synflux | closed.

[ it's her, the fluffiest traveler that hyv can never render in 3d.

the first time she'd visited the fortress via dataverse, it was a bit livelier than what she'd expected from an underwater prison. not everyone was left rotting to accept their eventual fates in their prison cells, and they were even fed and watered three times a day with decent food. it was a well-oiled prison-slash-factory, all things considered.

but now, the atmosphere is different. it's more oppressive and suffocating, the overall fearful mood all too familiar to her as the both of them walk into what seems to be some sort of rite of initiation in the underground portions of the fortress. the man's chilling words makes ishmael grip at her sword (she has a sword now???), and she turns to look at the dark look at wriothesley's face.

she'd be lying if she didn't say she wasn't curious if he ever had this side of him. deep down, she's curious enough to want to see it. but right now with his face so serious almost to the point of terrifying, she almost regrets wishing for it.

but this isn't the place to placate him. things like this happen in the City all the time. so the least she can do now is - ]

...We need to stop them. Now.

[ she'll be right behind you, king. act now, ask for deets later. ]

Edited 2024-06-01 07:58 (UTC)

[ Hard to say if he recognizes her for who she is (Ishmael) or who she's meant to be in this dream (the Traveler) but there's one thing that remains the same regardless of who it is that stands at his side: a measure of comfort in knowing that he has someone he can trust watching his back. He doesn't smile at her reassurance - things are too bleak for that - but there's a small nod of appreciation and gratitude.

With a nod towards the assorted crowd: ]

Tell them to get out of here.

[ With that task left to Ishmael, he's marching forward again, interrupting the older man's spiel with a confidence gained from years of leadership..

It's an unpleasant back and forth, the expression on Wriothesley's face growing darker and darker with each word, the edge of his voice becoming as sharp as a knife's edge.

If Ishmael's ever wished to see him well and truly pissed off, it looks like her wish is coming true right now. ]

[ that's easy enough to do. while wriothesley talks the man in charge down, ishmael approaches the crowd, telling them to run out at the back where the incoming backup can come and get them, and she even escorts the more terror-stricken people herself. their fear on their faces look all-too familiar to her, and the more she overhears wriothesley's conversation with the man, the more she tightens the grip on her sword. not just from the man saying the same spiel as ahab would've had, but the cool anger in wriothesley's voice is bubbling forth, ready to erupt at anytime.

and honestly, ishmael can't blame him. it's obvious that he's been holding back this entire time, and that takes a whole amount of patience. honestly if it were here she would've bludgeoned this guy's head in and called a day so 🧍‍♂️

but this ain't about her. a fight then breaks out, but wriothesley doesn't seem to need any help in taking down the automatons with his fists in record time. his reflexes are even quick enough to dodge the incoming bullets that are fired at him. but the man changes course and aims his gun right for ishmael, who immediate holds up her own sword as though she knows how to use it (she doesn't). shit, can people even die in dreams? time to find out -- ]

[ Clearly it's time for her to pick up the art of swordplay.

And is it truly good reflexes or is it just an easy opportunity to show off while a guy with honestly poor aim fires a gun like he's never properly learned how to use it in his life? (Clorinde would be disgusted with his poor marksmanship, that's for sure.) But bad aim or not, Dougier crosses a line when he changes targets, swinging his gun away from Wriothesley and towards Ishmael-as-the-Traveler and Paimon.

There's no hesitation after that, only the instinctual urge to protect that leads him to surge forward, the heavy weight of his boots thudding against the floor as he makes a mad dash towards the perpetrator of the crime. Is it instinct that guides what happens next, or the resurgeance of his old memories and emotions? Either way, there's no hesitation in the way he grabs the man by the neck and lifts him up, the force of the impact sending the gun flying out of the man's hand and skittering across the ground.

It's so easy at that point to let his control slip an inch, to casually offer up a threat of death even as he slams the man to the ground like a lifeless crochet doll. This may be a dream, a repeat of old events, but he can feel the fury burning through his veins like it was yesterday, ancient rage unearthing itself at the continued audacity of those willing to use and abuse others for their own profit.

(also real talk: I'm too embarrassed to write out his dialogue in here 🧍‍♂️)

But in the end, no one is hurt further. The punishment that Dougier deserves never comes (at least not in the dream). There's just the bright light of the sun, strong enough to filter through the drawn campervan curtains, and the rustle of sheets as Wriothesley props himself upright.

frees you from this memshare now, goodbye ]

[ well, that's... certainly a dream to wake up from. ishmael stares at the ceiling, trying to make sense of what she saw and what she heard (because SOMEONE is being a coward here :/). that wasn't the first time at the fortress, technically, but something tells her it's something that she wasn't meant to see, much less hear from wriothesley ever.

his cold fury is going to stick with her for a while. not just because it's a sight that she hopes that she won't ever see from him, but because it's... making her cheeks burn up for some reason........ and she's touching them as she rises from her bed and wondering why tf she's blushing up a storm from all that (we all know why).

either way, she does have questions about the things she saw. and she is going to pad over to wriothesley's bed right now, giving the bedframe a polite knock first before sitting on the edge of the mattress while waiting for him to give her permission. also idk how to slide this bit in gracefully but her hair is in low braided twintails btw just thought you'd like to know 🧍‍♂️ ]

That... wasn't a dataverse session just now, was it?

Edited 2024-06-03 22:37 (UTC)

[ Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for Ishmael??), Wriothesley sleeps shirtless these days, because even with air conditioning it's just too fucking hot in the Nevada desert climate. The single bedsheet pools in his lap as he straightens at Ishmael's approach, Wriothesley lightly shaking his head to clear some of the sleep from his mind. Ignore the way his hair sticks up in tufts even moreso than usual; he'll make himself presentable later.

For now, there's a small grimace on his face as he sorts through the dream he'd just had. ]

I like to think I have better taste than to threaten a man in front of you.

[ Even if she apparently found it hot??? (He doesn't know this.) ]He runs a hand through his hair, worsening the mess.

Sorry you had to see that.

[ HE'S SHIRTLESS but luckily ishmael isn't the type to make a huge reaction out of it, as she's so used to seeing guys with his build around the ship. though even now she's always been so curious of the scars that hide underneath his clothes.......

but that's not important right now. she shakes her head. ]

No, it's fine. I've heard way worse from other sailors.

[ don't mind if she clambers onto the bed now, readjusting one of the straps of her tank top that fell off her shoulder as she moved. i swear this thread isn't going to be horny but i would just like to point this out anyway thank you. ]

We never visited that part of the Fortress, though. They were abandoned, weren't they?

[ Wordlessly he slides over to make room for her, eyes glancing first towards the braids that drape over her shoulders and then to the simple shift of her fingers as they tuck that rebellious tank top strap back into place. This isn't horny but unfortunately he can take a second to appreciate her bare shoulders anyway.

But he's always had great self-control and now is no different, and he's quick to turn his attention back to her question. ]

That's what I thought, until I noticed a few of the prisoners acting a little odd. [ The ones wearing the brown hats, which Miss Honor Student can probably piece together. ] Turns out someone had been setting up a whole base there right under my nose.

I shouldn't have been surprised. There aren't nearly enough Gardes to patrol the entirety of the Fortress and I only have so much time during my day to check up on everything myself.

[ Most of which is already split between his office and the Forbidden Zone underneath. ]

[ see, she'd thought the hats were just part of their dress code but she makes a sound like "huh........." ]

I always thought that the Fortress is way too large for a mere prison, even if it's half a factory. You should still hire more people as guards to look after the deeper parts of the facility though, just saying.

[ girl why are you making suggestions when you don't want him to go back there just yet ]

And... that guy. What's his name again? Dougier? Why did he...

[ her voice trails off as her fist clenches. it wasn't apparent when she was in the dream, but the things he told wriothesley hit too close for her. ]

[ She can't see it but maybe she can feel the chuckle that rumbles through his chest. ]

Ah, so I should be hiring you as my personal assistant when it comes to dealing with the Maison Gardiennage and all future requests concerning additional staffing, is what I'm hearing.

[ Just kidding, having to deal with the worst of Fontaine's bureaucratic bullshit would just send Ish back towards the sea. His good humor is short-lived anyway, the mention of Dougier enough to sober him instantly. His shoulders lift and fall in a shrug, her head bobbing up and down with it. ]

Some people are never satisfied with what they have. They see others as disposable, mere tools to be used to further their own personal gain. Even if you can't relate [ and he sincerely hopes she never will ] surely you've seen enough of that kind of behavior to understand.

[ rolls her eyes ] Ugh, no thanks. I became a sailor just to escape the never-ending paperwork, you know. You're on your own there.

[ sorry, babe. but there is some truth to that - it's half the reason why she quit that line of work, sorta.

but the jokes stop there. she brings her knees up to her chest, placing her chin on them as she continues to look at wriothesley. she already knew what kind of leader he is thanks to her own line of questioning some months ago, but hearing him lay it down on the guy is another thing. what an upstanding guy. ]

Yeah. The methods were different, but the atmosphere on the Pequod when the Captain sent us on that hunt was more or less the same. [ she sighs. ] I'm just glad you were able to put a stop to it in time.

[ I'm just glad you were able to put a stop to it in time, she says, but he can't help but feel that he'd arrived on the scene too late. Too many people had suffered because he'd been forced to stay his hand and play by the rules a little longer.

With power comes...if not responsibility then a certain degree of hindrance, additional rules and scrutiny and compartment if he wants to be seen in any sort of positive light.

He looks straight ahead, regret clouding his expression, her reassurance seemingly fallen on deaf ears. ]

I just wish there'd been more I could have done for them.

[ He can't take back their suffering and trauma, no matter how much he wishes he could. ]

[ oh, that's not a look she wanted like to see on that face. she leans forward, getting on her knees this time as she lifts a hand up to comb through his messy hair. ]

Hey. You did what you could. And that's easier said than done, but... I'm sure they appreciate all the hard work you did before it'd gotten worse.

[ she would've appreciated it, if she's one of those people who were affected. though, not going to lie, she did wish he was there somewhat to save her when all that nonsense on her end had happened. but that's that, and this is this. ]

So don't dwell too much on what could and could've been, okay? [ her hand smoothly glides down the side of his face and pats lightly at his cheek. look, she's trying here. ] Come on, cheer up.

Edited 2024-06-04 03:34 (UTC)

[ For her he tries, letting out a long low breath before attempting a half-hearted smile, a crooked lift of his mouth. Her hand against his cheek is soothing and he covers it with his larger one, leaning briefly into its warmth. ]

Avice and Faisolle did ask me for my blessing when it came to hosting their wedding in the Fortress, so....I suppose you're right.

[ Imagine, him as a wedding planner.... ]

[ wait hold on, wedding gossip??? she's going to be so seated on wriothesley's lap for that, let's go. ]

Oh, you mean the couple we saw on that stage? Good for them.

[ wow, even someone like them still want to marry in such a bleak place, huh. although with wriothesley's management, she supposes the fortress doesn't seem half-bad at all - to her, at least . it's certainly better than the pequod and some of the more infamous facilities in the City, that's for sure. ]

Speaking of weddings, [ i may as well bring it the fuck up now than never ] I was going to ask you about that, actually.

[ dun dun dunnnnnn ]

Edited 2024-06-04 04:00 (UTC)

[ you really said we're not going to make this horny and had her sit on his lap anyway

Thankfully they are saved by the fact that they are still in public (even if the rest of their campervan party has scattered off outside for the time being), Wriothesley putting on his behavior and keeping his hands to himself. Well, one of his hands. The other one comes to a rest at the small of her back, though he at least has the good grace to keep his fingers over the fabric of her shirt.

Ishmael clearly has something she wants to talk about, the least he can do is pay attention to what she has to say. ]

What about it?

[ can't a girl sit on her man's lap innocently anymore, damn. although maybe she should've thought twice before sitting on said man's lap when they're about to talk about marriage (along with lingering thoughts of a Slightly Mean Wrio in her mind), but welp. too late now. ]

I just... wanted to be on the same page as you on this. Truth be told, I wouldn't have thought about it now if it weren't for some guy meddling into our business before we even got together as a couple.

[ fuckin' elysium, man......... ]

What are your own thoughts about marriage? Assuming that you'd lived a more peaceful life on the surface. Are you open to it if... you know.

[ "you know" could imply so many things, but. yeah. she's actually a little flustered about the topic, but here it is, out in the open. ]

Edited 2024-06-05 22:22 (UTC)

[ This is a very deep conversation to have at [checks watch] 7 am in the morning. Or however early it is right now, early enough that he does blink owlishly at her at the sudden question. ]

Isn't it a little early to start talking about marriage?

[ Both literally and figuratively. But before she starts accusing him of not taking her seriously he shifts underneath her weight, lips pursing into a frown as he thinks....for a good minute or two. ]

I don't know. [ Is what he eventually settles on, a simple and vague answer. ] The only real personal experience I have with marriage is, well, my foster parents, so you can imagine I don't have any particularly pleasant associations with it.

[ Another pause. Unconsciously, his fingers start worrying at the fabric of her shirt. ]

Marriage also requires a certain amount of committment and trust that I don't know if I can give any time soon. [ Or ever, really, but he'll puzzle out that one when it comes. ] Is that a dealbreaker for you?

[ They've only been dating for like two weeks.....help. ]

[ IT REALLY HAS BEEN LIKE TWO WEEKS... but they may as well get it out of the way now before they fumble over it if that time comes. and even then, ishmael isn't sure if that time would ever come for the both of them. ]

No, it's not. Honestly, I haven't really considered it either. And the more I think about it...

[ hold on, give her a minute to look away from him as she mulls on the right words to say. ]

I don't think I'm ready for that just yet. Or even in my immediate future. Living in the City made me realize that it comes with plenty of risks that I'm not yet prepared for.

[ like the aforementioned commitment and trust, and having the settling down and, wings forbid, having children to take care of. ]

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm pressuring you right now. But basically - no, I don't plan on getting married. [ she reaches for his hand and laces their fingers together to make it final. ] Also, I just realized that we hadn't even had our first date and yet here I am, asking you this. I'm really doing this backwards...

[ aaaaaaahhh ]

[ He can't help it; he laughs. Nothing too prolonged or overwhelmingly loud, just a chuckle full of genuine mirth that rumbles on a little longer than usual. Here he is talking about marriage of all things, when he'd spent the last decade and a half not even thinking about dating.

Truly it's ass backwards but he finds he doesn't mind. ]

It's not exactly the normal progression of things, no. [ His tone is warm and fond. ] But I don't think either of us would consider ourselves normal people.

[ He, who had murdered his foster parents and spent over a decade in prison. She, who'd been gaslit and betrayed by her ship captain, and had lost everyone who ever mattered to her. Two deeply scarred people trying to explore uncharted territory together. It's only natural for them to fumble a little.

He smoothes his thumb over her fingers, content with the simple handhold. ]

I'm guessing this means no kids for you either, right?

[ Just checking. ]

[ her kneejerk reaction is to berate him for laughing at her own clumsiness, but the fact that she haven't seen or heard him laugh like this before stops her at the last minute. he sounded so cute and carefree just now, so she's going to let it slide for once.

instead, she shakes her head at that question. ]

I still have the whole world to explore. And... this world is simply not safe enough to raise a child, in my opinion. I'm sure you of all people would understand.

[ she ducks her head low almost guiltily. it's a shame, tbh. he'd be so good with kids, mostly because of everything he'd been through. ]

[ His laughter fades, some of his good humor subsiding. They haven't always seen eye to eye on things (and certainly won't in the future), but on this subject he can't disagree. ]

I do.

[ He wouldn't even bring another adult into this world if he could help it, let alone a vulnerable child deserving of so much better. ]

I don't envy anyone trying to raise a family here, with the way things are right now.

[ But that's why they're here, isn't it? To try and eliminate some of the danger and ensure a slightly happier, more hopeful future. Though he would much rather think about the present and how comfortable he is now. Her lowered head makes it easy for him to dip his head down and press a quick kiss to the top of her head. ]

Anything else we should cover while we're at it? Anniversaries? Retirement funds? Who gets what in the divorce that isn't happening?

[ Now he's just messing with her. ]

[ well, that got her to laugh a little, at least. fine, fine, she gets it. it's way too early for those things, and there's no guarantee that they'll be here long enough for any of that. she just... wanted to be sure, that's all, and knowing that wriothesley shares the same sentiments as hers for the immediate future has helped in taking off some of the minute stressors she has in mind.

and now that's left is - uh oh. ]

There's one more, but... [ her cheeks suddenly flare red. ] Just. Don't take this the wrong way, okay?

[ please don't take it against her she needs to get this out of her system before it continues to haunt her PLEASE....... ]

[ It's a good thing she's got her head bowed then so he can't see the worst of her flushed cheeks. Though maybe it would have been better with the visual cue, because the words are enough of a concern on their own.

He frowns, trying to suss out her meaning off of what little she's said. Slowly: ]

Take what the wrong way...?

[ Did he accidentally do something to piss her off?? ]

[ he didn't do anything to piss her off at all. in fact it may have achieved the opposite effect... 😭 ]

How do I put this... Um, back in that memory when you were holding that guy up by the neck and threw him down? And just threatening him like that...

[ she gulps. ]

I thought that was very attractive of you. [ she lets out a huff THERE SHE SAID IT. ] Not that you should ever put your hands around me like that, but... I'd thought you were too soft and nice to me until recently, so.

[ yeah. god. she's aware that she's yapped too much, so maybe she should crawl off his lap now that she said it hahahaha bye ]

Edited 2024-06-06 08:20 (UTC)

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