[ Crow is being a Good Bird for once in his life so he holds onto Elliot the entire time, his grip firm and steady as Elliot figures out the whole walking-in-heels thing. ]

There you go! It's just a matter of getting used to it.

It's a lot to get used to.

[He complains, and yet he keeps at it, trying to learn how to walk. In a way, it's almost therapeutic to have something to focus on some intently. No time to think about the darker thoughts lingering in his mind, gotta stay focused on walking without falling. Maybe if he can learn something like this, everything's a little less pointless.

So, he keeps trying. There's plenty of slip ups, and Crow will probably have to catch him a few times. But he's got that focused look on his face that he does when he's working hard on a style of music he's learning. It's got his attention. And the more he does it, the easier walking becomes. He slips less, his steps come faster. Until...]

...O-Okay, let go.

[ Crow nods and lets go, moving to the side in the process. He'll keep an eye on Elliot so he can rush over to catch him if he falls, but otherwise he's going to let him walk on his own. ]

You've got this!

[As Elliot's let go of, he takes a deep breath and get himself into the zone. Okay focus...he can do this.

And...he manages it! For a five whole steps! He's walking like a heel pro!

Then on the sixth step, he slips it up and falls. Whoops. ]

[ Crow rushes over to catch Elliot so he doesn't hit the ground when he falls over. ]

Whoa! There you go, none of that. You're getting there, though! It's a good start.

[And he's caught! He made a yelp as he went down, but once Crow catches him and he realizes he's not going to eat the floor - a small laugh comes out of him. The first he's had since everything went down]

Haha, sorry! Got a little overconfident there! Do feel like I'm getting the hang of it.

[ Honestly, it's good to hear Elliot laugh and Crow grins. ]

Soon you'll be able to do it without breaking a sweat.

Y-Yeah, I'll have to keep practicing.

[It's hard, but it's not as bad as he had built it up in his head. ]

Is it as good as you hoped?

Even better.

[ Crow winks at Elliot. ]

Fantasy has nothing on reality.

[Oh.

Oh.

That wink with that expression really...brings attention how much Crow's aged in the past, well, day. And how much better he looks with age. And thanks to the heels, the height different isn't so vast that it's must easier to see those changes up close.

So excuse him as he turns bright before force himself to looking away, trying to word something but only coming out as an attempt to clear his throat.

ALL OF THIS IS UNFAIR]

[ Crow grins at Elliot. ]

Cat got your tongue?

[ He knows the signs of a guy who likes what he sees. ]

[Goddess it's a true curse that Crow's aware of how attractive he is, because him calling Elliot on his reaction makes it even worse. He's blushing and he bites his lip some trying to collect himself. He lets out a little noise...no point in denying it.]

Y-Yeah, sorry ... [He clears his throat] think I just really noticed how different you look now from before.

I'm like a fine wine, I only improve with age.

[ Is it better or worse that he says that with a straight face? ]

[Definitely worse]

....Your looks, maybe. Not so sure about the rest.

The rest is just a bonus. A Crow Armbrust specialty, a little spice thrown your way.

[ He's having fun. ]

Well ... you do spice up my life some, I'll admit.

[Things never got dull with Crow around, one way or another]

Someday I'd like to return the favor though.

Any time you want to, I'm more than interested.

[ Look, Crow is very horny and he's not afraid to admit it. ]

...Today's probably a bad day to get carried away.

[He says this after a brief pause, as if he had considered something. It was really tempting, to use it to try to forget all the pain he was feeling - not unlike what they've been doing with the heels. But there was a difference between this and actual intimacy - when emotions could run so much higher.

No...tempting as it was, Elliot knew they were both still processing in their own ways. They needed time, not to make things worse by having sex.

Still...he lowers his voice to a whisper for Crow]

Though...I don't think there's a harm in letting you have a feel, before I get out of this skirt.

[ Crow lets out a soft sigh. ]

You're right.

[ Unfortunately. He's not about to make things weird with Elliot by messing around when emotions are high and they're both vulnerable. Still, it's a pity.

But hey, if Elliot's going to offer him a feel.... Crow glances around to make sure no one's looking-- more for the sake of Elliot's modesty because he has very little of his own-- and slowly slides a hand up, up, up the uncovered flesh of Elliot's thigh and leans in to lightly nibble at his ear as he does, in fact, have a feel. ]

[Give it a few days Crow. Once they've both had a chance to sit and process and scream about every terrible thing that happened to them, then they can move to the next step: engaging in impulsive and reckless behaviors as a means to avoid dealing with reality.

Even now, this was playing with fire. He's no longer surprised Crow takes him up on his offer immediately. Crow was still a mystery in so many ways, but there was a refreshing frankness to this side of him.

The nibble on his ear and the hand sliding up his thigh feel good, sending shivers through him. When his hand gets high enough, he'll feel that Elliot's wearing underwear. Elliot meanwhile, isn't exactly going to stand by. His body leans against Crow's, using the heels height as an advantage to turn his head and kiss at his neck. Meanwhile while one hand takes hold of his shirt for balance, the other will slide around the waist and move down, trying to get his own feel.]

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