seasonsrpg | Shadows Withal (June Catchall)

WHO: Lahabrea & Whomever joins him! {Open & Closed Prompts}
WHAT: So what happens when an millennia old sage-like Ancient decides to explore the city? Random hijinks, of course.
WHEN: Mid-June onwards
WHERE: Various places in Nightwake City
WARNINGS: Possible 6.4 Raid spoilers among other things, will change accordingly.

I. Amberfall Library

[He’s a becoming a regular around here. The Amberfall Library has seen its far share of guests over the course of the last few months, most of which are newcomers seeking whatever answers they could find here. Lahabrea is no different in that regard but the man has made it a habit to visit the library every three days in search of a new book. He’s always been an avid reader but the man is known workaholic prone to burning the midnight oil.

Between scouring the shelves or sitting at his favorite table by the window, Lahabrea can be found spending most of his day combing through archives for whatever slivers of information he can find about Ellipsa. While his dedication is quite admirable, the man is starting to look noticeably more and more haggard as he continues with his pressing research. His eternal war against insomnia continues anew even here in this world.

However, Lahabrea eventually loses the battle as he closes his eyes and falls fast asleep with his chin perched upon his hand. Thankfully, he doesn’t snore. Just the rhythmic sound of him breathing is heard over the comforting silence of this tranquil library. ]

II. Window Shopping

[Sometime later in the day, Lahabrea could be found in the middle of town staring longingly into the window of a random clothing boutique on the boulevard. He strikes a rather imposing figure out here in the middle of town, especially since he’s still dressed in those billowing black robes. While he has grown used to the stares he receives from others, Lahabrea decides it’s high time for him to blend in with the culture of Nightwake City. However, he doesn’t seem to know where to begin. That explains why he’s just window shopping today. He noticed that many of his colleagues have adopted the fashion and mannerisms of this bizarre little metropolis, so he decides to do the same.

However, Lahabrea is a bit picky and he doesn’t know the first thing about fashion. He could honestly use some help picking something out but who could he ask? Certainly not Emet-Selch since that man is a walking disaster even on a good day.]

III. Meet The House Mates
Closed - Hythlodaeus, Emet-Selch & Megumi

[It’s a little awkward to share a house with an associate from another department and the spiritual successor of your longtime work colleague but for some oddity, Lahabrea agreed to it. After annexing another bedroom to this lovely home in Blossomcrown using creation magicks, Lahabrea now has a cozy place to lay his head.

His home away from home is quite decadent in a art-deco sort of vibe. He pretty much recreated his apartment in Amaurot here using little bits and pieces here and there to get the desired aesthetic. That explains why there’s a lot of black and golds along with a mixture of ivory and marble here and there. He kept the color scheme relatively simple while adding a hint of green with the many houseplants he purchased from town. His bedroom comes with a small little office on the side, the perfect place for him to work in peace. However, peace will not be forthright within this lovely den. Not while the two gremlins plot to ruin his peace however they may.

Unfortunately, Lahabrea is none the wiser. He’s too exhausted to care about anything right now. That explains why he’s stretched out across his black and white sofa listening to dulcet tunes of whatever jazzy song playing on the radio. Clearly this is the perfect time to pester him. Clearly. If not, maybe they catch him while he's in the middle of reading this new book he purchased from the local bookstore. Lahabrea loves to read but even he needs to let his eyes rest sometimes.]

IV. Beauty of the Well - (cw/tw: spiders)

[This isn’t the first time that Lahabrea has volunteered his services to assist others. However, this might be the last time he does so without full comprehension of the situation at hand. There were sightings of a “beautiful woman” wandering around an abandoned well. While no one knows the woman’s identity, many of the locals are worried about her safety after she was seen climbing into the well. Several hours have passed and the woman has yet to return. A bill was made in hopes of having someone investigate her mysterious disappearance, one that Lahabrea himself decides to take.

Now standing before the abandoned well, Lahabrea gingerly glances over the edge with a curious hum. He could hear the faint groaning and creaking of something deep within the well but he can’t decipher whether or not its human. The sorcerer lingers there for a time with his arms crossed upon his chest, clearly debating whether or not he should venture down there. While he wants to solve this mystery, Lahabrea isn’t foolish enough to do so alone. He can only hope that there’s someone else willing to take this quest.]

V. Wildcard

(ooc: if you have anything else in mind, please feel free to contact me on devillady or hit me up on discord.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes, Hythlodaeus is a menace and for some oddity—Lahabrea knew it. If the conversation they had yesterday is anything to go by, then he should’ve known this was all according to the man’s plans. Then again, Lahabrea wasn’t too certain about it. While he doubts Hythlodaeus is plotting anything particularly nefarious, he can’t help but notice the mischievous gleam within his eyes. He truly doesn’t know what to expect next, especially now.

“Is that what this is all about?” He questions with an arched brow. While Lahabrea is well aware of the importance of touch here, he thought just hand holding would be enough. Clearly he misjudged. “And here I thought you needed a bed.” Lahabrea states with a hint of amusement in his tone. Two can play this game, admittedly Hythlodaeus probably plays this game much better than he ever could.

“Care to enlighten me further?” Lahabrea inquires as he sinks back onto the cushions of the sofa. “Judging from the ravenous look within your eyes, there’s much to discuss.”

"Ravenous? Heh... do my eyes betray me so readily?"

He laughs, before nodding. "It is true, you are an attractive man- I would be a fool to not see it for myself."

And it is painfully obvious to Hythlodaeus that Lahabrea needs the human contact. Besides- although he doesn't bring it up, his more innocent reasoning for sharing his bed with another is simply to keep the nightmares away. Even if they really did nothing but sleep, Hythlodaeus finds that close contact helps him feel more secure.

"But my intentions aren't wholly lascivious, I promise you! I propose for now, perhaps having a conversation while sharing said bed. Talk to me about your concepts, perhaps. Or anything interesting that has happened to you here."

He boldly reaches out to take Lahabrea by the hand, smiling. "And we will fulfil the whims of this world in the process simply by holding hands."

Yes, but Lahabrea doesn't voice it. Instead, he merely smirks as he regards Hythlodaeus with a hint of amusement in his gaze.

This might be his first encounter with the Chief of the Bureau of Architect but this entire scenario isn't completely new to him. He would be lying if he said otherwise thanks to the myriad of subordinates who constantly vied for his attention. While he never paid any of them any mind, there was at least one person he had his eye on. Sadly, he was in no condition to return their affections at the time and they've since returned to the Aetherial Sea. Nevertheless, he can't help but feel somewhat flattered by Hythlodaeus' boldness.

"That sounds like a rather delightful idea," He mutters while thinking about some of the other concepts and designs he has yet to commit to form. "'Tis a shame we've been whisked away so far from our Star. There was still so much I needed to do but now I find myself on an impromptu sabbatical."

Just as a sigh passes through his lips, Hythlodaeus suddenly offers his hand. He stares at it in quiet contemplation before reaching out to clasp it. This is...foreign to him. Very foreign after decades of solitude and loneliness. Lahabrea did all that he could to keep others at bay and now he finds himself on a dangerous precipice all because he yearns for touch. His hand is a little rough and his fingers long but he's anything but gentle.

"Very well. I suppose...I don't mind." His grip tightens slightly.

Hythlodaeus gets to his feet with Lahabrea's hand in his own, and gestures to the direction of the bed.

"Come, then. Talk to me about anything you would like. I am, as it happens, an excellent listener."

Though he fully expects it'll simply be talk of concepts, if that's what Lahabrea is comfortable talking about then they can keep to that topic. He's already obviously out of his comfort zone simply holding Hythlodaeus' hand.

“Excellent listener, hm?” Lahabrea couldn’t help but smile a little as he rises to his feet. “I certainly hope I don’t bore you to sleep.” He allows for Hythlodaeus to lead the way towards his bed, quite eager to know what the young man thinks of his humble abode. Lahabrea did well to mimic the style of Amaurot here but the bed he took some liberties on since he wanted something softer than the bed he has at home.

Hythlodaeus might be surprised by what Lahabrea discusses. The man is a veritable enigma in every sense of the word. While everyone knows of Lahabrea and his many accomplishments, not many knows about the man behind the mask. This is one of the rare times that anyone has treated him like an equal and not as the venerable Lahabrea. It’s rather refreshing but also a little jarring as well.

Will Hythlodaeus be impressed with what he learns about him? Or is he simply doomed to bore the young man to death with his incessant prattling? Only time will tell.

For what it's worth Hythlodaeus listens rather intently, surprised but not unpleased to hear of his fellow Ancient's life. A lonely man made lonelier through betrayal and loss- it's a terribly sad story, and he squeezes Lahabrea's hand and smiles softly.

"Would that I could have gotten to know you better back on Etheirys. Alas, there is little use in regretting what we cannot change. Instead, pray consider me your friend from here on. You are a remarkable man, 'tis true, but I am sure you make a remarkable friend as well."

Perhaps they were not destined to be particularly close back home, but here... who is to say they can't be? He shouldn't even be alive, it's true, but given this extra time who is Hythlodaeus to turn his nose up at new friendships and adventures?

"Perhaps you and I could rope Emet-Selch and perhaps a few others into a night of revelry. It will be fun!"

Lahabrea didn’t intend to share too much about himself for fear of boring the poor man. However, once they began talking, he just couldn’t stop. He has a lot on his mind, especially regarding his son. It seems easier to talk about Erichthonios when he’s not here, but at the same time, it feels rather strange to be talking about his son like this. Contrary to popular belief, he loves his son. Of course, he does. He loves his son as much as any father would. It’s just that he has difficulty showing it. That’s his fault as both a parent and a person.

As for touching upon his loneliness, well, that honestly caught him by surprise. Lahabrea doesn’t normally open up to others like this. He’s always so stoic and so tight-lipped usually. Therefore, it feels something like a blessing to him now not to be on Etheirys anymore. While he misses home, he doesn’t miss the loneliness that plagued him since Athena’s betrayal. That’s why he feels oddly content right now.

“A friend?” He can’t help but look a bit surprised at that offer of friendship. The fact that Hythlodaeus would offer his company without a second thought is quite touching. “Ah, you shower me with too much praise. I barely know how to be a friend, nevertheless a remarkable one.” Even though he meant it as a joke, there’s some truth to that. Nevertheless, he’s determined to try his best.

“A night of revelry, hm?” Lahabrea can’t help but smile a little. “I think…I would like that, although Emet-Selch might be a little obstinate towards the idea.” Although, he’s certain Hythlodaeus will be able to convince Hades.

"You will not know unless you try." He's surprisingly gentle when he smiles, but at the mention of Emet-Selch being against the idea he laughs.

"On the contrary, Emet-Selch spent many a night drunk with myself and Azem! Aye, we have surely sampled drinks from every bar in Amaurot several times over. And sometimes it was even Emet-Selch's idea, not that he would ever admit to as much."

Grinning, he pats Lahabrea on the shoulder. "But I am full glad to hear that you will join us. I will ask around."

Shadows Withal (June Catchall)

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