Jump to content

[OP-F15] King of Crows


Recommended Posts

"Sadly no," KnightinGale sighed. "I had to find someone to do them. Well rather show me how to apply them. I've never been that great with games. They were always my sister's thing."

KnightinGale pointed towards the other white haired player that, aside from the hair, eyes, and face shape, looked almost nothing like her. KnightinGale looked like she ran with the less than pleasant crowds in the real world, a not very far off assumptio. Her sister on the other hand looked practically like royalty. KnightinGale watched as her sister approached yet another newcomer to the bar. Seeing the friendly, and obviously flirtatious, behavior between them, KnightinGale turned her attention back to her current drinking buddy.

"At least she seems happy with that one," KnightinGale said as she sipped on her whiskey. "Oh. Name's Ev-. I mean KnightinGale. God that feels still so weird. Back to the tattoos though. I found a merchant in Taft that sells them as something called a vanity item. The good thing about them is unlike the real thing, I can change these at will, provided I can work the damn menu, which I suck at. So how 'bout you stranger? What do they call you?"

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sometimes you can be so shocked, so absolutely enraptured and terrified at the same time, that you can watch something happen, and not even realize that anything is occurring at all.

It's a strange sensation, let me tell you.

For Heimdall, it was even stranger because the woman he was staring at, eyes affixed to and following, turned and bumped into him.  And it didn't even register until about three seconds when she leapt and threw her arms around his neck (somehow not spilling her drink in the process, an impressive feat).

She pulled his face down to her level, face between her hands and squished, making him look like a fish. "Y-yeah, its me," the man said through puckered lips. "I tried to add you too, but I kept getting it wrong, I think," the man added, a hint of embarrassment at his inability to spell 'nightmare' (he spelled it correctly but did not realize there was a 'k' at the start). "I'm glad to see you too, but would you mind letting go of my face now?" Heimdall finally said.

Finally able to stand up straight, the man stretched his back slightly with a groan. "I can't believe we ran into each other again!" he said, with a broad grin. "I feel like an idiot for not adding you before we split up..."

Among all the other things that had happened between them, that one little detail had slipped by.

"So uhm...do you mind if I get you a drink? So we can catch up?" Heimdall asked, a might sheepishly before noticing the glass in her hand. "Oh! Uhm, you have a drink, sorry, I, uh- nevermind-" [Insert unintelligible babbling here.]

@Knightmare

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

"Just slap them on at the start of the day, mix and match when you feel like it." A slow nod of her head accompanied smirk. She admired the dedication to her real world skin art. "Neat. I will definitely be checking out that shop when I get the chance. Was considering one in the outside the game, before this shit hit the fan." The reminder that constantly slapped them in the face, she needed a drink just thinking about it. Which made it even worse when she was reminded the alcohol won't do anything. Definitely one of the worst parts about this place. "Dunno what I want yet, but if they look half as good as yours, I'd be happy." A golden gaze traveled up her arm before stopping and meeting hers. "Jevi, nice to meet ya. If you're still getting used to using your username, then you probably don't get out much."  The smile that accompanied a small chuckle peeked over the rim of her glass, before hiding it with another sip. "I wouldn't worry about that though. I was a late bloomer too, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone here was." Shifting the weight on her chair, she placed herself with her back to the bar, elbows propped up. "Stories are always hyping up the frontliners as players who started grinding on day one to fight the boss. I call bullshit, they probably sat on their asses for a month, not sure what to do like the rest of us." 

That was a lot of words. A lot of words that usually don't come out of her mouth. Was she actually starting to get sociable? Was this drink actually working? Either way it felt new, fresh. It felt good.

"That one looks a big teddy bear of a man. Suits the vibe your sister gives off better." her head tilted to the side, gentle wrist motions swirled the she held by her fingertips. "Well, either she's super friendly to every guy she meets in a seedy bar, or she already knew him. No one's that friendly and bright eyed talking to a complete stranger." Jevi would lean forward to look down the other end of the bar, to where the original red-eyed man was sitting after being denied by both girls. "Honestly, was kind of expecting a bigger reaction from the hot-head over there. Maybe that's a good thing." she would let herself lean against the bar once more. Didn't want to get caught looking across at him. "Guess it's a good thing, having your sister here with you. Not many people are lucky to have family in game with them, let alone friends. Some days I'd kill to have that connection.."

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

"It happens, darling," Knightmare murmured, letting her fingers trace a gentle line along Heimdall's cheek. Her touch was warm, and as her palm rested on his skin, she felt the subtle tension in his jaw. The flicker of nervous energy radiated off him like an electric current, and she savored every bit of it. It had been months since they’d last seen each other, a gap that felt longer than she’d ever expected. Seeing him now, in the dim glow of the bar, made her realize just how much she’d missed him.

She leaned in close, standing on her tiptoes to reach his ear, her voice soft yet filled with a teasing edge. "I missed you a lot," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. Then, she drew back, her gaze locking onto his as if to hold him in place.

With a mischievous glint, she lifted her half-empty glass, downed it in one smooth motion, and sensually plucked the olive from her drink, eating it slowly and never breaking eye contact. "Looks like mine has just been emptied. I'd love for you to buy me another," she said, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

Without waiting, Knightmare took Heimdall’s hand, leading him through the crowd toward the bar. Her sister, a more rebellious, punk-rock mirror image of herself, stood there deep in conversation with a striking woman sporting long purple hair. Knightmare’s timing was impeccable, they arrived just in time to catch her sister mid-introduction with Jevi.

She lifted a finger to signal the bartender, ordering another dry martini for herself and a hearty flagon of mead for Heimdall. The bartender worked quickly, but she only half-noticed, more interested in the banter unfolding around her.

"Well, Teddy," she began, tilting her head as she addressed him by his old nickname with a teasing smile. "What in the world have you been up to?" Her voice held a note of curiosity, tinged with a bit of playfulness. Unlike him, her own recent days had been marked by leisurely sightseeing, but she enjoyed watching him squirm, wondering what he’d reveal.

Just then, a thought struck her, and she let out a groan, smacking her forehead lightly with her hand. "Oh, I'm such a dunce," she laughed. "Teddy, meet my sister, KnightinGale." She gestured to her sister, whose leather jacket and spiked jewelry contrasted Knightmare’s own more refined appearance. "Ev-" she stopped herself, "Gale, this is Heimdall. We actually got lost in a forest together on our first adventure lesson," she said, chuckling at the memory.

Then she turned to Jevi, flashing a welcoming smile. "Hi Jevi, I'm Knightmare. You’re quite the sight, you look like you can handle yourself pretty well." She shot a playful glance toward her sister, then added in a quieter voice, "We’ll need to catch up later, Gale."

With a wink at Heimdall, she clinked her fresh drink against his flagon then to the other two. "To old memories, new encounters, and whatever trouble we find next," she toasted, a sparkle in her eyes.

Edited by Knightmare
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

Her finger brushed against his cheek, warm to the touch, but still sending a shiver down Heimdall's spine as her palm cupped his cheek. Freeze or melt, he'd fall apart into her if she'd let him. But she pulled away, and whispered softly in Heimdall's ear. His fingers brushed up against hers, a quiet return of the same sentiment, as the man could hardly trust his words.

Because of course, they'd failed him once he realized she had a drink after he'd already asked if she wanted to get one. Because Theodore was, of course, the most observant human-being in the world (You'd think with how high up he was, he'd be able to see better). Odette didn't miss a beat though. Not a single one, as she practically inhaled the unfortunately non-alcoholic beverage. And the way she stared at him as she plucked the olive the drink, and slowly devoured it. Heimdall's failing words faded and died a slow death before he just stared at her, mouth half-agape. "Looks like mine has just been emptied. I'd love for you to buy me another."

"Uh, y-yeah," the man stuttered, before blinking fiercely, and reminding himself that he was, in fact capable of actual thought and speech. "I'd be happy to ob-" Before he'd even managed to finish the sentence, Knightmare was already tugging him towards the counter.

She knew his drink still, and didn't hesitate to order a pint for him, and another cocktail for herself, and Heimdall slid some coins onto the counter before anyone could've stopped him. Now with a big mug in hand, leaning against the counter, he felt perhaps a little bit more at home in one of his old haunts, and less like he'd just been in a high-speed collision and suffering from severe whiplash. He thought for a moment. What had he been up to in the last few months. "Thinking of y-" Thank God Odette had her senior moment right then, before Theodore made a fool of himself. The woman turned around and introduced him to the woman he'd seen earlier whom he'd mistaken for Knightmare.

"Nice to meet you, Gale. Your sister has told me a lot about you," he said with smile, before also turning towards the other woman and giving her a nod as well. "Ma'am. Pleasure to meet you both." Ever the gentleman.

The two excused themselves from the conversation though, and returned to their own private words. "Cheers," the glasses clinked and drinks poured back. "So where've you been Odette? I wasn't sure we'd run into each other again," he asked, completely having forgotten she'd asked the same of him.

@Knightmare @KnightinGale @Jevi

Edited by Heimdall
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

"Truth be told," KnightinGale sighed as she took another swig of her libation, continuing the conversation with her current drinking buddy. "The only reason I'm even here is because I was worried about her gettin' merked by some clown with a knife. She's the big gamer, not me. Judging by the man she's cozying up to seems like he's doing a better job than I am. Even if he is a bit of a... well... bumbling idiot."

Eve winced in embarrassment as attention was turned to her by her lovely sister. She put on her best facade, in an attempt to mask that she was talking just the smallest hint of smack about Lil'Odie's current fling. Something about getting lost in a forest? Admittedly Eve was to focused on trying to come up with a way to backpedal in the event the topic turned sour. Luckily the looming beefcake of a man with a fancy Viking aesthetic to them seemed none the wiser.

"'Sup," Eve spoke doing doing her best to maintain composure as the avid bar patron she was. "I'm sure she has." KnightinGale stood posturing as best she could to intimidate the large man before her. She'd done similar before in the real world, but here she felt way to far outside her element. At least this was somewhat familiar territory. "Heimdal right? I'm going to keep this brief. If you ever. And I mean ever. Put my sister in danger, I will personally hunt you down and well... let's just say. I take my sister's well being very seriously. Are we clear?"

As she waited for a response, she took a swig from the bottle of whiskey she had been nursing up to this point. It was nearing its end, and Eve was running low on spending cash. She needed to find a way to start earning and fast, lest her drinking habit clean out her wallet.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"Hey, I get it. You're protective of your sister. Won't get any judgement from me." Jevi would shrug, swirling the glass with a flick of the wrist before raising it to her lips once more. "Eh, I was never blessed with a sibling. A one and done kid" A more accurate statement than she'd like to admit. "So never really had someone to form that bond with." A longing breath, carrying with it the burning scent of tequila, escaped into the air before her. "Would've been nice, if I'm being honest." 

Jevi watched as the sister in question, with man in tow, approached from behind Gale's shoulder. Must've been that twin sense, like she knew they were talking about her. It was like talking to Gale's alter ego, the sweet and bubbly Jekyll to the rough and tumble Hyde. She smiled at the kind words Knightmare had for her, and tittered softly at the ironic name 'Knightmare'. "How's it going?" she offered a small wave. Shortly after KnightinGale's slight embarrassment, she seemed to buckle down and size up her sister's date. Damn, she's really protective of her sister.. Jevi thought to herself as she slowly sipped her drink from the rim of the glass, forehead creasing from a raised brow. 

For a moment, she wondered if she should step in, try to take the edge off of Gale a bit. The guy seemed like no threat, though his build would say otherwise. However, she didn't exactly feel their friendship had budded yet - the seed was hardly even planted - so it wasn't exactly her place to step in between them. Instead, she would simply clear her throat awkwardly, before turning in her stool to face forward towards the bar. But eventually, Gale's message got through, and the two were off on their own again. "She's cute." Jevi would say with a small chuckle, "Can see why you want to keep an eye on her. That guy looks like he cares about her though, so that's gotta count for something. I would've worried more if she was still talking to the other guy."

Link to post
Share on other sites

As Heimdall leaned against the counter, Odette closed the space between them, resting her weight lightly against him. Drink in hand, she took small, deliberate sips, savoring it as if she wanted the moment to stretch indefinitely. Her emerald eyes flicked to his face, watching his body language. Thinking of...? Me? The thought made a playful smirk tug at the corners of her lips, and when she met his gaze, she let it linger, unbroken, watching him squirm. The way he stumbled over his words made her happy, mainly due to the effect she seemed to have on him. Her free hand brushed over his, and she just couldn't resist the temptation. With her free hand, she reached up to gently caress his cheek, her touch soft and feather-light. 

After introductions were made, Eve predictably shifted into her protective role, and ever-reliable constant in Odette's life. Odette watched as Eve attempted to intimidate Heimdall. The dynamic that Eve and Odette had was as old as they were. Eve was the physical protector, the shield. Odette was the strategist, the one who ensured they survived through other means, mostly monetary. This balance was one they had perfected over years of challenges. Their bond was forged in fire, and unbreakable. Odette looked over to Eve, "He's been a gentleman this far," Odette said, hoping to break the tension with her soft and sweet smile. She glanced up at Teddy, letting a note of fondness creep into her tone. "Even when we got lost in the woods together." Her gaze lingered on his face, recalling the memory with a warmth that surprised even herself. She wondered how he'd react to her teasing mention, if the recollection would fluster him the way her touch did.

Lifting her glass, she took another swig of her martini. She set her drink down, her attention now fully back on Heimdall. "I've been doing a lot of sightseeing," she admitted, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of something more. "Traveling from floor to floor, making friends..." She paused deliberately, letting the weight of her next words settle in the air between them. "Looking for you."

The confession hung there, her emerald eyes searching his. "What about you? It sounded like you said you were thinking of something," she prodded gently, her voice low, almost coaxing. Her hand found its way back to his cheek, this time resting there longer, her thumb brushing against his skin. 

Edited by Knightmare
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

The thing about being tall enough to bang your head against the doorframe, and packing enough muscle to bench a school bus was that the things that normally scared people kind of don't anymore. Namely, very protective, and possibly lethal older sisters. It wasn't so much that Heimdall didn't realize he was being threatened but more so that as Knightingale glared daggers at him, he thought: 'Aw, how sweet. She really cares about Odette. I'm glad they're so close to each other.' Well, that's paraphrasing. There was some reflection after on his own childhood and not having a sibling, but that's where things get depressing, so we'll skip that for now.

Anyways, as Heimdall tuned back in and hear Knightingale say something about putting her sister in danger, Heimdall could only look at the tattooed woman in confusion. "Why would I put Knightmare in danger?" he asked, not understanding. "I don't want her to get hurt!" But wait...would Knightmare be insulted? Would she think that he thought she was defenseless? She was a capable person, he knew that, but did she know that he knew that? "Er, not that I don't think you can take care of yourself, I just mean, uh-..." Knightmare interrupted, calling him a gentleman, and bringing up their brief time lost in the woods. Heimdall's face flushed red and he couldn't help but shift his eyes to the side, the tiniest bit embarrassed. "Uhm, y-yeah. I do my best," he stuttered.

Fast forward a minute or two, and it seemed that Odette was unwilling to give poor Theodore a break. "Looking for you." Her words hung in the air, falling slowly like a bomb. Yeah that rapid thumping in Theodore's chest was definitely a bomb. "Oh? Y-you were?" Was it too much to hope that she was being honest?

She'd never been one to lie, Theodore.

And of course, she'd caught his slip of the tongue earlier. Was that why she was teasing him now? The tips of the man's ears heated again, and he quickly put his mug to his lips to try and hide his embarrassment. "Oh, uhm, yeah I was thinking of uh..." Think Theo, think. "How many bears I still need to wrestle?"

God fucking damn it, you absolute fucking imbecile.

The lie tasted bitter on his tongue though and the man averted his gaze apologetically. "No, a-actually, I was thinking of you a lot. I uh, I kinda missed you. And was hoping we'd run into each other again?" He stated as if it were a question. As if he needed permission to want to see her again.

@KnightinGale @Knightmare

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...