middaeg | Greetings always followed by sweet goodbyes [Open]

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Greetings always followed by sweet goodbyes [Open]

Who: Majima Gorō and OPEN
When: June!
Where: Everywhere!
What: Giant chickens, runework, plus quests and basically a monthly catch-all.
Warnings: Violence in the sunbear fight thread. Salty language, maybe.

A: I'll call you Nugget

[ Whoever had said 'don't go borrowing trouble' had been a smart guy, a wise man indeed, but the thing about being told you could potentially learn to transform yourself into a totally rad magic animal was that Majima wanted to do it immediately. So it was a quiet day in the Haven, sure -- up until, with a brilliant burst of magical fireworks, a giant, six-foot tall feathery menace descended upon one of the courtyards, stalking through the garden. ]

Fuck.

[ Someone get an adult. ]

B: Runetchers

[ Majima looked up when the shop door opened. It was a slow day, which meant he'd been making progress with the pile of scrolls and other orders for enchanted items. It also meant that his fingers were cramped, and a little distraction couldn't hurt. ]

Hi there, welcome to Runetchers.

[ He stood, gave the potential customer a little bow in a show of impeccable good manners. ]

Are you lookin' for anything in particular?

Research Required (For Justine)

Oh, I... yeah. Is there any way we could skip that part?

[ Apparently, no one had told Majima that this particular research was going to require Bonding. Hey, don't get him wrong -- connections were important, and so was emotional support? But getting himself magically attached to someone when he still hadn't made peace with the idea of sticking around long-term didn't really strike him as the best of ideas.

...especially since he wasn't sure if he wanted to get un- magically attached. He looked around for a friendly face, wondering how the hell he was going to bullshit his way out of this one. ]

Pastoral Pursuit (For Iramaat)

Hey, uh. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your ears.

[ Look, maybe while they were wandering out into the woods looking for some stray sheep was not the best time to bring this up? But hey, Iramaat's ears had been kind of cool, and she knew how to nab foxes, and Majima knew if he'd had to give up one of his favorite features, he'd be pretty pissed about it.

With no outward signs of change, it was fairly obvious what side of the monster-witch coin that Majima had ended up on. He climbed over a fallen tree trunk, careful not to stave in its soft trunk. ]

Wildcard

Feel free to hit me up via Tetradecimal or PM for plotting!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Uh... Y'know, I didn't really think about that one. What does he look like to you?

[ It was just easier, on some level, thinking up a glowing animal that would behave on its own versus lights that had to be explicitly controlled. The cat's body vibrated with its purr, casting warm light over the area.

As they reached their destination, Majima spotted a little cluster of birds, huddled under the leaves of a thorny bush for the night. ]

Hey, somethin' to record already.

[Justine found her attention divided between the path in front of them, the cat shaped light and Majima. She tries to keep her focus evenly split between the three but she finds herself petting the cat as it spreads light along their path. Justine attempts her own animals but they all turn into little balls of light that flicker and fade over time.

She's still learning and much better with water and air than she is with light.]

I think we should call him Sprinkle. [It kind of sounds like sparkle but it isn't.

Justine lifts her head and spots the cluster of birds. She finally places the cat down and hopes that it doesn't feel the need to go after the birds. After all, it's only light.] You're right. Their cute. Do you want me to write?

[She holds out her hands now that their free.]

Sure, if ya like.

[ He handed her the pen and paper, smiling a little ruefully. ]

Bet if I was a little better at this magic thing, I could make those notes take themselves.

[ Sprinkle sneezed suddenly, sending miniscule little poofs of light out in an aura around his head, then curled up around Justine's ankles. ]

Y'know, a little earlier in the month, I went out to help catch a family of... foxbits? They'd been infected by that Cwyld.

[She takes the pad of paper and begins to take notes about the birds and their nest. Her handwriting is lovely and legible and she goes so far to draw out a rough sketch of the creatures. Justine doesn't have a lot of practice with drawing but she has a latent talent for the art.]

Oh?

[Her eyes rise to meet his and her writing slows to a stop.] I don't think I've seen a foxbit before. I remember seeing pictures of them in the library. [They were cute creatures though drawings in a book can be misleading in that regard.

Justine looks down at the light poofs and smiles. There are just too many cute things in this world.]

Yeah. They look half-fox, half-rabbit, and they got a lot of kick for furballs that ain't even that big.

[ Majima pointed at a small squirrel as it skittered through the grass and grabbed a fallen nut. ]

Hey, there's another one.

[Justine's smile widens as she tries her best to get a little sketch of the creature before it disappears. It doesn't work very well but she does manage to jot down the notes.]

They're cute.

I don't suppose that you have a vendetta against them now? After they... kicked you? [She tucks a loosen strand of black hair behind her ear as a little thrill of electricity jumps between her and Majima.

She feels the connection growing and she realizes with a little jolt of fear that she isn't able to hide her feelings or thoughts from Majima.]

Nah, not at all. In fact, ya could say I've got a healthy new respect for 'em.

[ Them and their sharp needle teeth. Majima inhaled sharply when he felt the jolt, looked up at her. This was... a new experience, all right, and maybe more intimate than he was banking on.

But he'd long had experience steering towards control, and so when he felt Justine's action, his reaction wasn't to respond in kind, but to redirect at least some of it. A crop of wild roses began to grow like weeds, sprouting leaves and buds and new blooms as it shot up along the wooden walkway, its flowers shifting from white to red and blue and gold. Little snatches of magic, pieces that wouldn't go too awry even if they lost their way. ]

...that's new. You okay?

[Justine watches as the roses begin to grow into thick bushes littered with new brightly blooming flowers. She focuses on breathing, in and out, calming the racing beat of her heart. She can't let herself lose control. Not with Majima so close. She'd promised him.]

Yes. I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting that.

[She places her palm over her heart.]

I- do you think we can find a place to sit now and rest for a little bit? I'm not used to bonds and it's... surprising. [Not bad but different.]

Of course.

[ A quick sweep of the area revealed a wooden bench they could use, and Majima motioned toward it, offering his arm in case Justine needed it. ]

No way to really describe it until ya feel it yourself, huh?

There's... so much of it. I'm not overloadin' ya, am I?

[Her fingers hovers above his arm before finally taking the offered support. She feels him acutely against her palm as the connection between them sparks to life. Justine inhales a slow breath and leans against him, molding her frame to his side. She doesn't just need his support physically but mentally and magically as well.]

It's hard to describe. [She agrees with a small smile.] I'm sorry. You're-

You're the first person I've ever bonded too.

[Justine never thought she would.]

You aren't. It's me. I don't want to put... everything on you. [What goes on inside her head is a mess.] I'm just trying to hold it back. Using your magic and mine.

[ And he was happy to lend it to her, as strange as the situation was. ]

Hold it back...?

[ Majima was picking up something fierce, but Justine never really had gone into what was going on when her mind was storming. Not that anyone could blame her; what went on in her head was surely hers alone to share. ]

I'm not sure I understand, but the only reason ya agreed to do this was to help me out, right?

Then let me help ya in return. If there's anythin' I can do...

[It's something that's difficult for Justine to talk about because she doesn't like feeling weak but Majima can already feel it, can't he? That teeming darkness. He has to know that there is something inside of her, a rage and frantic darkness clawing to get out.]

I do want to help you Majima. [Her lips press into a soft smile.] You've done so much to help me. [Justine's shoulder presses against his and she uses the contact to ground herself to the spot.]

It's just. Sometimes very loud. Crazy. That's what they called me. I've tried to take medication for it but it only makes me sick and this place. I don't think it has anything like that. [Thomas makes it better, he makes it go away.] I thought I could hold it back.

I'm sorry.

[Justine gaze falls.]

I might be the worst person for you to bond too. The extra magic has helped but I'm not good at holding it back for long. It's always there. I- I hate it.

[ His expression grew solemn as he listened to her, and... yeah, it would have been nice to know as much ahead of time. But Justine couldn't have reasonably known what the effects of the Bond would be, either. They were supposed to stabilize people, right? Ground them.

So he tried to reach out with his own nascent experience, explore around the edges of that teeming sensation.

What darker impulses Majima possessed were part of him, tied up in his being -- they always had been. He gave them outlets in a hundred small ways, and the more he accepted them, gave them an outlet, the more himself he felt.

But Justine? It looked like she was different. Perhaps not entirely so, however... so he slipped his fingers around hers. It seemed to help, that contact. ]

I appreciate the sentiment, Justine, but this Bond thing's supposed to go both ways, right? Think that maybe I can help past donating a little magic.

[ He reached out for the pen, scrawled out a line of spidery runes that glowed and wavered on the page. A charm to bolster Justine's resolve, lend her extra strength. It ought to work, right? He'd been studying Enhancement more than anything else. ]

[Her fingers curl around his as she falls into the calming warmth of his touch.

It isn't the same as it'd been with Thomas but there is something similar in the connection between them now. She felt Majima sitting at her side, warm and alive, his heart beat and more. She hadn't focused on the connection. Justine hadn't wanted to intrude on his privacy but she clung to it now, letting it fill her.]

Right.

[Her eyes drop to the pad of paper sitting in her lap as Majima scrawls the familiar looking runes.] Majima. [Warmth floods through her chest as the spell fills her, cutting off what she'd been about to say.

Her cheeks flush a pink rosy hue as her gaze lifts to meet Majima's.]

Thank you. It's not always so bad. Just sometimes. I feel better. Like this. [With him.]

I'm glad.

[ And for once? He could help instead of hurt. Surely that had to be worth something, even if he'd had to give up something in the bargain. Majima lifted his hand, touched his fingertips to the side of her face before he realized what he was doing. ]

Uh, sorry. I didn't...

[ He remembered now what it felt like to kiss her. It would be great if he could stop thinking about it. ]

[Justine reaches up and gently intercepts Majima's hand, pressing his palm against the smooth curve of her cheek.]

It's alright. [Her head turns and she lightly presses a kiss to Majima's palm.] This feels good. I don't know if it's the bond or maybe it's just you but- [Justine's cheeks flushed as she looked up at him.]

I like it.

[She's always been forward, it's just her personality, but this feels different and she's almost embarrassed at the sudden change.]

[ He regarded her for a moment. The last thing he needed was more complications... a line of thought he maintained right up until he leaned in for a kiss, and not to her palm.

His lips were warm against hers; he thought he could feel the heat radiating from her skin. ]

I don't know, either.

[ But at present, he didn't really care. His face was still close to hers after he pulled away. It did feel good to touch someone -- to share in the kind of closeness he'd done so long without. ]

But I'm glad it's you.

Edited 2019-06-06 02:22 (UTC)

[His lips were warm and soft as they gently met hers. It wasn't like the kiss they shared before. This was simple, more earnest and without the hazy distance of that dream world.

Justine sighed, basking in the lingering heat and comfort of his lips.]

Me too. [Her voice doesn't rise above a whisper, as if the two of them have suddenly slipped into their own private world; away from everything that threatened them.] I'm glad it's you.

[The connection runs deeper than a Bond. There is a similarity between them that Justine hasn't noticed before. Maybe it's rage or pain or stubborn strength but it's not something that's easily ignored. Not while they're connected.

She wants to find out what it is.

Justine leans forward so that her lips rest lightly against his before speaking.] If we... [She inhales the heat of his breath and shivers.] If we keep doing this. I think... I'll want more. I know I will.

[ In answer, he kissed her once, and then again. And why not? He was a million miles away from anyone who'd care, he'd broken with Sagawa and the others, so why the hell not? ]

That a problem?

[ His voice was a low murmur against her skin, his hand moving down to rest on the small of her back. ]

I'll stop if it is.

[ And if it wasn't...? ]

[Their lips met again and again until she once again heard the soft deep notes of his voice brush against her cheek.]

Don't stop.

[Justine slides a little closer, pressing her shoulder and hip against Majima's side. A jolt of electricity curled through her frame as heat blossomed in her chest.]

I want you and... [Her voice trailed off as she lightly rest her forehead against his.] I want to give you all of me.

[ It was a good thing no one was around. That was the train of thought running through his mind as he slipped his fingers under her chin, tilting her face the tiniest bit upward for better access.

It felt somewhere between draught and dream, kissing her like this. ]

I think we want the same thing, Justine. But... we should find someplace inside.

[ As tempting as it was to simply slip her free of the layers wrapped around her, something still registered about the potential dangers of being outside: the reason they'd been asked to Bond in the first place. He didn't want her to come to harm, but as importantly? He wanted to feel around the edges of that connection -- someplace both of them could afford to explore without the risk of prying eyes. ]

[Her chin rose and their lips met again, a sweet note of need plucking from her throat as their kiss deepened into something more. It's better than a dream and deeper than before. She wants to lose herself in him but to do that they should find somewhere safe.]

yeah.

[Justine places one last innocent kiss against his mouth before pulling back a little further.]

Where should we go?

A hotel? Your place?

[ He gave her a small, wry smile. ]

Suppose you've never been to mine, huh? My roommate's a little... eccentric.

[ His fingers were playing lightly with the ends of her hair as he considered the question. A little basic teleportation would probably do it, but... ]

[Justine exhales a soft huff of laughter.]

So is my roommate. I think- either is fine. Or any of those three.

[She brushes her fingers along his hairline, trailing behind his ear while wishing she could run her fingers through his long dark hair.] We can always lock the door.

[She hasn't practiced teleporting and wouldn't want to try it normally but their both witches and bonded together. Maybe it's okay if she hadn't actually practiced the spell.] I'd like to see your room.

My place, then. Hold tight.

[ Or rather, he was going to slip his elbow in hers as he concentrated, then began to write a series of runes in the air with his fingertip. The air warmed, hummed -- and then the world faded around them, until they ended up outside a small apartment.

Oh. Well, he'd actually planned for them to end up inside, but at least he had the keys handy. The door opened up into a two-bedroom, and Majima's particular bedroom turned out to be a spare and neat one. Magical books along one shelf, a few personal items.

There was one minimalist vase in the corner, featuring an elegantly-crafted arrangement of small flowers and stems. ]

It's not much, but I'm tryin' not to accumulate a lot of stuff.

Greetings always followed by sweet goodbyes [Open]

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