[There some knocking at Navia's door, weak and uneasy in nature. A repeated sound that is insistent, but falls silent after a moment.
Behind the door there is Aether, his entire form curled in pain and there's blood over his back and newly formed wings. He didn't want to worry her, he could've chosen to just go home, but has no strength to do so. He's also learned by now that if he needs help he shouldn't try to hide away. He can rely on his friends.
Still, it pains him that he burdens her like this without ever asking first. Not like he knew that he would get new wings, now all six of them sprouting from his back with closed eyelids littered over them.]
[ Navia doesn't expect visitors, even though she's told everyone that they can count on her for anything. When she opens the door, there's a moment of speechlessness that Aether's bloody form causes. She's never seen him this bad before.
Without any more words, she comes forward, placing his arm over her shoulders and definitely not touching his back or his wings. She leads him in, kicking the door behind them shut.]
Come on, Partner, can't have you bleeding everywhere, hm? Let's get you inside.
[He gives her an apologetic look as she helps him get inside.]
Sorry... You were the closest person.
[He takes a deep breath as his newly formed wing twitches a little, as if it's trying to grow out more from his back. Hopefully, this is the last time he'd have to go through this... Six wings. That should be enough, right?]
[He sits down, relieved to have a moment of rest. The pain is still there but he hopes the worst has passed. His wings are on full display, all six of them, three bloodied and brand new with multiple closed eyelids littered on them.]
[ call it poor planning or simple happenstance, but the past day has been a steady unraveling—each event forcing wriothesley to face his natural soul head-on. he’s still reeling, still a little roughed up from shifting fully in the harbinger’s little fight club, and worse: a few uncomfortable truths have come to light. namely, that the only way to keep the spiraling, mindless rampaging his natural soul brings about at bay is to forge—and maintain—a genuine imprint. since getting by with fleeting and distant touches offers him nothing to tether to when shifted. and with his corruption, now more or less active, makes its presence known in a new way: he can already feel the pull of the moon, even as the rising sun paints the sky on his walk back to the valentia. ]
[ his syntrofos pings with a reminder that a full moon is scheduled for tonight. and after scraping together what information he could from childe before parting ways, wriothesley does the only thing he can think to do: call the one person he trusts in karteria without question. he only hopes that trust runs both ways as he finds navia’s contact and lifts the device to his ear. ]
Navia. Are you still at the Valentia this morning? Your room?
[ he’s slightly out of breath, mostly from how quickly he’s been walking. his cadence is more scattered than usual—and while navia can’t see it, but she’ll hear it in the way his voice catches, distracted. not by nerves, but by the moon’s presence still lingering in the morning sky. it isn't until, funnily enough, the patho-gen building rises up to cut off his line of sight that the subtle pull finally lessens, and his voice evens out just enough to finish the thought. ]
[ with the colder weather coming into the area, navia's been steadily wanting to stay in bed. normally this wasn't the case - she was up with the dawn and spent all hours of the day with excess energy.
the ping to her syntrofos wakes her up, and before she can even even think straight she hears his voice, scattered and out of breath. that wakes her up almost immediately, because she knows wriothesley's usually always cool under pressure. ]
I'm here. I'm still in my room. Everything okay?
[ she still sounds tired, the gruffness in her voice still from sleep. she's throwing blankets off to pull herself from the warmth of her bed, the way her body protests when the cool of the air hits her.
then she realizes - if everything were okay, he might not be needing her help. better to ask him when he arrives. ]
[ despite the slight rush in wriothesley's voice, it's the everydayness of navia’s response that sincerely grounds him for a moment. it helps more than he’d care to admit: the sleep in her tone, the absence of urgency, and the simple offer of tea—something plain and normal. and with his heavy footfall in the chill of the morning, he exhales quietly before answering. ]
As okay as we can be in this place, but it'll all make a lot more sense over tea.
[ bit by bit, he starts to sound more like himself. the edge softening into a familiar touch of dry amusement with the sort of news and ask he'll be bringing up soon enough. ]
Just passed the Council Offices—so I’ll be up in fifteen, twenty minutes, give or take [ there's a beat as he weighs whether to say it now or later, but in the end, he lets it out: ] And thanks for picking up, Navia. I know this isn’t the kind of call anyone wants to wake up to.
[ normally, Navia would have jumped out of bed at his tone. you need her help? she's dressed in five minutes and ready to go do whatever she needs to do to help. oddly enough, it didn't bother her to be this lackadaisical right then - she knew he was alive, breathing, and what sounded like walking. if it was a matter of life and death, he would have said so. ]
I'll see you in a bit then. [ he can't see it, but the thank you makes her smile. it's always nice to be thanked, especially when most people forget. ] Well, try to not let it happen again, okay? A girl needs her beauty sleep, after all.
as her gaze travels further, she might notice the details he hasn’t managed to tidy away: the faint lines beneath his eyes from a lack of sleep, the uneven state of his coat, a missing button or two, and the subtle evidence of a fight stitched across the knuckles holding up the bag. and most telling of all is the absence of his usual ears, replaced now by something far more wolf-like in shape, partially hidden by the tousled fall of his hair. it’s a subtle change, easy to overlook at first glance, but close enough now, she might see how they flick at every noise—from the faintest stirrings in the hallway or the kettle beginning to whistle from inside her room. ]
[ everything seems to be happening in november, apparently. in any case, navia receives a package from the basileios auction event—a gold antique hairpin, delicately wrapped and still nestled in its original case. alongside it is a small, decorated card dated from the twentieth of the month, penned in neat, careful script: ]
As thanks for giving me one of your roses, I figured it was only fair to return the favor in kind. The colder months may keep your flowers from fully blooming, but I hoped to find something that won’t wilt in the meantime—and might still resemble your radiance in its own way.
[ navia opened the package carefully after reading the note. not once did she expect anything in return, especially from someone she considered a friend now. her jaw dropped slightly as she stared at the hairpin, speechless. it was stunning, to say the least.
she scrambles for her syntrofos, quickly finding his name in her contacts. when she answers, she doesn't let him speak right away. ]
Wriothesley, I can't accept this! This... gosh it's too much!
[ wriothesley is in the middle of his shift when navia calls. normally, he’d wait until clocking out to return messages—but he knows when to make exceptions for people who rarely reach out without reason. when he does pick up, though, navia can’t see the way his brows rise at how abruptly she launches into her message. it only shows in the brief pause that follows, as he works to piece it all together. ]
Hm? Ah, I take it the gift was finally delivered? [ there’s an audible creak on his end, though it’s just him rocking back in a worn office chair. ] I promise, Navia, I didn’t have to fight too hard for it at the auction. It seems ornate accessories aren’t as prized here as they are back home. And as they say—what turns heads in Fontaine might raise eyebrows in Karteria.
[ whether or not that’s true is anyone’s guess. his voice doesn’t give away much—only a hint of smile behind his words to pass the gesture of the gift off as something casual, but carefully chosen. ]
[ she's settled into a chair at this point, having taken the hairpin out of its box and continued looking it over. ]
Still... [ her voice is calmer now, and she sighs. ] You didn't have to. It's absolutely lovely, but I didn't need a gift in return.
[ she's not sure how much he paid for it, or whether he was lying to her, but she's starting to come to terms with it. she honestly hadn't expected anything in return for the rose - it was freely given without needing anything in return, especially if it was going to help him stay calm. ]
[ there's a thoughtful hum on his end of the call as he considers her words before replying; he's slower this time and with a hint of warmth to his voice. ]
I didn’t have to, but I certainly wanted to. [ the smile is evident in his tone. ] Rest assured, Navia, this isn’t meant to be a gift for a gift.
[ he’s not so transactional, though he’s never shared gifts with navia before— unlike with some of their mutual friends he regularly exchanges with. so he offers her a more straightforward answer. ]
Compared to you—or others—my soul doesn't have much to offer in the way of creature comforts. So this is my attempt at the next best thing. There may not be any soothing feelings imprinted or warm memory embedded in the pin, much like your rose does for me, but I figured… even on the most tiring days or in the colder months, it might be nice to have something lovely to wear for when your flowers might not want to show.
[ there's an airy laugh to keep the conversation from being too heavy or awkward for either of them. ]
I hope I'm not overstepping any lines with any of that.
Just forwarding you a message chain so we’re all on the same page about a certain someone’s upcoming birthday.
Oh, and I suppose this doubles as a heads-up about your present, too. Or at least a proper housewarming gift, complete with a nice quilt to keep you warm for the next few months.
I almost forgot his birthday was coming up!! I've got just the idea for his present. I saw the loveliest chess set in the window of a store the other day. I'm sure he'll enjoy it.
And you know you didn't need to do that. Though quilt-making is something I didn't have you down for. I quite enjoy seeing this domestic side of you, Wriothesley.
Of course I'll handle desserts. I've got a couple in mind that he might enjoy.
I'd argue your gift is far more exciting than mine. I can’t wait to see it when it’s time for presents. Hah.
And I ended up with more fabric than I knew what to do with, so I figured: why not put together a few more quilt tops now that the frigid months are here? I’ve also run into a lot of folks who are rightly suffering in the snow, and it’d be a shame to let all that fabric go to waste.
[ so much yap and deflecting for doing cute domestic things he hasn't done in eons. let him keep some shred of 'cool mysterious emo' vibes, please. ]
But that all sounds good. I'm looking forward to a cozy dinner with everyone.
I'm quite sure your gift is just as good. Besides, you're the one getting all of us together. I think that'll mean far more to him than anything.
[ she sees that deflecting. she won't say another word about it to keep his dignity right where it should be. she'd rather keep it a secret and use this very valuable information to her benefit later down the road. ]
I am, too. Part of me wishes we didn't have to do it here, of all places. It's not fair that I got to spend my birthday at home, and the both of you have to spend it here.
[ nothing says burgeoning personal relationship like knowing a secret or two. and maybe planning to use it down the road with some sense of responsibility. potentially. navia has already had a taste of the 'friend' treatment in the form of extremely thoughtful gifts, so what’s the harm in knowing some of the details behind the next one she's bound to receive. hee ho. ]
Well, I actually sourced it from the same auction where I got your hairpin. So I’d very much appreciate it if you could manage not to look too surprised when the time comes—since I happen to know just how sharp your eye for detail is.
But this isn’t me turning things into a gift-giving competition, not at all. It’s just that... if your reaction last time was any indication, then I’d best come prepared with a convincing story about how such a trinket ended up in my hands.
Though, on a lighter note—there’s no need for any grim comparisons when it comes to birthdays. While I can’t speak for Neuvillette, I, on the other hand, am quite glad mine turned out the way it did. It’s not often I get to spend this much time on the surface, let alone spend the day with good friends without having to worry about wandering gazes or any whispered speculation.
✉ SENDING OUR THANKS AND WELL WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR
► inside the red envelope rests an assortment of pristine seashells, sand dollars, and sea glass; also accompanied by other odd little curiosities—which are mostly old coins and strange mechanical parts.
HOPEFULLY I HAVEN’T WORN OUT MY WELCOME BY THANKING YOU AGAIN. THE TWO OF US ARE DOING BETTER WITH EACH DAY.
STILL, WE BOTH THINK LANTERN RITE ARRIVED AT A FITTING TIME—EVEN IN KARTERIA—A REMINDER THAT EVEN AFTER DIFFICULT STRETCHES, THERE’S STILL WARMTH WAITING FOR US. SO WE HOPE YOU FIND THAT SENTIMENT IN THIS GIFT.
[ NO BUT THIS IS THE CUTEST THING!!! but not her totally forgetting about what time of year it was, even while here in karteria. she hadn't even thought of it being the new year already! oh no, this is absolutely horrid on her part. she hadn't even thought about gifts!
instead, wriothesley gets a short text in return. ]
Oooo, you! I hadn't remembered it was Lantern Rite until just now! Please forgive me that a suitable gift isn't ready at the precise moment because of just that.
But, you haven't worn out your welcome, and the gifts are incredibly thoughtful. Please extend my thanks to Monsieur Neuvillette.
With everything that’s happened this month—and what’s still unfolding now—even Neuvillette and I nearly let the dates slip past us. And while the celebration might feel a little out of place at the moment, we thought it best to fold our thank-you gifts and new-year well wishes together. It felt like the right way to show our gratitude.
Rest assured, Neuvillette is very grateful for your kindness, and the same goes for me.
And no need to rush the gifts, especially with all the chaos going on; we’ll be staying put.
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Action, before the event/tdm
Behind the door there is Aether, his entire form curled in pain and there's blood over his back and newly formed wings. He didn't want to worry her, he could've chosen to just go home, but has no strength to do so. He's also learned by now that if he needs help he shouldn't try to hide away. He can rely on his friends.
Still, it pains him that he burdens her like this without ever asking first. Not like he knew that he would get new wings, now all six of them sprouting from his back with closed eyelids littered over them.]
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Without any more words, she comes forward, placing his arm over her shoulders and definitely not touching his back or his wings. She leads him in, kicking the door behind them shut.]
Come on, Partner, can't have you bleeding everywhere, hm? Let's get you inside.
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Sorry... You were the closest person.
[He takes a deep breath as his newly formed wing twitches a little, as if it's trying to grow out more from his back. Hopefully, this is the last time he'd have to go through this... Six wings. That should be enough, right?]
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[ She leads him over to a chair, using her leg to pull it out and move it towards them. ]
We'll sit you down right here, okay? Face the back so it doesn't hit your wings.
[ Once he sits, she's off to go get a towel and a bowl of warm water. ]
I've got something to clean them with, if that's alright.
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Thanks...
[He tries to smile.]
Once I'm better I need to repay you somehow.
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11/5 early morning voice, action, & shenanigans
[ his syntrofos pings with a reminder that a full moon is scheduled for tonight. and after scraping together what information he could from childe before parting ways, wriothesley does the only thing he can think to do: call the one person he trusts in karteria without question. he only hopes that trust runs both ways as he finds navia’s contact and lifts the device to his ear. ]
Navia. Are you still at the Valentia this morning? Your room?
[ he’s slightly out of breath, mostly from how quickly he’s been walking. his cadence is more scattered than usual—and while navia can’t see it, but she’ll hear it in the way his voice catches, distracted. not by nerves, but by the moon’s presence still lingering in the morning sky. it isn't until, funnily enough, the patho-gen building rises up to cut off his line of sight that the subtle pull finally lessens, and his voice evens out just enough to finish the thought. ]
I'll be needing your help.
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the ping to her syntrofos wakes her up, and before she can even even think straight she hears his voice, scattered and out of breath. that wakes her up almost immediately, because she knows wriothesley's usually always cool under pressure. ]
I'm here. I'm still in my room. Everything okay?
[ she still sounds tired, the gruffness in her voice still from sleep. she's throwing blankets off to pull herself from the warmth of her bed, the way her body protests when the cool of the air hits her.
then she realizes - if everything were okay, he might not be needing her help. better to ask him when he arrives. ]
Come on up, I'll make some tea for your arrival.
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As okay as we can be in this place, but it'll all make a lot more sense over tea.
[ bit by bit, he starts to sound more like himself. the edge softening into a familiar touch of dry amusement with the sort of news and ask he'll be bringing up soon enough. ]
Just passed the Council Offices—so I’ll be up in fifteen, twenty minutes, give or take [ there's a beat as he weighs whether to say it now or later, but in the end, he lets it out: ] And thanks for picking up, Navia. I know this isn’t the kind of call anyone wants to wake up to.
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I'll see you in a bit then. [ he can't see it, but the thank you makes her smile. it's always nice to be thanked, especially when most people forget. ] Well, try to not let it happen again, okay? A girl needs her beauty sleep, after all.
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But of course. I’d hate to be the reason you wake up anything less than radiant, even if your company’s good for it.
[ with that, he leaves her with a gentle tease, the call ending on a note of soft amusement that lingers even as he arrives a little later than promised. when the knock sounds and navia opens the door, she finds him in relatively good shape, his expression faintly tired but still warm, and in one hand, he holds up a small bag from valentia’s café containing butter, jam, and a baguette meant for their shared tea. the gesture isn’t entirely necessary, but it gave him something to do on his way up—something useful to burn off the residual energy from their call and offer something ahead of the conversation he hasn’t quite yet figured out how to begin.
as her gaze travels further, she might notice the details he hasn’t managed to tidy away: the faint lines beneath his eyes from a lack of sleep, the uneven state of his coat, a missing button or two, and the subtle evidence of a fight stitched across the knuckles holding up the bag. and most telling of all is the absence of his usual ears, replaced now by something far more wolf-like in shape, partially hidden by the tousled fall of his hair. it’s a subtle change, easy to overlook at first glance, but close enough now, she might see how they flick at every noise—from the faintest stirrings in the hallway or the kettle beginning to whistle from inside her room. ]
Hey there, Navia. Sorry for being a little late.
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delivery
As thanks for giving me one of your roses, I figured it was only fair to return the favor in kind. The colder months may keep your flowers from fully blooming, but I hoped to find something that won’t wilt in the meantime—and might still resemble your radiance in its own way.
—Wriothesley
how dare you; voice call back!
she scrambles for her syntrofos, quickly finding his name in her contacts. when she answers, she doesn't let him speak right away. ]
Wriothesley, I can't accept this! This... gosh it's too much!
omg navia girl
Hm? Ah, I take it the gift was finally delivered? [ there’s an audible creak on his end, though it’s just him rocking back in a worn office chair. ] I promise, Navia, I didn’t have to fight too hard for it at the auction. It seems ornate accessories aren’t as prized here as they are back home. And as they say—what turns heads in Fontaine might raise eyebrows in Karteria.
[ whether or not that’s true is anyone’s guess. his voice doesn’t give away much—only a hint of smile behind his words to pass the gesture of the gift off as something casual, but carefully chosen. ]
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Still... [ her voice is calmer now, and she sighs. ] You didn't have to. It's absolutely lovely, but I didn't need a gift in return.
[ she's not sure how much he paid for it, or whether he was lying to her, but she's starting to come to terms with it. she honestly hadn't expected anything in return for the rose - it was freely given without needing anything in return, especially if it was going to help him stay calm. ]
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I didn’t have to, but I certainly wanted to. [ the smile is evident in his tone. ] Rest assured, Navia, this isn’t meant to be a gift for a gift.
[ he’s not so transactional, though he’s never shared gifts with navia before— unlike with some of their mutual friends he regularly exchanges with. so he offers her a more straightforward answer. ]
Compared to you—or others—my soul doesn't have much to offer in the way of creature comforts. So this is my attempt at the next best thing. There may not be any soothing feelings imprinted or warm memory embedded in the pin, much like your rose does for me, but I figured… even on the most tiring days or in the colder months, it might be nice to have something lovely to wear for when your flowers might not want to show.
[ there's an airy laugh to keep the conversation from being too heavy or awkward for either of them. ]
I hope I'm not overstepping any lines with any of that.
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text
Just forwarding you a message chain so we’re all on the same page about a certain someone’s upcoming birthday.
Oh, and I suppose this doubles as a heads-up about your present, too. Or at least a proper housewarming gift, complete with a nice quilt to keep you warm for the next few months.
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And you know you didn't need to do that. Though quilt-making is something I didn't have you down for. I quite enjoy seeing this domestic side of you, Wriothesley.
Of course I'll handle desserts. I've got a couple in mind that he might enjoy.
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And I ended up with more fabric than I knew what to do with, so I figured: why not put together a few more quilt tops now that the frigid months are here? I’ve also run into a lot of folks who are rightly suffering in the snow, and it’d be a shame to let all that fabric go to waste.
[ so much yap and deflecting for doing cute domestic things he hasn't done in eons. let him keep some shred of 'cool mysterious emo' vibes, please. ]
But that all sounds good. I'm looking forward to a cozy dinner with everyone.
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[ she sees that deflecting. she won't say another word about it to keep his dignity right where it should be. she'd rather keep it a secret and use this very valuable information to her benefit later down the road. ]
I am, too. Part of me wishes we didn't have to do it here, of all places. It's not fair that I got to spend my birthday at home, and the both of you have to spend it here.
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Well, I actually sourced it from the same auction where I got your hairpin. So I’d very much appreciate it if you could manage not to look too surprised when the time comes—since I happen to know just how sharp your eye for detail is.
But this isn’t me turning things into a gift-giving competition, not at all. It’s just that... if your reaction last time was any indication, then I’d best come prepared with a convincing story about how such a trinket ended up in my hands.
Though, on a lighter note—there’s no need for any grim comparisons when it comes to birthdays. While I can’t speak for Neuvillette, I, on the other hand, am quite glad mine turned out the way it did. It’s not often I get to spend this much time on the surface, let alone spend the day with good friends without having to worry about wandering gazes or any whispered speculation.
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Valentine's Day
I decided to make use of this Valentine's Day tradition to send you some sweets I made with a friend. I hope you'll enjoy them!
Aether
ding dong delivery!
â–ş a second package also includes a large center piece of flowers as well as a hand-felted scarf as winter slowly gives way to spring.
NAVIA,
HOPEFULLY I HAVEN’T WORN OUT MY WELCOME BY THANKING YOU AGAIN. THE TWO OF US ARE DOING BETTER WITH EACH DAY.
STILL, WE BOTH THINK LANTERN RITE ARRIVED AT A FITTING TIME—EVEN IN KARTERIA—A REMINDER THAT EVEN AFTER DIFFICULT STRETCHES, THERE’S STILL WARMTH WAITING FOR US. SO WE HOPE YOU FIND THAT SENTIMENT IN THIS GIFT.
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instead, wriothesley gets a short text in return. ]
Oooo, you! I hadn't remembered it was Lantern Rite until just now! Please forgive me that a suitable gift isn't ready at the precise moment because of just that.
But, you haven't worn out your welcome, and the gifts are incredibly thoughtful. Please extend my thanks to Monsieur Neuvillette.
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Rest assured, Neuvillette is very grateful for your kindness, and the same goes for me.
And no need to rush the gifts, especially with all the chaos going on; we’ll be staying put.
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And, should the two of you need it, I can bring over anything you might need.
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