synflux | [closed] april showers bring may showers

[ A picture overlooking all of Las Vegas as dusk settles in finds its way to Malkuth's inbox. ]

@ SUGARCANE
Are you busy tonight?

[ ... oooh. that's pretty. he's probably flying then, or maybe someplace high. ]

@ ONESTEPFORWARD
Not a bit! Where is that? It's a gorgeous view...

There's a Ferris Wheel on the south side of town, past all the spas and bath houses.

Wanna kill some time?

Please. Give me five minutes and you can take me wherever you want.

[ she just needs to let gebura know and get a little dressy... something short and dark blue, with gold pearls mimicking stars in the sky across her chest. that'll be cute enough thanks glam upgrade. ]

I'm in the front.

[ The hotel lobby is full of Outsiders. Kaito's over by the coffee machine. He's decked out in all black; a clean black dress shirt featuring sprawling white flower and wing patterns, with the sleeves rolled up to show off scars and muscle, black slacks, and polished dress shoes.

Even from far away, Kaito seems tense. His shoulders are bunched and he's been staring at the machine for a long time despite still holding onto an empty cup.

Lost in thought amidst the noise, he won't notice anyone approaching. ]

[ he's a pleasant sight from afar, both for his style and because of the warmth that swells in her chest; it dampens a bit when something seems off, and malkuth pauses in her approach before continuing.

even if she'd like to be there for his rainy days too, she'd still like to cheer him when she can. so, she'll tease a little as she realizes he hasn't noticed her at all, hand light on his arm. ]

Waiting on someone, handsome?

[ it's the same sort of play she might have with her other friends, but he really does look nice. the effort isn't unappreciated, even if it's to fit in -- it's why she's chosen the style she has too, sheer fabric matching her dress over her otherwise bare shoulders. malkuth does her best to remember what people like. ]

[ Kaito's forced himself to shut his aura perception off in the minutes leading to his arrival. His mind is already full of doubts and insecurities and embarrassment that he's certain he'd bolt at the first inkling of sensing her presence.

There's still a pretty loud voice upstairs that says to book it. Text a hasty excuse, sneak upstairs, tell Saber to buy some burgers and sleep.

He's in the middle of opening the interface when he feels the gentle warmth creep up his arm. ]

Hey, actujahsfkdn

[ Kaito jolts. Malkuth's teasing greeting registers two seconds after he's shoved his heart back behind his ribcage.

Golds sweep over to meet his assailant, and the dragon loses himself for a second. Malkuth was stunning the first time he saw her in a dress. Tonight knocks that breathtaking feeling out of the park.

I mean, she even remembered the clavicles—

A guilt-ridden smile finds its way into Kaito's features. He tries to shake off the thundering insecurity so that it'll meet his eyes.

He manages, if barely. The ruddy ears frame everything nicely. Whispering below the buzz but above the din, Kaito replies. ]

Not anymore. But my world might need a few seconds to start spinning again.

[ malkuth bites back her grin... deciding to keep this sight to herself, pristine in her memories, and slides her arm into his. there's no need to be guilty, she wants to say. no need to give that look. the words aren't direct in that way, but she does reply just as quietly, red warming the back of her neck. ]

Well, take your time and look all you want. I wanted to look nice for you, after all.

[ she does want to take his affections seriously, after all. his teases and more. it would be rude if she didn't, but she also... does want to figure out what exactly she wants and needs, conversation with ryoji on her mind about it. it's difficult. ]

You'll have all night though, so... yeah.

[ ... you'd think being friends first would make any of this easier... ]

[ Kaito doesn't peek into her thoughts, but he sees the message all the same. He's a damn good reader himself.

Her smile alone washes so much of that doubt in his heart out in sunlight. But his mind is never idle for long. All the time he's stolen for himself while having his doubles "live" for him hasn't been spent just being anxious and guilty.

He knows he was beyond rash last month. But taking a step back has created more questions than answers. What does he feel for Malkuth, truly? What does his heart want? Does it see answers in her? In Sooyoung? A few other faces pass, but Kaito realizes he's had his eyes shut in thought for more than two seconds.

She's right. They have all night, and he will NOT ruin the sincerity of her words with the low-hanging fruit.

No amount of friendship could make this any easier, unfortunately. No level of intelligence has prepared them to tackle such matters of the heart.

Instead, Kaito finds her hand and laces their fingers together before leading out of the hotel. There's solace in the familiarity of those soft digits.

He hasn't stopped staring at her since reopening those golds. ]

I want to be the only one looking tonight, or I'd have happily spent all night gawking in the lobby, [ he teases, and it feels like a part of his clouded mind clears. Everything's felt stilted since last month, in person and over text. But those words came as naturally as breathing. ]

I let the module decide my clothes. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with how much I like its choice. The feathers and flowers feel particularly fitting, given present company.

[ malkuth hits him so lightly for the comment, same as she ever would, but her grin is wide and cheeks pink as her free hand drops away; she squeezes their joined ones, heart calm and steady in her chest. the night air isn't any cleaner than neo tokyo's, but it's cool in the desert city and she relishes the small warmth hung between them.

it feels nice to be looked at so much. is that why she likes him? likes vergilius? there's rarely a moment when their gazes are off of her -- by her own hand or their starting choice. how much of it traces back to the man who wouldn't see her at all?

is she trying to fill the void she dug out in avoiding her friends from home, or the wound far too slow to heal that he left? one paid no mind to until recently, when freedom offered her reflection.

one has been solved. the other may be yet. ]

It looks really good on you! I especially like this, [ trailing a finger up his bared arm, ] it's a good style.

[ her personal preference is slowly being shaped, becoming known to her. it's odd to realize sometimes, but not unwelcome. it helps knowing what and why she likes to look at others. ]

I've never been on a Ferris wheel before... what's it like?

[ His conflict feels so much more insignificant compared to hers—at least, he would say as such if he were privy to as much information as Yours Truly. Does he merely wish to make up for lost time? For the years of love and pining he threw to the wayside due to his 'curse'? Does his heart simply latch onto the first source of radiance that reminds him of home? Could it yearn for anyone the way it yearns for Malkuth?

Is he just looking for a substitute? Has he really fallen so fast?

Kaito files the growing stack of doubts away. Whatever the answers are, he doesn't want to assume them alone. He's learned that lesson well enough.

Queries fall to the wayside as she grazes her finger over some of his scars. A faint rumble sounds off in his throat. He chuckles. ] Maybe I could be convinced to add it to my wardrobe... with enough encouragement.

[ A beat. He sticks his tongue out before holding up his free hand. Golds burn azure, and glowing water rapidly builds the exact structure of their destination, complete with compartments and little stick figures filling in. As the wheel spins, he explains. ]

It's a slow ride that loops around the diameter of this wheel. I took my photo from the top cab—alone, mind. It's not cheap to hop on and extensions cost extra, but I've won the operator over. We can spend as much time admiring the view as you want.

[ A few city-goers pass and point at Kaito, but their words express interest in the 'hologram' he's 'projecting'. Given how seamlessly he started expressing his magic in the open, it's likely that he's garnered this reaction before.

He squeezes their joined hands after dispelling the construct. ]

And you lucked out. There are spas and bath houses all over the damn place by the wheel in case you want to wash off the day's troubles.

[ pfft. she returns the childish act, but is immediately taken in by his magic -- as ever, it's enthralling and wonderful to see. it's a wonderful little ride it looks like...

... and it seems as if her friend has turned street magician in a way, hologram they might think it. ]

You really don't need to go through the trouble of extending our time, you know. There's more than just us waiting to see the view from the top... but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

[ the thought is a nice one though, shows he wants to share that view with her longer than others might -- and it makes her smile despite her chiding, patting his arm. ]

And I'll keep those in mind too, though I don't think I'll be needing them tonight. Unless you'd like to see if they have a couple's option?

[ she's teasing. this is probably mean and unfair, but. it's a bluff. ]

[ Kaito hides behind a smile, focusing his gaze downroad. An itch in the back of his neck tempts him to probe her emotions. He resists. ]

Ask me again later if you actually want to hear the answer to that.

[ Thankfully for him, their walk ends here—a dataportal (metered, mind you) jumps them to a block away from the wheel, allowing her to view the massive wheel decorated in flashing, color-changing lights as it dances and orbits against the night sky. And he gets to dance with his thoughts.

By the time they reach the ride, it's so much larger and taller, towering over the block. The line is short, and the elderly conductor waves his arm to signal the pair over. A brief exchange of kryptos lands them in a rocking booth that's just comfortably wide on each side for a singular passenger and a tight squeeze for two on the same side.

Kaito remains latched onto the brunette's hand, but he dips in first and takes a seat, giving her the choice of how to fit in. Once they're both settled in, the wheel jerks to life and the ride begins in earnest. ]

[ ... wow. it's stunning. she inhales sharply, squeezing his hand tighter for a moment as they approach -- her neck's going to hurt from craning, sure, but it'll have been worth it -- and malkuth pauses at the door for a moment before taking the seat in front of him.

it's a fantastic sight to see when climbing up, too. the colors gleam through the window and captivate her, and they aren't even close to the top. ]

I can only imagine how this thing was constructed... making sure everything worked properly, that it wouldn't snag or snap... Engineering really is something else, huh?

[ Kaito's eyes remain on Malkuth as they begin their ascent. The lights filtering into their cab frame a warm smile. He'll never get tired of seeing her features illuminate in wonder. ]

Carefully, I'd wager. The first wheels were built hundreds of years ago now, without any magic or modern technological tools or fears. Just a lot of manpower and even more math.

Best part's coming up.

[ Literally. Their meandering pace continues, and within another thirty seconds their cap reaches the apex of its journey. Unlike his picture, the view now is a dark ocean of countless artificial stars produced by the lights of thousands of buildings.

Kaito slips his free hand behind him as he waits for the brunette's reaction. ]

[ that, she all knows -- it's written even in their own history, a footnote that might as well be legend in this day and age -- but... still, for something of this size.

for this height, allowing her to gaze down at every with widening eyes and pressing more towards the window to try and see better, it truly is something else. everything looks like stars among the dark spots of the city, few as they are; it's all bright, all colorful, especially the more she looks. the strip, the casino, the hotel where they stay... the ones they don't, the various tourist traps and walkways one might enjoy if they wished to.

it's beautiful, and she wishes she'd brought her camera after all. ]

A place of extravagance, to forget your worries even for a night... The people who built this place must've been thinking like that, and in turn the people who come here want the same. Even if they lose themselves in the process.

[ you bring the girl who likes to analyze architecture and not expect a bit of it? please. she is entranced by the outside though. ]

[ Oh, he expected nothing less. That's why he's got plenty of time during Malkuth's musing to—

Beep!

In Kaito's no-longer-free hand is a bulky, clunky looking device. It's a camera, the lens makes that obvious, but it does not belong in this era. It looks antique despite being a digital model, with a very lumpy bottom that...

Bzzzzzz.

...spits out a Polaroid of the brunette mid-reply, bright smile preserved despite the angle.

It dangles from the slot. Kaito looks like a kid who brought home straight A's. ]

I like it when you dig in to think about these things, [ he quips, plucking the photo and giving it a few shakes before handing it to her. The shot is still settling. ]

Edited 2024-05-16 21:46 (UTC)

[ it's a surprise to hear the sudden noise, jerking her head over in clear expression of it, even more to see the polaroid that feeds out of the end. malkuth takes the photo with care, watching as it settles and her cheeks dust red at the moment captured.

... ugh... how embarrassing. ]

It's... just second nature now, since I've been studying so much. Though I guess I thought about it a lot before too.

[ it's almost an apology in the way she dismisses it, excuses herself, looking back out the window again. ]

It's fascinating. How we shape what we want to see, how it shapes us in return. The way you can tell a lot about a person by how they decorate their spaces, be it their room or something larger like this. [ ... ] You really like it? It's not annoying?

[ Kaito simply puts the camera away when she begins talking again. The next few photos he shoots are from his implant—one more of her, and the rest of their view.

When she pauses to ask for confirmation, he just laughs, bright and cheery. ]

You can tell a lot about a person by the way their eyes light up—and what prompts that unforgettable glow.

[ A beat. Golds crack open, and Kaito tilts a little her way. The cab starts descending. Come to think about it, they had a long time to enjoy this view.

Down at ground level, the operator smiles and brings the next cab to enjoy their spot on the peak. ]

Yes, I really like it. No, it's not annoying. I could listen to you all night. And if you need rationalization—[ cerulean flashes as he forms another 'Polaroid' out of water and fills the 'photo' with a smiley face ]—I see the way you stare at my magic.

I'd like to believe it's a similar fascination.

Your magic is amazing, Kaito. I wouldn't care if you said a thousand others could do it -- the way you shape it, the way you handle it, is what makes it yours and that's what I like about it.

[ that it has a piece of him in every bit, every show of hand and intention. buildings... are nothing to the normal eye. no one thinks of them; they take that shelter for granted, are relieved when it's above their head during a storm and eager to leave once the sun reveals its smile.

(every bit is indicative of the culture it resides in, the people who inhabit it, from inside and out; the parallel is lost on her in the moment, the way buildings are shaped and the way they're used being what makes them special.)

malkuth shakes her head, but she smiles at the polaroid again as they descend stop by second stop. how many people have a picture of her? she could name them on one hand. ]

... Anyone's eyes would light up seeing it, if you showed them -- the people who we passed were impressed too, even if they didn't realize it wasn't a hologram. I'm just an oddball who gets excited by different structural designs.

[ and that's fine. she knows it's fine. hearing he could listen to her all night makes her want to put it to the test though, heart quick in her chest. ]

[ ...Cute. It isn't just that he can find similar passion in architecture, though. Moreso... ]

You're biased. But that's okay. It's good. Because I'm biased too. That's why, no matter the topic, I could watch and listen to you talk and explain and reason and even rant for hours on end.

[ He leans in with a bit more intention this time, poking towards her chest. ] It's because it's you. It's your enthusiasm, your wonder that I'm so fond of, just the way you're so fond of my magic.

I've seen a lot of this world, in my time. I've seen many other worlds, and though I've never become jaded, I'd be lying if I said that innocent wonder still remained strong in my heart.

[ Kaito draws back, looking outside—ears pink. ]

When I look at you, listen to you, and feel the excitement you do... I remember that there's still room up here to find something new and fascinating, even in a world I think I already know.

[ His magic fades, and Kaito casts that speckled, multicolored gaze of his her way. A sheepish laugh follows. ]

I'm an oddball, too. Excited by you.

[ her, her, her. each word, reason, and pause warms her, tugs a smile to her lips, keeps the pulse under her skin fluttering; his ears are the same shade as her cheeks, and malkuth's caught by his mingling colors again. they really are beautiful.

her, though? her... it's something she's getting more used to in different ways. excited by her, her enthusiasm and wonder.

malkuth's gaze turns outside, pulling her grin behind her teeth and trying to figure out the words to say. he doesn't need anything to tell she's happy though. ]

... This place takes a lot of architecture from around the world. It's like they've put the whole Earth into one city -- a taste of every culture, every history, whetting the appetite of people who can't, or don't want to, travel anywhere else. It reminds me a lot of my city in that way, since it's pretty much the same but on a smaller scale here.

[ he likes to hear her talk, be enthused, catch her eyes on anything at all -- she's more than happy to share it. even when they've come to a stop, even when they're allowed out, malkuth will gladly hold his hand and chat on.

because he lets her, likes it when she does, wants her to beyond a friend's interest in seeing passion (though he'll always be that at baseline, if nothing else, her best friend that likes to see passion), and her voice is warm and fond. ]

March and I went shopping around a few places, and Yesod and I have gone to a Venetian-style mall together too. Each one had a different charm to it, and while I don't know what countries or cities or anything they're referencing, I think I could definitely point them out if we ever traveled there like we have here. For work and all. I'm confident in that!

[ The spot of silence between them initially wrackes his nerves. A deep-seated fear resurfaces, crawling under his skin, insistent that he had run his mouth again, and in the worst way possible. Louder than ever, it urges him to peek. To read the unspoken, for he cannot trust silence. He can't trust her. And maybe he would have. He'd already cracked once, in the lobby.

But Malkuth's lips part before his mind does, and though she's turned back to the city, though her words are about the city, they lift all the weight off his shoulders.

Seen, heard, and felt.

Her happiness cuts through his fear; sunbeams through a storm. ]

[ Kaito fixates his gaze on her lips. It's easier for him to take in everything she shares this way. That's the excuse. His eyes never stray for long after that. A brief glance to the operator as they depart, the occasional look to decide which aimless direction to turn; otherwise, he holds her hand and listens.

Every little detail becomes a moment tucked away to keep safe and secure.

By the time she shifts away from the myriad sights and shifts to current events with friends, the pair are somewhere on a wide thoroughfare full of tourists and eateries and all sorts of distractions.

Kaito finally speaks up. ]

America, above all other countries, has held the title of Earth's melting pot for many years. Over a century in my time. Thrice that or more, now. Maybe its total size only rivals that of one of your City's Districts, but that should give you a sense of scale.

You told me that countless cultures exist in the City, between its Districts. Imagine that condensed down to a fraction of the size, but with all of the bustle of different cultures and origins clashing together. That's America. That's Utah—the region that this city, Las Vegas, sits in.

[ While he talks, Kaito starts to swing their joined arms a bit longer, a bit faster, matching their leisurely strides through rows of different restaurants and souvenir shops. No two seem to align in terms of ethnic origin. ]

Back home, there are so many more metropolises like this. Maybe not quite as gaudy or hedonistic, but they're there nonetheless, and I was well on my way to see them all before LILITH snatched me. I wonder what they would look like now if this world hadn't been ravaged by the kaiju. The thought of it is exciting again.

More exciting knowing I'll get to see you like this all over again.

[ Golds brighten. ]

I holed up in my hotel room until today. My roommate, Saber, is an interesting fellow. Reminds me a bit of Tsurumaru for some reason. Maybe I'll try to connect with them a little more after tonight, before LILITH sends us kami knows where to work. I have a bit of catching up to do to be a proper tourist.

— malkuth, mid-may

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