terrariums | open; 2024

[ Jade can relate. Other than the ~~Eldrich terror~~ sounds his twin makes, he is rather quick to startle awake at the smallest noise. Perhaps it's because the water down below is so quiet compared to the surface. In addition to the ocean always being a dangerous place...

Maybe Rook slept in the dry grass of the Savannah and would have his bow drawn to shoot an antelope through the eye without even a blink.

The merman can't help but watch as Rook so ~~gayly~~ effortlessly dresses himself. Those clothes would certainly need to be cleaned, but Rook himself would need a soak and a shower after getting mud and algae all over himself. Though fortunately none of the foliage in this lake should have a negative effect. Jade dresses himself before pulling his backpack on and checking his watch. ]

I do not suppose you will be returning my other bag to me tonight?

[ He steps toward Rook, a rarely bared human hand resting upon his chest as he speaks. ]

Mmmm, I don't know..... why don't you come get it yourself when you visit? Au revoir, Monsieur Prémédité~ ♥

[A mischievous wink and wave as Rook steps back to stay out of his reach, and for the finishing touch to accessorize his outfit..... Jade's bag soars down to settle over his shoulder as though it belongs there, cell phone and notebook and all. A fine little prize to hold hostage, isn't it?

With a sway of his hips, Rook turns to saunter away, voice rising in a song from one of his beloved stage plays as he goes. Hard to believe not too long ago, he had been hunting Jade down in the dark and pelting him with a hail of arrowfire, isn't it? Surely Trey would be sighing in utter defeat, if he only could see him now.]

[ The deep sigh that escapes Jade probably can't be heard by the fleeing huntsman, but Jade still feels it in his sore core all the same. Mentally he tallies all that he's he will lose access to over the next few days: his phone, his newest field notes, a transformation potion, the small stuffed eel his brother gave him... and some actual plant matter he'd gathered for his terrariums tonight. Not to mention his foraging knife that he's fairly certain the blond tucked away somewhere after he threw it.

It's a pain, but the reward of a job well done at least soothes over the sting a little.

...

It takes a few days for Jade to manage to gather himself for what he knows he needs to do. Not for lack of wanting to see Rook, but because of the other factors that came with it. Making himself presentable, giving his body time to rest from such intense stimulation, classes and then the matter of the Lounge's current promotion leaving him exhausted by the end of most days. In the end, it is nearly a week that he has had the chance to see Rook in more than just idle passing.

Truly, it almost feels like it was a dream.

He waits until evening rolls around. Fortunately, Jade has spent enough time in Pomefiore's dorm during his brief previous visit that sneaking his way inside (with a little assistance of magic) feels practiced and comfortable. The ~~gaudy~~ lavish entryroom feels bright even when all of the dormitory has retired to their respective rooms thanks to its elegant, light colors--even as the deep purple hues so readily coat the walls. Such a respectable, long-term dorm also holds the benefit of having high-quality floors and, more importantly, stairs. Each step of his well-polished shoe is met with plush carpet that nearly completely eliminates the sound of his footsteps.

Though as he approaches the hunter's room, he pauses. Gloved fingers hovering over his magipen as he reaches for the doorknob to slowly, as quietly as he can muster, take hold of it. As it twists he has a familiar sense of foreboding. ]

...

[It's almost anticlimactic that absolutely nothing happens when Jade takes hold of the knob, isn't it? Not even the stubborn rattle of the lock being engaged; as Rook had promised, he's been expecting him. Unless Jade is looking carefully ~~for the stalker photos hidden near his bed~~, the room probably looks much like he'd imagined it: beautifully appointed and neatly maintained, hunting paraphernalia proudly on display, shelves absolutely packed with books, even little decorative mats on either side of his doorway to wipe his boots so he doesn't sully the plush carpet and pristine rug that dominates the center of the room.....

The trouble is, of course, that nothing happened. No reaction to his magic as familiar, no acknowledgment of its master suppressing the spell to let him in harmlessly. Jade has just enough time to close the door behind him and look around, (Rook is already sitting up in bed, wearing a silky dark violet nightgown and matching robe, with his magical pen and a very familiar knife in his lap) before he steps directly into the trap.

There's no warning at all before ribbons explode out from beneath the mat underfoot, snaking around his legs to bind him tightly from ankles to knees. Still more pour from the seams in the ceiling tiles overhead, writhing like living things as they reach for him. It's not too dissimilar from what his tentacles might be capable of, once he's sufficiently practiced with them; it's almost uncanny how well they seem to understand the shape of the human body they're swarming around. Loop after loop coil around his chest and waist to support his weight while yanking him off his feet, around his arms to force them behind his back, held together from wrists to elbows, around his eyes and forcing themselves into his mouth to blind him and silence any screams..... Even his legs aren't left to dangle, instead forced to bend until his heels are nearly pressed against the backs of his thighs.

Even if he isn't struggling, the sheer force with which he's being manhandled and tied is still enough to leave Jade swinging wildly. Rook watches in silence, enjoying the show; he'll give Jade a little time to get settled, before he properly welcomes him in.]

[ Truthfully, Jade had thought himself to be relatively well-prepared. His breath hitching as the first ribbons lash out at him, his first thought is snakes somehow trying to defend their nest. Akin to a pack of ravenous fish ambushing him from a hidden burrow.

It's his instinct to struggle and thrash wildly against the literal ~~high thread count~~ threads binding against him. Yet despite his best efforts, he finds himself dangling and dizzy. His breath labored as the darkness of the room comes into focus--and he spies his captor looking pleased as punch. ]

My... this is a rather excessive security system, is it not?

[ Mismatched eyes turned toward the floor and Jade clicks his tongue in mild disappointment at the sight of his own magic pen gracelessly lying on the floor. ]

Edited 2024-04-10 02:33 (UTC)

Excessive? You really think so? I've been lamenting how tricky it is to do anything of substance here, when nothing can be permanent or dangerous.

[Rook sounds positively mournful at that. How disappointed must he have been during his previous years, when he hadn't had an entire room all to himself to play with? He slips out of bed and pads over to meet Jade, reaching up to caress his cheek--clearly content to just admire him, rather than release him, given the way he leans in to steal a kiss.]

Although..... I have to admit, you wear it very well. I'm impressed.

Is this always how you treat company, Rook-san?

[ The kiss earns a quirk of a brow and a small, sharp-toothed smirk. Though it doesn't last quite as long as he'd like, he feels some relief in knowing that their romp the other night was indeed not some cruel dream or joke.

Or just a one-time whim from the hunter that has him so in his grasp now. ]

I suppose purple is my color. You flatter me.

[ His arms flex a little to test the ribbons--nothing. His legs produce the same. ]

Company that fails to knock, yes. You would have been just fine if you had let me answer the door, you realize?

[Rook only smiles wider at the protest, and the way Jade wriggles in his bonds. He really could just sit back and watch him all night..... But that wouldn't be honoring how difficult it is for Jade to carve out the time to come see him, would it? This time, his kiss is pressed to the tip of Jade's nose, smoothing a hand over the merman's dangling form in pure admiration.]

Is it really flattery if it's the truth?

Where would the fun in that be?

[ Even though Rook clearly was expecting him here--probably from the moment he started to prepare himself for the trip. At the very least from the time he entered Pomefiore's dorm tonight.

The hand that brushes over him causes him to still. Appreciating the way Rook's palm feels even through layers of his own clothes and the sturdy yet silky fabric of the ribbons wrapped around him. Being in the air like this isn't his favorite thing, but there's some security at least in knowing that his first thought that the ribbons were going to ~~yeet~~ throw him out the window was nothing more than a panicked thought. ]

You wear less to bed than I expected.

Where, indeed?

[Heh. Jade wouldn't have it any other way, would he? Just as he wouldn't, even if he makes a token effort to appeal to proper etiquette. Neither of them are really the knocking sort in private with a like-minded peer, are they?

Maybe he should pet Jade more, if it settles him while he's trapped like this. When else is he going to get to enjoy touching him with so little consequence or risk of "retaliation"?]

Is that so? What did you expect me to wear, pray tell?

I had thought of something more modest.

[ Because other than the night before and the occasional flash of neck when their outdoor exercises aligned, he hadn't had the pleasure of seeing much of the hunter's skin. Yet the color, much like his dorm's uniform, suits him well. It's fascinating, really---how Rook can look so different from simply changing his clothes. Almost like a different person.

Somewhat akin to his own kind (but not species) that change their fins or sexes at will. ]

Although I cannot say I am disappointed.

[ If Rook thinks that Jade won't bite him even tied like this, he's terribly wrong. Though he doesn't want to ruin such a pleasant expression just yet. Even if another shift of his legs makes him feel more closely related to shrimp than eel at the moment. ]

Heheheh..... modesty is necessary for polite society, not when you're relaxing alone. Since our uniforms are so suitable for hunting, I fear that I rarely get to wear anything else except for when I retire for the night.

[Modesty has its place, of course--but he has nobody to impress when he sleeps alone, and no shame over his body, to want to hide it from even his own eyes. Rather than carefully curating his image for the eyes of others, in these hazy twilight hours he can just..... exist, quiet and cozy in his own skin, indulging in the softer and more private parts of himself. How often does anyone ever get to see those?

He's been through so many metamorphoses in his life, transformed who he is so radically that very few people who had only ever known one of his personas could be expected to recognize any other. What would it feel like to be able to change so fluidly, at will?]

Ohhhh~? Don't tell me you're a fan of showing skin, when you dress as modestly as I do? Maybe I should call on you late at night one of these days, too.....

When we first arrived in the facility one of the first things we were taught... [ His shoulders shift, thighs parting the small bit they can before coming back together.

He really is securely bound, isn't he? Wound up worse than when he used to tease Floyd for getting tangled in nets and seaweed. ]

...was that nudity is improper among humans. Though living in a dormitory it is more difficult not to be seen than one would think.

Oui, that's right! But there's more nuance to it than that, of course.

[Awwww, Jade. Do you want to be let down? Maybe you should humble yourself enough to ask, and he'll let you come cuddle in bed with him. Have a little encouraging pat, hand lingering while Jade squirms. Is Jade really prepared for the sort of detail a Pomefiore student could go into, elaborating on human fashion etiquette?]

Given how difficult unified clothing standards must be among merfolk with such different body shapes, I can imagine why they would want to simplify for your sake. But humans, beastmen, fae..... we're all similar enough that the rules for what kinds of clothing are appropriate during which particular situations get very complicated.

Ah, you really must have struggled to stay hidden when there are so many obstacles in dormitories, haven't you? I hope you haven't suffered too much for it.

[ There he goes living up to the nickname his brother so aptly named him, though he hardly considers Rook's well formed and passionate words as squawks. He normally enjoys the sound of his fellow vice-warden's voice; and a part of him is interested--humans are fascinating, but... ]

I admit... I still find clothing rather uncomfortable.

[ It certainly doesnt hell that Floyd steals his clothes and leaves him with a jacket that is a little small and pants that are a touch too long. He's sure Rook can tell that centimeter difference between himself and Floyd from a mile away. That and the shapes of their teeth being so subtly different. ]

Many merfolk accessorize, but I have always been terribly plain.

[ These days though his left ear is always decorated with his earring, but underwater such a thing is a hindrance to morays. ]

Oh, Monsieur Prémédité..... You may prefer a minimalist look, but you could never be considered plain.

[What a gross oversimplification, made by blind fools who can't appreciate that things like beauty, charm, charisma, and grace transcend any mere outfit you may choose to wear. Who would ever slander a man like Jade with such base accusations? They probably wouldn't even be able to tell Jade and Floyd apart, in person or in measurements. Please.

~~Shhh. SHHHHH. It's Fine. Just let him squawk, he will not only extol Real Clothes to you, but also fight whoever made you think of yourself that way, Jade.~~]

Clothing can be uncomfortable and restrictive. But it doesn't have to be, if it fits well and is made of material you like.

[Rook drops his hand to his waist, tugging his robe's sash free. His robe hangs loose and open over his shoulders, baring an even more immodest amount of skin for Jade to look at--but it does mean he has something nice and soft to trail lightly over Jade's cheek, by way of illustration. Has Jade ever just..... focused on how fabric felt against his skin, rather than struggling with how inconvenient and confining the garment itself was?]

I see... Azul and Floyd have always been more drawn to standing out than I have.

[ Being plain isn't something Jade sees as a negative--if anything, it is a boon. While he may stand out in other ways, it's somewhat relaxing not to have to pick out his own clothing. ~~Even if Azul won't let him wear the cute and ugly graphic t-shirt Floyd bought him that would possibly even make Rook judge him. Or his disaster of a hand-picked hiking outfit..~~.

The fabric touches his face and it brings the moray some pause, mismatched eyes shifting back up from where they were previously admiring the new skin he's been offered by the robe falling open back up to the vice's face. While none of that makes his own clothing feel any less unpleasant--especially with the ribbons holding them so snuggly against his trapped body--he can appreciate the quality. ]

Is this the type of fabric you prefer, Rook-san?

Their temperaments are better suited to it, I suppose.....

[Floyd and Azul are most certainly the more attention and validation-hungry of their little trio, aren't they? Jade clearly already has the respect of the people who matter to him, but Azul..... Azul wants more. More than only one or two people could have to give, possibly. And Floyd, who thrives on the novelty and attention alike, who loves it all for its own sake.....

Maybe Jade is the cleverest one out of all three of them, in the end? Or maybe he just hasn't found what makes him light up inside, the way it had taken Rook so long to.]

One of them! I'm still experimenting here and there to find things I like, when there's time..... I couldn't have cared less about clothes until fairly recently, you know. It is all a bit esoteric to get into, when you've never needed to pay attention at all.

[ Jade's head tilts into the soft fabric and warm hand passing over his face, though his eyes remain firmly on the man before him. His amber eye faintly illuminated in the relative darkness of the room. ]

I see... with how effortlessly you embrace and explain human styles that is somewhat surprising. Though considering your adoration of Vil-san, I imagine his influence is what encouraged you?

[ His father has told him and Floyd that looking good on land is important, but... does it matter all that much if he is only there for his education? ]

Oui~ If not for Roi du Poison's endless patience, I'm certain I would still be playing in the mud without a care. Ah, what have I ever done to deserve such beauté to uplift me?

[Were you hoping to get down from there anytime soon, Jade? Too bad, he's distracted by a special interest now. Rook loosely reties his robe before turning to his wardrobe, reaching deep inside to pull out..... possibly some of the most tragic pants Jade has ever seen, honestly. Loose and easy to move in, sturdy and rough, frayed at the hems, stained with old grass and dirt that never quite washed out, a faded drab color that would blend effortlessly into the savannah grass.....]

Heheheh..... I just couldn't bear to part with what I was wearing when the Dark Carriage came for me. How nostalgic!

[ If he were Floyd he would likely be thrashing again to look for the opportunity to snap his teeth on one of the ribbons to free himself, but Jade only subtly shifts and flexes in hopes to earn a little enough wiggle. Yet when the pants come out of the closet the merman's head tilts to look them over.

They were perfect for a hunter like Rook, when he thinks about it. A wonderful camouflage and their embedded dirt and plant matter only add to that. It's easy to imagine what he must have smelled like---a warm sun and dry, thick grass. Dust and earth. It's different than what he loves about the mountains, but if he wouldn't dry out in such heat it would be a pleasure to experience all the same. Would Rook grow bored of all of the extravagance one day and return to those roots one day? ]

Oh my... They certainly look far more freeing than your newer attire. Vil-san certainly put far more work into you than I had even imagined.

Oh, you have no idea the sort of pains he took to teach me. I truly am a changed man!

[Rook just laughs at that, warm and fond, offering over the pants to feel; this time, the rough scratch of canvas touches Jade's skin, only no longer stiff thanks to all its age and wear.]

They were so freeing, I could race like an antelope! They weren't very pleasant to wear, though. I had never even considered that I should want to be comfortable, only that what I wore served its purpose well.

Ah--

[ When the fabric touches him it is almost startling in comparison to the soft, satin sash holding the hunter's robe together.

To Jade, it almost feels akin to rope. It isn't a feeling he dislikes, though not one he has experienced on more than just his palms before. The sore burn that rope leaves on his hands after a long climb has always been deeply satisfying---and he did enjoy the difference between their texture on land and the sea. Waterlogged fabric holds such a unique sensation compared to dry, rough jean or hemp. ]

I think I would find something like this unbearable to wear...

You would, wouldn't you? But I just thought that was what clothing was supposed to be. I ran and climbed and crawled in it, and if I could do everything I wanted and still wasn't torn to ribbons by the end of the day, I was satisfied, no matter what the outfit itself did to me.

[Oh, what an adorable little startle..... Rook takes the time to carefully hang them back up; unsatisfactory though he finds his old clothes now, they still hold sentimental value. Besides, what if something untoward happens and he needs to get very messy?]

If you put in the effort, you can find things you actually enjoy, instead of just tolerate.

He'll use their real names just often enough to be upsetting. Horrible little domesticated man.

HORRIBLE. Ideally he gets them conditioned to be all hot and bothered over it for torture purposes.

this song slkdfj

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