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stellafortunalogs2021-08-03 09:46 pm
stellafortunamods) wrote in stellafortunalogs2021-08-03 09:46 pm
august mingle
August Mingle
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Happy new year....! In Teyvat, that is. It is now January ingame, and Liyue's people go about their disaster recovery efforts with more vigour than before. After all, Liyue's biggest festival is slated to occur in the latter half of the month - the Lantern Rite!
The Rite of Parting - Rex Lapis' funeral - passes without much incident, and Liyue collectively breathes a sigh of relief. With the Fatui being chased out of the yard, it seems that peace will finally return to the harbour city as they rebuild from the storm. You'll also get to watch three million Mora's worth of incense go up in smoke, so there's that.
Eager to focus on the future, Liyue folk have begun discussing the upcoming festival. The Lantern Rite commemorates hope for a new beginning and continued prosperity, and the construction of the festival centerpiece is currently underway. This year's Mingxiao Lantern will soar into the sky amidst thousands of smaller lanterns, and it will take the shape of a fallen Adeptus to commemorate the Adepti's contribution to Liyue's lasting peace.
Unfortunately, you're not quite out of the frying pan yet. With the Fatui gone from Liyue, the Ministry of Civil Affairs turn their attention to solving another issue that has cropped up after Osial's revival and subsequent defeat. Quite a few miners have gone missing from the Chasm, and the likelihood of finding them will only grow slimmer as the days go by. Both the Millelith and the Adventurers' Guild have pitched in to search for the kidnapped people. All clues lead to Nantianmen - and it's just your luck that Geovishaps and their hatchlings have come out of hibernation at around the same time. These lizard-like beings have shells of solid rock, and they seem especially agitated at having their territory invaded. Solving the mystery of the missing miners will take more than just a day's work.
State of the World
With the Lantern Rite set to open on January 21st, all of Liyue have come to visit the harbour to set up their stalls and pitch in to craft the Mingxiao Lantern. Hopefully the miners are found before the festival begins - the Lantern Rite is a festival of reunions, after all. Not to mention the Geovishaps' increased activity will inadvertently lead to them burrowing around in the rocky mountains. There's a small, but non-zero chance of them hitting an ancient seal somewhere and unleashing a buried threat.
Unless... that was their intention all along?
Please direct all questions to August's OOC post!
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The others that thought they'd get the jump on the two of them are pretty swiftly dispatched, too — fighting these is annoying, to be sure, since it's not like either Rean or Elliot really have the elemental advantage, here, but Rean and Elliot are a team. It's not difficult.
There are very few common monsters in Teyvat that are going to be able to stand up to their well-oiled machine. These Geovishaps are just the newest batch to have messed around and found out.
Now that they're dealt with, though, Rean is panting a little for breath. Listen, they might not be difficult, but you send enough low-level fights at a guy and he's gonna be a little worse for wear at the end of it.]
...They've got to have something to do with the disappearance. They're Geo creatures, after all... you think maybe the miners dug into something they shouldn't have?
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Maybe...but if it was just a den of monsters they dug into, wouldn't there be more signs of that? Like bits of clothing or....uh, well, you know.
[Dead bodies]
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He straightens up after a second, frowning a little and glancing around the area.]
Mm, that's true, but I think maybe it's more than just that.
Like... maybe they dug into something elemental. Something enough to agitate all of these guys.
[A ley line, or something? Is that what they're called? Rean's had to learn like 60 new pieces of lore per day since he got here, and he's barely got enough room in his head for all the stuff he had to learn back home.]
no subject
[Well Rean's done a better job at realizing they're a different name than Elliot. Elliot is no idiot by any means, but most of his brain space for new teyvat information kinda got taken up by music and how to us his vision. ]
That could be it... but then what happened to the miners after they did that?
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[They're both doing their best. Their best is just significantly worse than most people in Teyvat's average.]
That's what I don't know. If it were just the monsters, like you said, we'd be seeing some evidence of a fight, at least. But with how it is right now, it just looks like the miners were... spirited away, or something.
There has to be something bigger at play, here.
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[But whatever he was about to say gets cut off, as there's a brief bit of rumbling at their feet before another Geovishap hatchling pops out of the ground. While it isn't a direct hit, it's a close enough one that it makes Elliot yelp and fall back to the ground]
Ah!
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Elliot!
[Damn it, this is all his fault! If he'd been keeping an eye out, he would have been able to warn Elliot, or get between him and the monster, maybe get in a preemptive strike... he's been without his senses for long enough that he should know better than to try to rely on them here!
But here he is, messing everything up as usual, and now his best friend is hurt. Because of him.
It's all he can do to make this thing pay.
Immediately, he's got his sword at the ready and is charging for the hatchling, taking a hard swing at it and crying out himself from the effort.]
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So he's scrambling to his feet, quicker than he normally would. He's not really hurt, just probably a little bruised. Which is more than what the monster will be- as it gets slammed to the ground from Rean's attack]
Rean--
[Not wanting to chance Rean reenacting that day, he'll throw out the quickest anemo attack he can to finish it off. ]
S-Sorry! I'm ok! Just caught me off guard!
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So when Elliot finishes off that monster, Rean doesn't go to keep wailing on the monster, and instead looks back at him with a look of relief.]
Good... I'm glad.
[And that's so painfully genuine, a sound Elliot would also be more than familiar with. The voice of someone that loves Elliot, loves everyone, more than he'll ever love himself.]
...Come on, we should try to get out of here. Back to their last location, like you said. Maybe we can avoid another ambush if we're lucky.
no subject
Still, hearing that loving tone is a reminder that Elliot needed to be more careful. He didn't want to cause Rean more undue stress. So he nods]
Right. Let's do that.
[He glances around the ground, and something shining in the sun catches his eye. He recognizes it immediately: the ring Forneus gave him.]
-- Ah-
[it must've fallen out of his pocket. He'll bend down to pick it up]
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Hm? What's that...?
[He comes over to inspect what it is as Elliot picks it up. Maybe some sort of clue...?
...No, that's not it. He knows exactly what that is when he lays eyes on it, his eyes widening a little and his blood turning icy from far more than just his Cryo vision.]
How did you...
[Those words come as practically a whisper, slipping out without a second thought. Quickly, though, Rean tries to catch himself, awkwardly tripping over his words.
It couldn't be the ring he'd hidden. There's no way Elliot could have stumbled across that, right? Elliot had no reason to be digging through his things. And even if it was, why would Elliot have carried it out here?]
O-oh! A ring, huh? [His laughter sounds far more nervous than intended. Rean has never been a good liar.] That's a pretty weird thing to find out here.
[He doesn't even think to imply that maybe it belongs to one of the miners or something. His heart is racing way too much for something as smart as that.]
no subject
Haha...y-yeah. It's just a ring Forneus gave me. It must've fallen out of my pocket when I got knocked over.
[There, that's a simple and innocent enough explanation!! Though, glancing over to see rean's reaction- he does notice how off the guy seems. Not to mention those words he quietly said]
Er...E-Everything okay Rean? You look like Millium when ghosts get mentioned...
[he saw the last part as an attempt to make a joke to make things less awkward, but it's clearly forced]
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[Forneus gave Elliot that ring? But Rean has a ring just like it. From "f" — Forneus? Is that who it was? And to a "boyfriend"... and if Elliot has this ring, too...?
It is at this point that poor Rean's precious little empty head overheats and stops functioning. One could practically see the blue screen in his eyes if they looked.
There's no way, right? Forneus couldn't possibly be implying that those rings were meant for one another. He'd already been sure his was a mistake, but... no. No.
Elliot... there could be someone here for him, perhaps, even if just the thought of it hurts. There are good people here, and as much as it pains Rean to admit it, there could easily be someone here capable of making Elliot happy. And with the way Elliot is blushing...
Rean's ring was given in error, he's sure of it. Forneus may be a god, but he's proven plenty of times to Rean that he's not always right. But Elliot's... maybe Elliot's wasn't, and...]
...Oh! U-um. It's fine, everything's fine. Sorry, I must still be thrown off from that thing attacking us.
[It's a painfully poor lie, and even Rean knows it, but already he's turning as if to head off before he can be called on it.]
I'm still relying too much on that sense of mine, even when we don't have it... it's just messing with me. That's all.
[If he turns far enough away, if he lets those long bangs of his block off his eyes, maybe Elliot won't notice how his brows are knitting together and his eyes seem a little darker.]
We... we should get going.
no subject
And...he's seen those expressions before. That look he gives when he's hating on himself. When he's likely filling his mind with bad things about himself, and how he didn't deserve better.]
Rean...
[He could go along with the lie. Pretend that everything was fine and that it was just his senses that were off. It'd been easy enough, they've played that song and dance before, but...
It didn't sit right with him, not after seeing that pained expression. Even if the thought left him feeling really nervous, he couldn't leave things like this.]
H-Hold on a moment.
[He'll move to catch up with him stepping close. Gently, but firmly, he'll reach for one of Rean's hands, persuading it to face palm-side up before he drops that ring onto Rean's hand. He's so nervous that he can't even look Rean in the eye or speak up, but he really hope this gets the message across]
1/2
It's not like Elliot taking his hand is an entirely unfamiliar sensation, but he's not exactly expecting it, especially not with the thoughts running through his head.
He's especially not expecting what happens next, and when that ring hits his palm he has to take a couple of seconds to look down and confirm what it is. And re-confirm, and re-confirm.
His eyes widen all the way, his fingers instinctively curling around the small band of metal as if to quadruple-check that it's real by touch.
He looks back up to Elliot, as if wanting some kind of explanation, but Elliot's looking away. But... it's not really giving him the same sort of impression as it might have if it were something bad? More just... shyness. Rean's pretty familiar with that from Elliot, so it's not exactly hard to recognize.
And with all of these pieces together, even the vast space of nothing where Rean's thoughts ought to be can string together what this means.
There's no way? He was so certain there was no way. And yet...
...Well. Rean's not always right, either.]
2/2
Well, if he can't say... perhaps it's better to rely on what he can do.
He closes his hand tighter to keep the ring safe in his fist, then takes a small step forward before reaching out to encircle Elliot in his arms, quickly pulling him into a tight hug.
Not a Craig-hug, not enough to hurt (he hopes), but enough that he's hoping even the tiniest bits of his feelings can be read.
He stays like that for a moment, gathering shaking breath, before finally attempting words.]
...He gave me one, too. Forneus, I mean. It's back... teapot, I think, I...
[Oh, this is going miserably, and he knows it. His limbs are trembling a little from nerves, but he presses on.]
...it's yours, when we get back. [That has to confirm it, right?] But... for now...
We should go back to our mission. [Ugh, that sounds terrible!] N-not because I don't want this. But because I have a million things to say and none of them are making sense right now.
If I have a little time to think, maybe I'll be able to say at least some of them right.
[And at no point during this has he made any move to let Elliot go.]
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And even if he knows that Rean would need a moment to process, each passing second was excruciating. He certainly wasn't breathing, and his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest.
But instead of a gentle rejection like he was bracing for...he feels Rean pull him into a hug. A tight one, sure ... but more gentle and tender than any hug he'd get from his family. It was markedly a hug from Rean, like he's gotten numerous times before, and yet...it felt all new, as the implication dawned on him.
"It's yours, when we get back".
Now it was his turn for his eyes to widen. Maybe it wasn't a bold declaration, but it was definitely a yes. A yes in the most Rean way possible.
His heart goes from racing to just out-right exploding. His fingers go to clutch onto the front of Rean's shirt as he finally exhales. He almost feels light headed. He said yes, he really said yes]
Rean...
[His follow-up is very much like him too. He doesn't respond right away, blinking back the tears in his eyes that was just from relief. He can understand where Rean is coming from, it's not like he's much better with words. Though at the same time, he does tend to be the level headed one]
...I'm not sure that's a good idea. We'll be distracted, and then one of us might actually get hurt. [Which would be bad, real bad!! But he'll quickly follow up with]
How about we head back to the main road and walk back to the Harbor? That should give you time to think. If we pass any of the other search parties, we can pass on what we know.
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But then, oh, he's just talking about continuing on. That's fair enough, Rean supposes. He wants to keep pressing on, because of course he does; he can't help but want to put his all into something like this, but as much as it pains him to admit it, Elliot's got a point.]
...All right. [He sighs the words, half with relief and half with resignation as to the fate of this mission.] That's fair enough.
[He pulls back a little to offer Elliot a nervous smile, his own eyes a little glassy.]
I'd be even worse off for words if anything were to happen to either of us, anyway.
[He hesitates for a second, as if wanting to say something, before just leaning his head down to press his forehead against Elliot's, giving another sigh as his eyes slip closed, letting out some of his nervous energy. Some, but hardly all.
After a couple of seconds, he pulls back, finally releasing Elliot.]
...Okay. Let's be sure to keep our eyes out on the way back. There might still be trouble.
["Our," because neither of them are going to be in the state of mind required for just one of them to keep watch.]
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[But for now, there were other search parties. So even if he knows Rean would want to continue on...for now, it was better to leave it to the others. And hey, maybe they'll find the miners while they're gone. Elliot could always hope for that.
He's not touching how Rean reacts when bad things happen to his loved ones. No siree. No need to open that can of radioactive worms. Elliot would just resign himself to always being extra careful.
Though, having Rean get so close to touch his forehead sure makes his heart feel like it'd burst against. They've always been rather touchy, but that was a new gesture. An intimate one. He feels almost like he's in a daze when Rean pulls away from the thrill of it all.
But uh right. They should focus. Teyvat to Elliot, please come down to earth.]
R-Right. Let's go!
[He'll start walking towards the direction that he knows the main road is, keeping his pace to close to Rean. After a minute or so of walking though, he'll chance it...reaching over to lightly take Rean's hand with his own again, but this time continuing to hold on with a gentle grip. ]
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[Rean's pretty dazed by everything, too, if he's honest. It's hard to believe what's going on is actually real, or at the very least that it's actually happening to him.
But lighter, softer feelings far outweigh the disbelief. His steps feel lighter, and he can feel the warmth pooling in his cheeks and in his chest. His heart is still pounding, but for once, it's nowhere near as heavy as it's always been.
And Rean's content with just that as he and Elliot start making their way back. He mostly keeps his eyes on the road ahead, although he can't help but steal quick glances at Elliot every now and again, trying to gage his expression.
He's so focused on that that it startles him a little when he feels Elliot's hand slip into his own. But after those first few seconds pass and Elliot doesn't pull away, Rean's more than happy to curl his fingers back around Elliot's.
He offers a gentle squeeze, then shifts his hand so that their fingers fall to lace with one another.
There's a smile on his face all the way back.]