seasonsrpg | semi-open 💐 I had to fall to lose it all

Exactly! We have a lot of great street food in Sumeru, but I'm willing to bet there's even more here - what with it being an other wordly melting pot.

There does seem to be a number of them about, though I'm not sure if my conception has been skewed by the arts festival yourself and Ayaka hosted.

I guess we'll find out together... and I know it's a bit early to consider, but I do want to do a winter festival too.

Oh? The last one was popular, I can't say I'm surprised. Will it be the same theme, or something else?

A different theme. But we could add all sorts of fun snow activities. Snowman building contest. Snowball fights. Sledding. Maybe some kind of scavenger hunt.

I wonder if any of our fellow Otherworlder's have holidays in the winter you could use for inspiration as well? I considered asking Inaba for collaborating and making a questionnaire when people arrive so we could look at events for people to feel more at home, I just haven't got around to it yet.

I think that's a great idea! I wouldn't mind incorporating a little bit of everybody's winter holidays. I think that's kind of in line with what we'd like to do anyway... make our own unique holiday here.

That would certainly help people feel they have something to look forward to. I know I enjoyed the last festival you worked on.

{ though some of that was for unsavoury reasons sorry kaveh ksdjng }

Then it's settled. Perhaps at the end of the summer you, me, and your sister can get together and start talking about plans for some kind of Winter Celebration.

[ look, that's okay.
all reasons are good reasons.
even the unsavory ones. ]

{ he'll take another sip of the wine at that, before giving a small smile, glad they found something that could offer a thing to look forward to. }

Of course, I'm sure between us we'll manage to organise something. Which reminds me, { how it reminds him, he won't say, but- } I'd said I would tell you what I discussed after you left, did I not?

...mm, agreed. [ he seems equally pleased, and so he goes to take a sip only to stop. ] Ah, right, yes. I'm curious about what you'd asked him. [ he nods, giving the floor back to ayato. ]

{ his eyes shift down to the wine glass in his hand for a moment, before he looks back at kaveh's face. }

This may seem like a strange question, but do you remember Lumine or Aether as the Traveler who visited Sumeru?

Lumine. [ he thinks he knows where this is going. he and alhaitham both share the same traveler, but there's apparently a parallel universe in which aether is the traveler... so he's going to assume there's some discrepancy between himself, ayaka, and thoma. ]

{ kaveh is intelligent, he isn't at all surprised that he's already picking up on it. }

We remember the same then, and as you may have surmised... Ayaka and Thoma do not. The Traveler they remember is Aether. Part of the reason I had hesistated when I had learned of Thoma's feelings for me was due to the fact that there were a number of what ifs involved. It would have been much simpler if we had remembered the same, but the matter would also not change the fact that without Ayaka being with Cloud I would still have a responsibility to bear.

{ he pauses. }

Honestly I'm still not sure what means could possibly be available, and I've agonised over this a fair amount. What I wanted to ask Olwen and the other power holders about was whether someone could be potentially sent elsewhere after our time here is done.

...that makes sense. [ the hesitation. he already had a number of things to overcome, but to go back home and have a thoma that doesn't remember anything of what you'd experienced together... kaveh can't even begin to imagine. ] Yeah. [ said quietly. ] Do you know if your Ayaka had a crush on anybody back home? [ because not all hope is lost yet. ] ...but I get it. [ and he knows ayato wouldn't force ayaka into anything. he'd likely take the proverbial hit in doing something he doesn't want to... ]

Do you mean to go to their version? But how will you send that Ayato to yours?

Potentially only someone that would not solve the problem at hand. After all, Lumine is already in a relationship and quite clearly another woman.

{ and even if he compliments and flirts in his own way with lumine, he'd stop in a heartbeat if ayaka asked it of him. he would have with thoma as well, honestly. }

I don't know. That's why I asked them. Perhaps it would be easier if memories were just shared across both worlds, at least then one version of me could be happy even if it isn't me.

...oh. [ so his 'other' sister likes lumine? that definitely further complicates things. ] Hmm. [ he doesn't know how he feels about shared memories. that would be a trip - suddenly having memories of something you didn't even do. would it be dream-like? ] I think you both deserve to be happy... [ frowns. ] I'm sure they or you or... maybe even me could figure something out.

We have no powers that can alter realities, Kaveh. This is why I've had to hope that those who brought us here can do something. If they can't do anything, perhaps I'll be lucky and not remember a thing.

Either way, the fact they'll look into it is a start. It's better than what options I had yesterday.

...not yet. We don't know what we can and will uncover here, Ayato. We have already been given powers beyond what we should have, and there might be more to unearth here. If there's anything I can do to help, then I'm going to do it.

But...

I'm glad. [ he grabs his shoulder and squeezes reassuringly... before tugging him into a hug. ]

{ he gives a small smile in return to those words, grateful for them even if he is too much of a realist to expect anything at this point.

the people here trying is more than he expected.

thinking that, he's a little taken by surprise when the squeeze to his shoulder shifts and he's pulled into a hug instead. he's careful to make sure he doesn't spill the wine, and with everything they've gone through he ends up leaning into the hug more than kaveh may expect. }

Thank you.

{ his voice is smaller and weaker than kaveh probably is used to, one hand reaching to grip at the back of his shirt while the other keeps the wine steady. }

[ and though kaveh might be 75% drunk he still knows when he needs to be serious, and this is serious. he holds onto ayato, giving him a tight ( and reassuring ) squeeze. ] Of course. And I mean it, Ayato. For a friend like you, there's nothing I wouldn't do.

{ kaveh probably does not realise how much those words mean, to someone who has had a target on their back from such a young age and has to hold people at arms length back home. very few get the same level of trust he's placed in the other, and dying together has only cemented that further.

while kaveh may blame himself for it, ayato doesn't nor will he ever. not when kaveh has shown him nothing but kindness. }

I feel the same. If there's ever anything you need, all you need do is ask.

{ when he pulls back his eyes don't quite meet kaveh's, if only because he keeps blinking as if to stop any tears that may be threatening to come. }

[ he had considered ayato a friend long before all of this insanity happened, but dying definitely did change their relationship. although kaveh does give his trust like the sun gives its warmth ayato is not like most people, and he certainly appreciates their relationship all the more. he smiles, reaching to tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear, so, if a tear happens to fall, he can more easily swipe it away with a finger. ]

Of course, Ayato.

{ and kaveh's warmth and kindness have made it easier to place his trust in the other for them to reach this point too. enough that he doesn't pull away when kaveh reaches out, and he lets him move his hair while he clears his throat and pulls himself together. }

Though I suppose since we're talking and enjoying wine together, we should probably move on to a lighter topic.

...agreed. Let's talk about something else. Perhaps we can make plans for the future. Outings. And ones we can potentially drag our significant others on. All happy things. [ more trips to the sex shop, clearly. ] Have you ever done a bar crawl? [ kaveh no. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject