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DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Jaesung Moon on February 21, 2019 at 21:35

“I love purple” Jae commented with a childish smile and a shrug, he’d tried purple hair once but it hadn’t lasted for all that long so that was another one to re-add to the list he supposed, the dhampir shook his head, it sounded like Daehyun was going to be a bad influence on Jae’s roots “I’d probably go for a full rainbow in one go if I could get away with it” he mused with a half laugh, he was serious, if it wouldn’t make him look completely insane then he probably would and he’d like it too. “So you’re scary huh?” Jae raised his brows and wiggled them a little. It was hard to be scared of someone he’d literally just seen fall to the ground in surprise but maybe he caught the pale-haired male on a good day.

When Dae asked him why he was still awake the dhampir’s embarrassed mode was instantly activated and he wasn’t sure exactly how to answer that to someone he barely knew, running a hand through his hair he chuckled “Uhhh…” he sighed softly as he felt completely lost for words “Well tonight... “ he glanced down at the time and corrected himself “Yesterday night” he added “May have possibly been the best night I have ever had and I didn’t want it to end just yet?” he pulled a face realizing how ridiculous that sounded “My roommates are assholes” he commented with a grumble “I just didn’t need a damper on my good mood” well that was vague enough he guessed.

Jae nodded in agreement as Dae spoke about the idea of missing the ‘idea’ of something more than the place itself, it made perfect sense to Jae, he missed the way he felt and the way places made him feel but he didn’t miss other parts “It’s strange how attachment works, the things you latch onto and the things you want to leave way behind” he chuckled “Homeschooled though?” Jae wrinkled his nose “That sounds lonely” he commented and bit down on his lip as he reminisced his school days, they had definitely been good times for him, he made a lot of friends in school and generally fitted in well there. Though he had lost touch with most of those people now.

The dhampir chuckled a little and shook his head a little, how was it that the snowy-haired male had managed to read him so quickly “Its…” he trailed off a little “More complicated than I wish it was” he explained with a shrug of his shoulders “I feel like I’ve always been a forward-thinking person who takes risks but then I also always seem to fall short when it comes to putting pressure on myself to meet expectations” something a lot of kids from Korea did if he was honest, it was all part of the culture and the expectation to bring honor to your family “My parents weren’t exactly thrilled when I told them I wanted to write” he shook his head, they still treated it like a phase he was going through, like they were waiting for some kind of realization to set in. He smiled at Daehyun’s questioning about his major though “Undecided right now” he admitted with a shrug “Though I’m leaning towards fictional writing, I’d love to write my own book one day” he admitted “You’d make a good journalist though, you seem to know all the questions to ask” it was surprising to Jae how well Daehyun seemed to be able to phrase questions and get answers out of him.

“I wish it was a myth” he commented with a grumble and rolled his eyes, he was being dramatic really, but he did find some of the people in his classes a little stuck up, a lot of them had their parents force them to be there and it showed. When Dae took a seat opposite him and started talking Jae leaned back in his chair closing the lid of his laptop to give the niveis his attention, it was actually pretty fascinating for him, to hear about a species he’d never even heard the name of before. He didn’t really need to ask for proof before he’d felt that temperature drop earlier and honestly, he had a pretty good feeling about Dae and the dhampir’s intuition always seemed to do him justice.

The dhampir’s mouth fell open in shock as he heard Dae’s story, ending with him being stabbed in the back and an involuntary shudder went up his spine, he couldn’t even imagine the agony that must have caused him, not only in physical pain but from being killed by someone he had trusted too “Woah” he commented, he didn’t know what else to say. How did you even begin to deal with something like that happening to you, let alone waking up an entirely new species and having to figure out who you were “And I thought my identity crisis was bad” he commented as he looked back at Daehyun, his expression said it all really, he couldn’t believe how someone could be so laid back after going through something like that, even if it was a long time ago. He cleared his throat realizing he was being slightly awkward and leaned back “Well it’s official, you have the most fucked up life I have ever heard” Jae commented, a little out of character considering he never swore but it seemed appropriate at this time.

“And yet, you aren’t a total mess” he commented narrowing his eyes a little “Either you’re a sociopath or I need your coping strategy” he stated with a chuckle trying to bring up the mood a little, one of Jae’s little quirks was always trying to make people laugh when things got tense of sad.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on February 22, 2019 at 19:57

When Jae said about liking the color purple, he suddenly pictured a purple-colored hair on the dhampir. It would still look good on him, which is just surprising for such a striking color. “Guess you'll know which color to try out next.” At this point, he should know he's never been a good influence to anyone, anywhere. Hurts, but tis the truth. “Full rainbow sounds daring. But be sure to show me them, if your hair somehow survives all of this process though. Which I highly doubt they won't. Unless you have magical elixir used on your hair for conditioner to keep it silky and smooth. Then, I gotta get me one of those.” Unfortunately, Daehyun needed to be lenient on his roots or it'll freeze up like many other things and end up being more stiff than it already is.

He did however, tried his best to keep himself from just launching into a full blown laughing attack right there on the spot when the dhampir mentioned him being scary. After what happened earlier? It would be a surprise if the other could even believe him on that. A sight he'll never be able to forget too. Who knew that day would ever come for him? Definitely not him. “You caught me on my decent days, Jae. J don't picture nor see myself as someone scary though. Others do. It's not my fault I don't like interacting with living beings in general.” he huffed, blowing the single strand of his platinum hair off his forehead. “That, or they just think I'm hard to approach without at least ending up getting a mean frostbite.” Yeah, that's probably it, he thought. “But I'm.. Not that bad. You're talking to me just fine.” Although that was mainly due to the dhampir offering a good company to him.

Seeing the mint haired male flustered in state made a widespread grin plastered on his face. This is fun. Quirking an eyebrow his way, he leaned against the chair and crossed his legs. “Oh? I'm guessing your gal gave you a good night to remember. Or guy. Because both works equally just as fine.” he quipped as he out both hands in the air slightly in a defensive stance. Hey, Dae appreciates beauty in general, whether it comes from the scenery or people, as long as they are from nature itself. If someone is pretty and ethereal looking, he's not going to hide around the bushes and leave him into a hetero mess. “Figured an attractive lad like you would be taken. I wasn't wrong. Glad to hear someone's taking good care of you though.” he said, knowing fully well from the first moment the niveis saw him as a good soul, he wished he hasn't been corrupted by the world just yet. It's rare to find purity in people these days. And he meant that in a way where no chastity was discussed.

When was the last time he had someone or something attached to him? Something new. Someone who wasn't his younger sister? Seeing as he's busy raking his head trying to find the answer to that, had deliberately give him the ultimate answer to it; a long time. “I think you can only risk any attachment when you're confident. Then you probably wouldn't be bombarding your head with thoughts of losing it.” Explains a lot why he didn't think much about the concept of it. Being attached to another is going to be very hard for him, especially when he knows the whole world is probably going to be against them just as how they were against the phoenixes, or specifically, the people they once were.

Nodding in response to his statement, he agreed. “It was rather lonely. I don't have any other siblings that wasn't my younger sister. When everyone else was busy filling their childhood days playing and creating memories, I was busy being trained. For the better future, they said. Which is just a load of bull.” Admittedly, Daehyun was still very much upset about the whole thing. He missed out because of the responsibility he had to carry around until his teenhood. He shouldn't have to. It wasn't as if it did him any good anyways. In the end, instead of leading them, he left them. It was probably why the snowy haired niveis still held a particular mixed feeling towards the Initia. “But being homeschooled, it did me some good. I was more disciplined and I wasn't easily attached.” To him, that was a good thing.

His lips curved a small smile, he could relate with Jae. Maybe on a different scale, but the same topic and issue nevertheless. “I can understand that. You just want to tell the world to go away and leave you to do what you want because you know you so you'll know what's best for you. But at the same time, you can't shrug off the feeling in you that stated you should live up to the expectations placed on you. It sucks.” Despite having left his previous tribe long ago, it was a problem that tied him with his current one today. Don't get him wrong, he had nothing against them but the corruption Coldren carried out for most part of his life, it shattered the image he once had for them. Dae desperately tells himself under Anivia, things were going to get better gradually and it will be different from what her father had envisioned them becoming. But those doubts don't fall off the tree in a short time.

“Then write a book. You'll soon see that the world isn't always nice to us, make most of it what you can. They might not understand you now but one day, no telling when, but still one day, they will come to see why you did what you did. It's your life, you should live it your way.” he encouraged slowly, his tone moving at a languid pace as he tried to relate with the younger male. It wasn't necessarily a bad influence that he was inflicting on him, it was just a word of advice from someone who spent his entire life following expectations. He might never be able to change that about himself, or it'll be a little too late, but Jae was still young and the potential he exuded, even Daehyun could see that. Scoffing at the dhampir, he shook his head and looked away briefly in distaste. “Yeah no.. Journalism is not for me.” But later on, he leaned closer and smirked. “Maybe I ask questions properly because I've been interrogating people for a living? Do you ever thought of that? That you might be sitting in front of a sociopath?” A little teasing wouldn't hurt.

He decided not to prod deeper into his classmates’ idealistic ways, seeing as it'll just prompt the latter to complain about them and he'd just add more fuel to the fire just to get himself a small portion of amusement to make up for the night. His life story was tragic, he knew that. Staring at the male sitting before him, he tilted his head slightly to the side and allowed the same smirk to resurface. “I'll take that as a compliment. See, you came up with it again. Maybe I am a sociopath. Are you a good character judge to figure that one out?” If Jae threw a quip his way, it's only fair if he gives the same amount back.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Jaesung Moon on February 23, 2019 at 0:02

Jae laughed and shook his head in response “The next color I will be trying is dark brown, give myself a rest from it all before my hair starts falling out” the dhampir laughed softly, he could be sensible sometimes, plus he didn’t completely hate his natural hair color if he was honest and people tended to take him more seriously with it “If I ever achieve it I’ll let you know” he joked with a shake of his head, okay maybe that one was a little extra and might get him some weird looks. Jae just really liked color he guessed, he liked to wear bright colors sometimes too, or if he wore black he’d normally have something brightly colored paired with it, like the bandanas he wore while training.

The dhampir laughed when Daehyun explained the reasons why he felt his presence might be scary, Jae supposed he had been lucky to meet the male the way he had because he wasn’t sure either of them would have ever spoke to one another in a different situation “Well I don’t think I can picture you as scary” the dhampir commented running a hand through his hair “You’re like the living version of grumpy cat, cute but you grumble a lot” which was only proved further when he watched Daehyun blow a strand of his hair on his forehead. Jae smiled softly “Well you seem like a good person to me” Jae affirmed with a slight nod of his head, if people thought Daehyun was scary he guessed they didn’t bother to look very far for positive traits.

Jae only got more flustered when the other male instantly recognized what he had been talking about, he ducked his head down to hide behind his laptop screen to hide the redness on his cheeks as he responded “Is it that obvious?” he questioned with shifty eyes, though Dae didn’t seem to be judging him by any means, in fact, the way he spoke seemed pretty open which was refreshing for Jaesung. “I totally freaked out on him and left a note though” Jae spoke affirming that his significant other was indeed a man and it felt quite relieving to say if he was honest, to be able to just tell someone he’d just met that without worrying what they may think or assume “Hopefully he’s not too mad” he peeked up at the other male from over the top of the laptop “You’re very upfront” he noted with a slight tilt of his head not missing the fact that Daehyun had described him as attractive. Not that he was majorly surprised, most Koreans he knew were very candid about who and who wasn’t attractive.

“No such luck there” Jae responded as he thought about all the things he allowed himself to get attached to and how afraid he was of losing them, that was one of his biggest flaws, his constant wondering if someday people would leave him behind, he thought it with his siblings who all had their own lives and moved on now, he thought it with his parents who he worried would cut him off because they thought he was wasting his life away and he thought it with Hanseol, who he still worried was going to up and disappear one day because someone attacked him again “Yet I get attached anyway” another thing he couldn’t stop himself doing, pulling people close.

The dhampir had never really known anyone who was homeschooled but the way Dae described it certainly didn’t sell him on the idea “You’re right that is bull and totally unfair” Jae commented and sighed, he’d seen kids that had such expectant parents that they were robbed of a childhood and it sucked, seeing them constantly turn down fun in the name of trying to be better than everyone else. It made him sad because everyone deserves a good childhood filled with happy memories. Looking back at their pale-haired male he didn’t comment on the lack of attachment because Dae had said it like it was a good thing and Jae didn’t want to step over the line with someone he didn’t know well enough “So no friends?” he questioned with an arch of his brow, Jae was certainly in the market for friends lately.

“Exactly that” Jae commented slowly in response to Daehyun’s summary, it was exactly how Jae felt about everything. He felt in his heart all the things he wanted for himself, he knew he could make something of his passion for writing with enough work and really he wanted to prove everyone wrong, but that didn’t mean that when people made comments about how it would never amount to anything that they didn’t hurt or affect him. If he wanted to go one step deeper, there was also the fact that he knew now for sure that he was not heterosexual and he worried about the reaction his parents would have to that, because he knew their beliefs and he had seen their reactions to LGBT media in the past. “I wish I could just not care but I don’t think I’ll ever fully be able to let it go” his eyes flicked over to Daehyun noting the way he seemed to have the same dilemma.

“Well actually I already started it” he teased with a smile “Or the research for it anyway” he added as he pointed towards the books they had scattered on the table around them which related to Evermore “I just really hope I can make something real of it” and Jae would give it his all, same as he did with near everything he set his mind to. He appreciated the advice the male offered to him, it was good advice after all and he offered a smile as thanks.

When Dae teased him with the idea of being a sociopath, Jae considered it for a moment leaning his chin on his hand and propping himself up against the surface of the table while he studied the other male. Jae had never been the greatest at reading people but his intuition about others was usually pretty sound, he knew generally who to avoid and who he could let in “I don’t get manipulative vibes from you” he admitted with a shrug “You wouldn’t be wasting your time on me if that was the case” Jae chuckled, why spend time talking to a complete stranger if you only cared about yourself, there wasn’t anything Jae had to offer him after all.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on February 24, 2019 at 10:55

He couldn't exactly blame Jae for wanting to return to his natural dark roots, especially when his hair will probably end up being stiff and dry faster under this weather and climate. Nothing can go wrong with natural too. Though just not for him. Daehyun doesn't see himself returning to his natural roots for anything really. He left a part of that the moment he was reborn into a whole new being. Consider it his definition of rebirth. “Going natural is good.” he nodded, fully supporting the idea though he can't say the same for him. “I don't think I'll ever go back to being natural. Which is ironic because black's my favorite color.” Who would never have guessed? From his attire choices, the only thing that was light that contrasted him was his snowy-like hair. From top to bottom, it's all black. Once he was prone to wear dark colors because either allows him to blend easier. But now it's becoming a preference matter.

Jae wasn't entirely wrong. He's an equally awkward guy that mixed well with his introvert self that enabled others to be intimidated by his presence alone. He doesn't even talk much unless he feels it's necessary. Which was really just him bringing information back and forth to either Rhydian or Anivia respectively. “I'm a closed off guy. I don't think we'd even score ourselves this conversation if it wasn't because of the charade earlier. Guess I shouldn't blame the fuse box too much then.” Blackouts are bound to happen a lot often these days due to the weather. Everywhere he went, the snow clogged up. It was a winter wonderland up the mountains though. At the mention of him being a grumpy cat, he scrunched up his nose and frowned at the dhampir sitting across him. He really did look like a cat who's living in his life choices right now. “A cat, really? Out of every animal you could've associated me with, you chose a cat? Real original, Jae.”

Just by a split second of what seemed to be a miracle to Dae, he found himself wanting to find a cat that way. Random thinking, yes. “Hey, speaking of which, do you think I'd find something similar to me? A white cat perhaps? You know, the ones that might bite your finger off if you poke yourself into it too much? Or annoy him when he's asleep? Oh my god, that does sound like me.” A moment of realization came towards him like a snowball, the pale haired niveis gaping at the possibility of actually carrying the same concept a grumpy cat would. Well, he does have cat-like shaped eyes. “I grumble a lot because I'm always contemplating my life choices. That, and I feel like I surround myself with idiotic people all the time.” pausing slightly at the sentence, he clicked his tongue and shrugged. “Eh, almost all the time.” He wasn't about to go and tell Jae his company was not appreciated, because it was one of those he actually enjoyed.

“I am a good person..” he grumbled. There he goes again. Dae doesn't see himself far off that trait. He feels that he is a good person, since all he ever did was serviced to his tribe and he always put everyone else before him first. It's not as if he's also committed atrocious crimes like homicides or anything. A few beating up here and there? Sure. But that's as far as he took it. He saw the laptop's brightness highlighting the pinkish hue on Jae's cheeks and smirked. “Hiding yourself behind your laptop that by the way had brightness filled up to 80% isn't working if you're trying to hide that blush. At least dim the brightness.” he chortled, clearly taking the amusement in to see just how cute the dhampir was being. “With the way your strung up those words? Yeah, I think anyone would be able to take the hint. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Judging from the way you said it, didn't seem like he lives in a dorm. Either he lives off campus or he's not a student.” he concluded casually, his gaze never once averted from the male. “My, you have an interesting life, don't you?”

Upfront was a way to describe it. The elder Stormwind has nothing problem telling people what they need to know. He wasn't lying too, Jae is a very attractive looking lad. Simplistic but somewhat still so ethereal. He's no art guy but even he knows something beautiful when he sees it, or someone. “I'm either as straight as a ruler or a circle, Jae.” Which still doesn't make sense for his uptight self to be rooting. He's not a chooser, hence the statement he gave out about himself. Was he attracted to females? Yeah, he doesn't deny that. Males? You don't see him complaining. “Maybe it's just me about the whole attachment issue. I haven't exactly lived a moderately healthy life as you know.” he mumbled sheepishly, wearing an awkward grin trying very hard not to drop itself. The dhampir is so positive it actually breaks the pessimistic barriers in him.

When Jae asked if he had any friends, he shrugged once again and shook his head. “Nope. I'm a ghost. No pun intended to earlier. I don't stay very long, just up and about. You don't trace me, I trace you. I don't live far from my tribe, not sure if it's just me telling myself that I'm afraid of having nothing to do without them, or that I'm just protective. But I know there's this ache in me that wanted a sense solidarity somewhere. It's the only place I can get it at, I guess.” The moment they delved into this topic, the niveis noticed he never had any friends whilst growing up. Not one. “I'm that kid you would find weird when you're busy playing with others. My sister on the other hand, she's the social butterfly.” Was that why no one bothered to approach him? Perhaps. “But if I'm not misinterpreting anything here, you would be one of my first.” A warm smile made its way to both corners of his lips, threatening to unleash that gummy smile no one even knew he had.

“Maybe one day we'll find a way to cope with it. I think the fact that we are burdened by that is because we still haven't found a way to cope with it. Once that is gone, what will you do? Those questions will keep bombarding your head until you have no idea what to cling on no more. So don't speed things up, Jae. I didn't. My 179th birthday is coming up on eve of Christmas and I still don't even know how to live alone.” It's absurd to even think him to be so dependent, but maybe if anyone would try to get to know him better, they'd understand there's a reason for such dilemma. “So you're working on the supernatural world? That's interesting. No one else tried to pinpoint the exact description of anyone, it's frustrating. But I'm guessing that's because neither one of us in this community wanted others to find out these things exists.” Smart. But how long can they keep living in hiding? It's been too long. He feels that more people should take a note of that. The world is theirs just as much as it is to the others.

“That's probably because I'm not manipulative. That's too much effort. If I want something out of someone, I just go for it. I'm a busy guy, ish. You won't expect me to loiter around for extra 10-20 minutes to hear an answer from you.” He's not an interrogator, well, not the ones that are sadistic or filled with other malicious intentions. But he wouldn't go as far to say he's a saint either. If needs to it, then consider him game. “Hahaha.. Smart boy. I wouldn't waste my time. But.. It's not a waste of time if it's worth it, no? I'm still here talking to you because you interest me. You seemed like a good kid too, who might be able to help me more with my research. Befriending you and getting at in one night? Seems like a win-win situation to me.” There was nothing more he liked than to kill two birds with one stone, considering how he actually cherished his time. “Like you asked earlier, I have no friends. I think it's time I start making one. Can't survive this world longer if you're alone, right?”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Jaesung Moon on February 24, 2019 at 20:54

Jae chuckled when Daehyun said he wouldn’t go back to natural, well he could certainly relate on not wanting to “You do you” he commented with a soft smile, he was of the opinion that if something made you feel confident and happy then you should do it, regardless of what others told you that you should and shouldn’t do. It was fun to talk to Daehyun, his reactions and opinions were different from most people he met and yet he was still pretty likable. Dae was right though, Jae didn’t think the two of them would have ever spoken if the first impression he had gotten of the niveis was of a cold and unapproachable person, the dhampir didn’t really click with standoffish people “At least the library has been useful for something tonight” he commented with a chuckle, the lights fiasco had knocked off his focus for the evening.

When Jae likened the other male to a cat, Daehyun did the exact thing the dhampir expected him to do and started grumbling, which made Jae laugh, shaking his head slightly, way to prove the point he was trying to make without even trying “Pretty sure if you go into any adoption center, they always have that one cat at the back who doesn’t seem interested in the people visiting” Jae chuckled, he liked going to them sometimes just to hang out with the animals, even if he couldn’t have one for himself. Though nowadays he was more likely to show up at Hanseol’s if he wanted to see animals, considering then he didn’t have to worry about not getting attached to them “Turns out they’re really sweet if you give them to time of day though...and they don’t instantly hate you” Jae gave Daehyun a knowing smile, was his likening really that far off?

“I will try not to take offense that you just called me an idiot” Jae commented with a laugh, not that he really cared, he could be an idiot sometimes, especially when it came to deciding things without fully thinking them through first. Jae wasn’t necessarily trying to hide the blush so much as trying to hide his entire existence at that moment, he couldn’t believe he was talking about this so casually with someone he just met, it was so unlike him “I could have been talking about literally anything” he protested, though the look on his face totally gave him away, he wasn’t ashamed per se, just really freaked out that Daehyun could read the situation so easily “I just don’t want him to think I didn’t…” he cleared his throat, yeah, not going there with a stranger, he had a line and this was it “Interesting as of recently yeah, though I think that’s more down to him than it is me, I’m about as boring as they come” he chuckled softly scratching at his neck with his fingertips.

Of course, he also noticed that Daehyun was handsome, in that, I don’t really try way that kinda made Jae a little jealous. Then again he was jealous of most people who were more confident than he was, things would be so much easier for him if he didn’t worry and stress over things “Damn I wish I could just say things how it is so easily” he laughed, Jae was the type to talk his way around things, especially with people he didn’t know all that well.

It still felt strange to him to meet people who didn’t have friends, while Jae might not have many in Evermore, back home he had loads of them and he still spoke to a lot of them often, he knew if he ever went back to Seoul he would be able to slot himself back into that life easily. Well, if he was alone he could, meeting Hanseol had made that whole thing much more complicated “You do realize how creepy and stalker like you’re making yourself sound right?” Jae commented with raised brows, he didn’t think Dae was a stalker though, just bad at phrasing his own actions. He was just teasing really, Jae saw someone who wanted to let people in, the hints in way Daehyun spoke and the fact he was still here spoke volumes about that “No misinterpretations” Jae affirmed, returning the male’s warm smile with one of his own “I could use some friends here in Evermore, I plan on sticking around at least a few years so” it was strange how Jae seemed to get along with those who were older than him, maybe he just had a more mature personality, but he couldn’t bring himself to find any similarities with people the same age as him.

“Well I don’t think it’s always a bad thing to be in touch with the world around you, I don’t want to become egotistical, that’s just not who I am” he pondered with a slight shrug, he liked complimenting others but when he received one for himself he was very modest, he felt like he really had to earn his achievements to feel proud of them and he would feel wrong if people handed him success he didn’t feel like he deserved “Besides, no one said we had to have everything figured out right now” he nodded, he still felt like he was young and had his whole life ahead of him at this point, he really could have all the time in the world if he chose to flip his immortality switch. “My story will have its own elements of fiction to keep the mobs from my door but… I guess I want to base it on something real, something that tells a story I think should be heard” he smiled softly “Right now I’m just kinda excited to see where it all goes” he wasn’t in a rush, his writing didn’t allow him to rush, it came when it wanted to. Noting something Daehyun had mentioned Jae backtracked for a moment “Your birthday is on Christmas eve?” he pulled a face “Not sure I’d enjoy that” he commented knowing how people liked to merge events together if they were close in date.

Jae laughed “I don’t really have much to offer a sociopath really, I don’t have friends in high places, I’m not rich, I’m not a major risk taker, my friendship would gain you nothing but a friend” Jae shrugged, well that was something but people looking to take advantage of others weren’t typically looking for friends or people to care for them, they were looking for threads they could pull when the time is right “I like to think I’m a good friend though” he admitted with a smile, Jae was a caring soul at heart and those he kept close he treasured. Jae leaned forward against his hands as he watched the platinum blond male for a few moments “So what do you think to Evermore so far?” he asked curiously, having only been here a few months himself he wondered if their first impressions were the same or very different.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on February 25, 2019 at 17:55

Quirking the corner of his lips slightly, he agreed. The library was not exactly the place Daehyun would find himself wandering around trying to pick out friends as easy as he picked up books. It was his first time in the university library too, he's only been to the local public one that was a lot more open to the residents of the eternal city, not as if this restricted access to few had stopped him from entering anyways. Meeting Jae was unexpected, and he's never been one to dwell around such ambiguity fainting at his feet, but it was the kind of occurrence that the niveis didn't mind. Discovering a friend in the dhampir from this rather serendipitous encounter was his highlight of the day. Guess he couldn't blame the fuse box for malfunctioning because that way, he'll probably never get the chance to befriend a kind guy like him.

Approaching Daehyun couldn't have been easy. The snowy haired niveis was rather closed off and exuded an aura that pushes people away and led them astray from their path to getting to know him. It worked, most of the time. So to gain a friend in Jae, it was one of the first for him and he would not complain the slightest. God knows just how many people he actually needed to start trusting and opening himself up a tad bit more wider than usual. No one's going to bite. “I would've never thought I'd find a friend in a library, of all places.” It was strange, but the good kind. Who knows what else was in store for the elder Stormwind?

When Jae still insisted that he had a resemblance that was similar to a grumpy cat, he hummed and actually thought about it. Perhaps he was right. He is unilaterally grumpy at times, even Mirae pointed that out. “I'm pretty sure that cat is probably just tired how people passed by them every day. I mean if I live in an adoption center, I'd figure out a way to get out instead of waiting for someone to save and adopt me. No use in inducing hope into such situations when you know it's fairly thin.” It wasn't surprising that Daehyun didn't believe in hope as much as he thought he would. Even if there was a sliver left behind in him deep down, he would oppose it and choose to live his way instead. He's been tied down by so many things and people, no use in making this freedom of his tone be something that is not even solidified. “You do realize you just called me sweet right? Indirectly?” He sounded offended but the smile didn't say much about it, if it doesn't betray him.

Automatically returning back to his defensive position, he shook his head quickly in denying that statement that flew out of his mouth earlier. “No, no.. I didn't call you an idiot. I- didn't I say almost all the time? Surely you picked up it meant that you're not under those catego-” It was until he was just a few words away from ending his sentence that he realized he was trying not to come off as cold. Crap, that's done for. It is however, amusing to see just how easy the dhampir was able to turn the passive aggressive male a whole 90 degrees back to the soft land. He is truly something. “Never mind. I have a feeling you got it anyways..” he murmured, craning his neck slightly to the side as he tried to avert his gaze away, feigning a look of offense. Though he had his time to tease coming back real fast because the flustered look on Jae's face was hilarious. “Yeah sure. You know you shouldn't be embarrassed about it. Having a relationship, isn't that healthy for most people? I mean assuming there's no toxicity accentuating them.” He wouldn't know, which is why it was more of a question rather than a statement.

“People who call themselves dull are usually the most interesting people to be around. Because you never know what they have under their sleeves.” He hummed softly, as he closed his eyes briefly and fluttered them open again to meet the dhampir with the wry smile tugging on his lips. It was amazing to see how quickly it was to shift from one mood to another. “You're more interesting than you say, Jae. Believe me.” he added. He's nowhere near the lines of insecurity as much as everyone else. Sure he didn't exactly like who he is, but that doesn't mean he hated himself. “I don't care much about anything, not even people's feelings honestly.. I just think being honest is a lot better than telling a lie even if it's white lie.” he mused, he himself didn't like trolling around the bushes. He'd rather someone tell him directly.

“You did not just put me, creepy and stalker in the same sentence, Jae.” he exclaimed bluntly, the look on his face literally says ‘are you kidding me’. “No one has ever disrespected me like you have and live to tell the tale. Well granted that they were frozen for most part, but still.. They didn't speak of it to anyone else.” Shaking his head, he wiggled his index finger towards the dhampir and chastised him. “You young man, are lucky I like you.” Oh, he forgot he doesn't usually say that and facepalmed a few seconds later. But there was no taking it back anyways so what's the point? Much like what Jae might have concluded, Dae wanted to let people in. He wanted people to see that he is still very much approachable but unfortunately, the poor niveis didn't know how to show that without snapping a few minutes later.

“Me too. Evermore sounds too good to be real the first time I heard about it. But it's a promising place with plenty of potentials to go around, so I think I'll stick by for a little while longer.” He's only been here for roughly a month near to two, and he's already found a few reasons to like the supernaturally populated city. There weren't many people living there so that's a bonus point. He gets to live in a place where climate changes wouldn't even matter because the city literally lives on weird things happening. And now? He had someone to befriend, who's an actually catch, by the way. He had a feeling their friendship would continue to strive through the day in the future. “I suppose it's not a bad thing. Still new to this kind of environment, and to think I've roamed outside for at least 40 years, which is like before you're even born, and yet you know things better than me. Paint me envious.” he pouted, his bottom lip jutting up, really making up that cat image once again.

“I hope it will be something you're proud of.” he said, his tone dipped into a mixture of honey and sincerity, no idea where that came from but it's a rarity. When he got reminded by his own words that he was born during Christmas Eve, he flinched involuntarily but painted it off by shrugging. “I wouldn't know. I don't think we celebrated Christmas much. We live in tribes, things were rather traditional back then. It's not like Korea pay attention to festivities that were not Chuseok or Lunar New Year. So I didn't get a lot of this and that. The only birthday celebration I remember receiving was from my sister, who gave me a necklace she made.” A necklace he actually still wore until today, inside his shirt. The only memory trinket he had of the past. “So I didn't have to worry them putting them in clash with other events.” It was a century, nearly two back, and they were rather conservative and kept to themselves. “When's yours?”

What did he think of Evermore? He still haven't made his initial conclusion yet but he likes it here. “Well, gaining a friend is what I wanted, so I guess I got what I want indirectly without thinking much about it. Win point for me.” Leaning against the chair, he shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable and pondered carefully what to say. “I've only been here for a very short while, I can't say anything for sure. But I like it here. It seems like a place that offers fresh starts, and that's exactly what I want. Still can't believe a city like this exists though.”

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Jaesung Moon on February 26, 2019 at 21:54

Jae laughed when Daehyun mentioned finding a friend in the library “Me neither” he responded before he gave a thoughtful smile “But now that I think about it, a library is probably the perfect place for me to meet people who think like I do” which was a not so subtle dig at most of the people his age who spent most of their time partying instead of studying. Anyone in the library at this time of night was more like him, focused and probably a little boring, but Jae didn’t see a major problem with that. While everyone else was focusing on parties he would be focusing on his own future, which he hoped would be bright.

What Daehyun said metaphorically stuck a chord with the dhampir, he actually hadn’t thought about things like but when the niveis said it that way it made a lot of sense, eventually you would get tired of waiting around for someone to save you and then you would save yourself and perhaps there wasn’t anything wrong with that, it showed character and strength after all “Doing everything all by yourself feels lonely though, wouldn’t the cat eventually want to know what it was like to have a family?” Jae ran his tongue over his bottom lip, he did believe that connections with other people were important and that even if you could handle life alone, it didn’t mean that it was healthy. When Dae pointed out that Jae had inferred that he was sweet the dhampir smiled and shrugged “I’m sure you have your moments” Jae wasn’t scared to compliment others, he just wasn’t great at receiving them.

Jae laughed as Daehyun got defensive and backtracked his previous statement “Don’t worry, I’m an idiot at times too, I’m pretty sure everyone is” he chuckled softly noting the way that Dae seemed to get riled up whenever Jae was joking, the dhampir had to wonder how much time the other male spent around other people. He guessed probably not a lot but Jae kinda liked the rough around the edges guy, he seemed to have a good personality but a bit of trouble finding his feet when it came to talking. Either way, Jae wasn’t easily offended or scared off by a bit of grumbling. He did, however, get embarrassed about talking the more intimate details of his relationship with a….new friend. The dhampir shrugged a little “I guess I just don’t wanna jinx it, everything is still new right now and I’m figuring it out” Jae wouldn’t really know what was and wasn’t healthy when it came to relationships considering this was his first real one “He makes me happy though, I figure that’s a good place to start” and there was the blush again, though he didn’t bother hiding this time since the screen only made matters worse.

The dhampir’s expression showed curiosity when Dae talked about people who considered themselves dull, Jae had never really placed himself in the special category, he always got average grades, had mid level of popularity and generally just fitted in with the crowd. It wasn’t until the past few months that he’d started to recognize and accept parts of himself that might be considered ‘different’ “If you say so, Daehyun” he responded doubtfully to his words about being more interesting than he claimed. If he was, he was yet to figure out what. When Daehyun spoke about being brutally honest Jae pulled a semi impressed face “Well honesty is certainly a good trait” he commented and smiled, though he imagined that the pale-haired male might not phrase things in a way that most wanted to hear them “But I think people’s feelings are important too, we’re built to feel, not to be robots” he shrugged, Jae wanted to feel everything if he was honest, it was a good reminder of the fact he was alive.

Jae raised his brows in response to Dae’s reaction to his comments on how he described himself “Hey you said you went around finding people, I just surmised what you were trying to say” he chuckled softly, he didn’t mean it in an offensive way at all actually, he just enjoyed joking around with the elder male who if he was honest, reminded him of his elder brother in the way he spoke and acted with him. Jae wrinkled his nose pulling a cute innocent expression as though he had no idea what he had done wrong to receive such a warning, which turned into a triumphant smile when Dae said he liked him “If you’re gonna keep me around you should know I make jokes out of everything” Jaesung laughed softly “If you can’t handle banter then you may want to run for the hills because my brain will make them up without asking me permission first” it was a part of who he was he supposed, making light of everything allowed him to handle the situations around him better.

He was kinda glad to hear that the other male intended on sticking around, it would have sucked to meet someone who seemed pretty cool only for them to leave town a few weeks later “Evermore is….different than what I expected” he commented, his expression showing a soft smile which communicated that he didn’t think that was necessarily a bad thing “I didn’t really expect to like it here as much as I do” he admitted with a shrug, he’d picked the city because the English programme was stellar and matched exactly what he wanted in a course but he hadn’t expected to enjoy living in a city that was so open to the supernatural. Seeing Daehyun pout about not knowing as much as Jae the dhampir shrugged “Don’t feel too bad, I spend half my time buried in research and reading instead of using badass ice powers” everyone had their talents, Daehyun’s seemed to be getting people to talk “Besides we’re friends now right? My knowledge is your knowledge” Jae chuckled leaning his hand against his own cheek.

Jae nodded a slight thanks to Daehyun when he mentioned the book being something he was proud of, Jae hoped so too, but there was a lot of work to come before any of that, thankfully he had a lot of time ahead of him for all of that. Jae felt a little sad hearing that the other male didn’t really get to celebrate his birthday, birthdays had always been something Jae enjoyed a lot, his parents always made a big deal about them even though he had three other siblings, it was always the one day where he got their full and undivided attention. “Mine?” he asked a little surprised to have the question turned back on him “May 12th” he answered with a half shrug “First birthday away from home is coming up” he wasn’t sure how to feel about that, they’d always had all these traditions and now he guessed he would go without them for a year.

“It’s a little unreal right?” Jae commented with slightly widened eyes, really it was nothing like he had expected, you literally saw someone supernatural round every corner here and people really didn’t go to great lengths to hide it either. Jae had never seen more than a valkyr and a dhampir for himself before he came here and now he had met so many other species “Sometimes I wonder how the secret stays under wraps considering everything that happens here” he shrugged, probably thanks to the media.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on February 28, 2019 at 9:26

Who thinks like he does? Daehyun had no idea what that actually means or what it would've entailed, but he was awestruck by the idea of it. The older male takes everything seriously or not seriously at all, though the latter is most likely applicable only for personal matters. He keeps his attention solely on his duties and intends to keep up with the responsibilities it gives. A library was the last place he'd make a friend at, true. But it was not the last place he would be. Dae liked the smell of old books or just books in general, and surrounding himself in a place where everyone material is readable and gaining knowledge while doing so, wouldn't that be heavenly? At least he wouldn't have to communicate with anyone else. Though today was an exceptionally rare case in his diary, he met a peculiar dhampir who managed to sneak into his good graces. Clearly the latter was talented in more ways than just one.

“I'll take it as a compliment.” he spoke, his tone debating whether to go fully civil and usual or leave it to the awkwardness seeping in. But he actually enjoyed the dhampir's company so he decided against making the other male uncomfortable. The more he talked to him, the more Dae found it in him to hear more than what he would allow himself to believe in. Strangely enough, Jae piqued his interest in the way he formed his words carefully. The eloquent pace he carried with such grace, it was something the niveis would applaud to. It was rare to find someone who thinks like the dhampir. “Yes, eventually it would get lonely and tedious. I think the cat would very much want a family of its own, so there would no longer be a room for loneliness. But things don't always go the way we wanted them To,  the universe has a strange way of showing us that-- where we stand and where they stand, reminding us of the superiority complex they hold.” As metaphorically as it can go, the sentence he spurred out was bringing an effect that was a lot closer to rhetorical terms.

“But you're not wrong in the slightest there. The cat would wish for that with all its might.” That cat is him. He is the one who wanted a family to spend his time with desperately. He had Mirae, and that was supposed to be enough but unfortunately, he knew deeply inside him, that it wasn't. He wasn't sure if it was just him being selfish in wanting more or the resentment of not wanting to acknowledge his younger sister after what happened between them. The sibling bond will continue to be there, but even after rekindling their siblinghood, nothing was the same ever again. A different air surrounded the both of them respectively, leaving them to waddle in the life they'd previously led. Perhaps, that was the reason why he seemed friendship, because he wanted to belong somewhere and he wanted to be a company others could enjoy in. Easier said than done, of course.

Smiling momentarily at the dhampir, he allowed the kind gesture to accommodate his lips a little while longer. It felt nice, being able to smile without any worries plaguing his head. He felt normal for once. “Many doesn't seem to think so. I'm only good at what I do, unfortunately. But for personal company wise? Not so much.” he mumbled sheepishly, as his right went behind his head to scratch the spot awkwardly. Behind the confident and I-don't-give-a-damn exterior, there was more to him than what meets the eye. It's just an exterior, it has always been that. Some just couldn't see pass that front. In time, even he had deluded himself into thinking like that. “You know, for someone who has his way with words, you talk about others confidently but when it comes to yourself – your personal life at least, you shrink. I wonder why is that.” he asked, just from a genuine sense of curiosity hiking inside him.

Daehyun didn't understand a lot of things, though he'll never let anyone know. And in so, he was curious about basically everything. He needed to understand it to know them. “Well if you're happy and he make you happy, I don't see why you wouldn't want it to work. Being hopeful can be a powerful tool, not saying it's good or bad because I wouldn't actually know. Let's say it's neutral. Life is shorter than you think, Jae. I think it's best if you focus on living your life the way you want to. Not trying to be that guy, but you never know what'll happen tomorrow or the next or the day after that. Just make sure you won't have anything to regret.” he assured vehemently. Jae seemed like he's a good kid, a person with a kind soul and it warms his heart to see there were still people like that existing in today's community. Resentment drives deep, he knew that because he experienced it. It was the last thing he would ever wish upon anyone else, much less someone like Jae.

“I don't like to sugarcoat things.. Too much effort. I'm the definition of lazy if need to be.” he lazily shook his head and scoffed. The elder Stormwind thinks all of that wouldn't make a point in the end, so there's no need to waste one's energy just because you wanted to make the other party feel better. Especially when you know it's inevitable. Dae wasn't insensitive, but his perception is easily faltered when it comes to it. He's a bitter guy, but maybe what he needed is just a little positivity in his life. Jae had a point about them being able to feel instead of living it the dull way a robot should. “I guess I just stopped caring. Or I tell myself that I did. Either way, it really doesn't make a difference. I stopped trying to be alive the day I died.” That was the moment he realized that he's hopelessly lost in the maze. Daehyun liked to think that he's a cold but caring guy, but since there were no recipients for him to care for, what's left was just the cold.

Scrunching his nose up in feigned distaste, he groaned out in response to the dhampir's earlier remark. “I take it back.. I take it all back. I don't want to bask in your company at all. The last thing I need is you influencing me your horrible 21st century setter jokes that would probably make me throw up internally and potentially embarrass myself.” Granted, they weren't horrible. But, eh, he didn't know any other way to describe it. “Good thing I do live up the mountains then. That way I can run up anytime I want. Well, fly anyways. Easier than doing unnecessary cardio.” Just because he trains daily, doesn't mean he's a big fan of cardio exercises. “I didn't picture you to have a filter so I guess I'm not overly disappointed.” he teased.

“Badass ice powers? Really?” he couldn't help but to allow the scoff to come out because of how incredulous it sounded. The abilities were cool, sure, but he never found anything stellar about them. He occasionally surprises himself with what he can do, but never actually allowed that feeling to travel outside his own vicinity. “It's cool, no pun intended, until you realize all I do is make snow storms or mild blizzards at 12 pm because I hate how the sun is scorching even though that's literally the job. That and freezing people every time they attempt to wake me or do something stupid. Better than a frostbite at least. They say I give a mean one.” The gummy smile on him spoke different measures though. How was it that someone who had such a sweet smile, could also end up being one of the most coldest guy? Logic really doesn't apply to them anymore these days.

Only he could tell just how excited he was hearing Jae call him his friend. “Likewise.” he affirmed, his knowledge is Jae's too. He would gladly share them with him. “I'm sure you have a few to keep you company for your birthday here.” He wasn't good at consoling, so he never tried. Assuring was one thing, encouraging too, but consoling, that's a whole level he knew he could never amount to. “People are usually afraid of the unknown, afraid of what they can't understand, so I'm not surprised to see the measure taken to keep all of our matters in private seclusion. Hell, I don't think our arrival would spark any friendly lights for the Initia. Phoenixes had always been their enemy for long, what's saying they'd accept a deviant species from an already deviant species.” There it is, the grumbling again.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Jaesung Moon on March 1, 2019 at 16:25

Jae leaned back in his chair rocking it onto two legs and balancing it as the two of them talked, it was interesting to see the way that Daehyun seemed to be caught between the do things for yourself and the let things happen mentality “The cat just ran away to take control of his own fate, you really think he’s going to sit around and do nothing after that?” Jae wasn’t a big believer in fate and destiny, he believed in hard work and perseverance rather than blind acceptance. Jae shot Daehyun a questioning look “I’m not letting the universe tell me what I will achieve with my life” Jae was hard headed that way, he would fight with everything he had for the things he wanted and that list seemed to be growing more and more lately.

The dhampir chuckled and shrugged, he found there was no telling people who believed in meant to be so he let it go, perhaps their universe would be kind to them while he was out working his ass off to be the person he wanted to be. It didn’t escape his notice that he did manage to get a real emotional response out of the niveis though, which was strange to him considering the other male seemed to give the impression that he cared about very little. Jae had a family, though it could be described as somewhat dysfunctional and he loved them very much, but family, family went further than just the people you were born to share the same blood with, he believed you were able to choose those you saw as family too.

Daehyun had this rare but genuine smile that he showed every so often, usually short-lived but it was nice to see the way it lit up his face, it only further confirmed for Jae that the other male was actually a pretty decent person beside the grumpy cold exterior he exuded “Well they’re not looking hard enough” Jae teased and very purposely pushed his glasses up his nose on his face, Jae hated wearing his glasses most of the time but they did make for some good comedic puns. When Dae boldly asked the dhampir about his own confidence the dhampir shrugged “I think everyone is able to see good things in others more than themselves” he spoke as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip, he didn’t really know the answer why, it was just the person he was, the kind who put others before himself always.

It actually felt really nice to have someone neutral just make open comments on his relationship, he hadn’t really been able to talk to anyone about his feelings when it came to Hanseol because talking about it also meant coming out to them and the dhampir didn’t feel ready for that. Daehyun, however, had shown he was understanding up front so Jae didn’t feel the same pressure he did with others “Oh believe me I want it to work” Jae commented and leaned his hand again his chin “I’m just not sure what making it work looks like just yet” he chuckled softly “Right now I’m just…” the smile on his face was about as telling as the words he spoke “Deliriously happy” okay he was smitten as hell but who would blame him when he had someone like the fallen star “But not everyone is going to be as understanding as you are” namely his parents, who he was still a little afraid of.

Jae nodded a little “That’s fair” he commented about the topic about sugarcoating, he just hated the idea of hurting someone’s feelings so he always tried to phrase things in a way that would be received better but he could understand not wanting to do so or feeling the need to. It made Jae sad to hear the blond admit that he felt like he stopped living though, everyone deserves the chance to have a life that made them happy, just living for the sake of living “That makes me sad” he commented with a half smile, well Daehyun might not care about the wellbeing of others but Jae certainly did and to hear that someone didn’t see any good reasons to live their life, that was almost painful for the dhampir “Surely there must be some reason” Jae pondered, even if it was living for someone else that was better than nothing.

Rolling his eyes Jae gave the niveis a look that spoke the word ‘seriously?’ before he lifted and then dropped his shoulders “Well you already told me you don’t many other options” Jae smirked a little, his presence wasn’t for everyone, a lot of people had described his clingy or childish in the past thanks to the way he acted, really it was just the way he was, he did things that made other people smile and so far he’d managed to get a few out of Daehyun so he was calling it a success. “Why does it not surprise me that you’re a mountain man” the dhampir teased and pretended he had a walking stick in his hands and made a mocking voice “Get off my land” Jae chuckled because he could picture Dae being like that.

“Hey at least you can make something happen whenever you want, you have no idea how many times I’ve left my daggers behind” he facepalmed a little and laughed, having ice powers sounded pretty cool but Dae was right, there was a limitation on what you could do with them...having wings, however, Jae was jealous of that “You do realize you literally just told me you can fly right?” his dark eyes were unwavering as he looked back at the elder male.

Despite the fact that the two of them were trading insults back and forth, it was actually pretty fun, he found a certain level of ease when talking to Daehyun, kinda like when he was with Hanseol except without the wanting to kiss him part. “A few yeah” he commented with a nod, “I think I’m just used to how it always was that it scares me a little” he chuckled, yeah he was saying he’s afraid of change, sue him. “I had a friend who was a phoenix once” Jae commented brightly “I always liked him so” Jae shrugged, he wasn’t the kind to judge a person on their species, he was more the kind to judge a person by how they treated or spoke to him. So far, Daehyun was on the good list, even if he grumbled a lot.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on March 3, 2019 at 9:48

He's not indecisive, not really. He's just usually torn between two sides of the coin everytime. It's a contrast between the person he was and the person he is currently. A part of him wishes to retain all the traits from his old life, but the other half wishes to forget them and mold himself a better persona for the future. He hasn't changed that drastically, it's just his mentality shifting slowly as it aligned itself on the axis. A small but impactful phase in his life. “You're making a very valid point there. The cat wouldn't just sit around. But who's to know if the cat might escape not because it wanted to be set free but because it no longer wishes to wallow in a cage where he couldn't put his life on the hands of nature?” He was being a smartass, just for the sake of it. It elicited an amused smirk from him. Dae was holding a decent conversation with Jae and he enjoyed them thoroughly.

“But I appreciate your thoughts. You're a fighter, aren't you. Well, technically you are a dhampir, so that's ironic.” Dae wasn't kidding when he could see the endless potentials hiding behind the mint-haired male's shells. He only needed to find out what's catalyst for him to see if any reaction could be gouged out. Though seeing the look on Jae when the topic of his significant other comes up, Daehyun was pretty sure the latter really cherished whoever the lucky guy was. Perhaps, even enough to push the motivation needed for the young dhampir. Maybe it was just the niveis’ soldier instincts pushing out on wanting to mentor him, he did spend the rest of his life training. The gummy smile returned when Jae threw his compliments his way. He's never felt the amount of sincerity that way.

“Maybe they didn't bother to see.” he added. Granted, he understood he wasn't the most hospitable and approachable person there was, but he's not that bad. He was glad someone else could see past that facade. If anything he's just torn and broken by hopes that never got fulfilled. “Right again you are.. It's easier to pick someone else's traits and habits rather than your own. I don't know why but it just works that way. Not sure if there's any psychological reading on that particular topic.” If Dae was asked to list down what he liked about Jae, he most probably could do it in less than a minute or two even though they've only just met. It wasn't hard to pick, because all he's displayed so far was positive traits.

Seeing the dhampir looking awestruck by the topic about his personal life made the pale haired niveis smile unconsciously. Someone was able to be that happy despite living a difficult life, why couldn't he? Perhaps like many others, he just wasn't looking hard enough or he didn't want to. “There will always be close minded people existing, similar to how the world still has darkness looming over. It's the only way the scale could be balanced thoroughly. But if you surround yourself with rational people, you'll end up devouring their positive energy instead of instigating a dark hole in yourself from all the negativity. Like what you're doing right now, I'm a rather pessimistic guy but the more I listen to you, the more bright the air around me gets.” Well, it's still cold, but that's not the point. “What's important is how you live your life, remember? If you're happy, and he's happy, then what's the problem wanting to be happy? The world's not going to wait for you. You said it so yourself, you're not letting the universe dictate what you should and shouldn't do.”

Was there a reason? Maybe there was, but Daehyun just couldn't see it. Either he's too far up his own unruly mindset or he's just blind to see them. Either way the elder Stormwind didn't get to witness anything that would infer to it. “I went through a few betrayals that ripped me apart like how my wings would've have been. If I could count the major ones, 3 alone was enough to change my mind about trusting people ever again. Once upon a time ago, I continued living for my sister, because no one would look after her and it's already my fault that she was ripped away from the life she could've had, so I had to take responsibility as her big brother. Then I kept living just to spite my friend who betrayed me, or at least the man I thought was my friend. Hope came crashing once again, promising a better future and change. But 40 years had passed, and I still don't see it. Things got better, sure..generally. But not for me. I still can't find my purpose.”

It was why Dae had planned to move out and find it afterwards. If it was up to him, the moment he was set free, he would've flew away. But the responsibilities tied him into place. Even if he didn't need to, he felt compelled to execute and carry them out either way. “But seeing my sister after a century made me feel better. She could take care of herself, she always could have but I was that annoying pain in the ass of a brother not to see it. My protectiveness shrouded my gaze. She can handle herself, which means she doesn't need me. She never did.” he exclaimed, his tone bearing a painful reminder of what and who he was to others. A nobody. Despite being happy to see her sister maturing, he was slightly sad to see everything passing so quickly in a blink of an eye. He tried to stifle his laugh when Jae mimicked him using an air gestures of a walking stick. That was funny. “Hey, the mountains are territorial. Nobody ventures there so nobody would disturb us. I can make a blizzard because my mood was off any day and nobody would blink. Besides, it's colder up there. I call that a convenience.” he grumbled, narrowing his dark hues onto the dhampir.

The only hot beverage he actually tolerated were coffee related stuff, that's it. He doesn't even like to sweat unless it was cold sweating. “For real though, if you trespass my territory at the west side of the mountains, I would actually threaten you to get off my land before you end up becoming a popsicle.” His tone indicated it was a dry humor but would actually do that if it comes to it. He's...possessive. “I mean I can understand why you'd leave them behind. Wouldn't humans be freaked out that you brought daggers everywhere you go? I mean, they don't even have to be a human.” he asked, purely out of curiosity. Dae didn't carry any form of weapon with him, even though he loves hitting people with any stick. Using hand to hand combat requires a lot of effort, and he didn't want to spare his time if he's only going to waste them. Quirking an eyebrow at the dhampir, he shrugged smugly and smirked.

“Yeah, that's what wings are supposed to do. Fly. But if you don't get used to it, you're gonna crash land any day. Believe me, I've seen people do that more times than I've witnessed others flying.” It was true, even when they were used to flying as phoenixes, the moment they became niveis, everything was back to ABC. He offered the dhampir a reassuring smile, knowing how scary it was to go through changes. Imagine yourself living this kind of life since birth, and suddenly you had to change things drastically because the circumstances called for it. A literal case of jet lag basically. “I wish there were more people who would think the way you do. Unfortunately, specist people are always going to be there. Prejudices, especially a rivalry that goes back into the roots of everything, they don't dissolve that easily because one of us said sorry.” He combined racist and species, which wasn't even a real word but he couldn't care enough to give a damn. “Do you like being a dhampir?” He wanted to know if there were people who struggled with their identities like he was. Perhaps he could gain a few helpful advices.

DhampirPermalink Reply by ✓ Jaesung Moon on March 3, 2019 at 17:22

It was quite funny, the way they were using the metaphor of a cat to talk about very big and very broad topics, regardless the two of them were having quite an intellectual conversation despite the childish way it was phrased and he was enjoying it, anyone who could keep up with Jae’s debates was someone worth keeping around in his opinion “Also a good point, not everyone searches for a family” he commented with a thoughtful nod, Jae didn’t think he had been searching for anything in particular until it had landed right in front of him, quite literally bit him on the nose really “Though that goes to question how fate works, would it not be arguable that fate was what landed the cat in the cage in the first place?” the dhampir arched a brow in return, he could debate for days, taking different perspectives and thoughts, it was challenging for him.

“Born and raised” Jae responded proudly, he had always liked the side of him that tended on the brave and headstrong side, it didn’t show face all that often, but if someone else was in danger, the dhampir would throw himself in head first, regardless of what the consequences. “I guess you could say it’s in my blood” he commented amused, though he attributed a lot of it to his upbringing too, he had always been encouraged to be a strong male persona that perhaps didn’t fit who he actually was but made him strive to be stronger and braver “And it sounds like you’re a fighter when it comes to your sister” he noted the way Daehyun had spoken about her thus far, like they weren’t all that close but Jae got the feeling Dae would do anything for her.

Daehyun was right, a lot of people didn’t bother to look past their first impressions, it was very easy to take one look at someone or have one small exchange of words and decide that you didn’t like them, Jae would be lying if he said he hadn’t had a few of those but he tried to give most people the benefit of the doubt, he liked to believe there was some good in most people, even if it was buried “Their loss” Jae commented with a half nod, there was no pleasing everyone, no matter how much you wanted to. “I think everyone is their own worst critic, we spend the most time with ourselves and we see every good and every bad part” he shrugged “It becomes easy to dwell on the worst” he found it much easier to pick out good things about others than he did himself, that was for sure.

Jae still had this inner battle with himself about the person he was now, since beginning to date Hanseol, or since the two of them kissed for the first time, he had been questioning how he defines himself. He knew Han didn’t care for such labels, having been raised in a way that had little need for him, but for him, he hoped the word would help him to understand better, help him feel like he belonged. “The problem is those close-minded people you mention are those closest to me” he pressed his lips together for a moment, Jae had absolutely no doubts in his mind that his father would go absolutely nuts when he learned Jaesung was in a homosexual relationship and the dhampir couldn’t say for sure whether he would ever accept him. He smiled when Daehyun noted the way Jae was making him feel positive though “Everything is much easier when I separate the two, the person I used to be before I met him and the person I am now” he paused “The latter being someone I think I’ve always been but also repressed” somehow saying it out loud to Daehyun made things make more sense for him.

Jae went quiet as Daehyun spoke about his life, it was surprisingly open considering the two of them had only met today so he respectfully remained quiet and nodded his head a little as the niveis explained the life he had lived till now “So you’ve never really lived for yourself at all” Jae commented running his tongue over his bottom lip, that reminded him of someone else he knew. It seemed a lot of the supernatural lived with a lot of paranoia and betrayal in their lives. Jae was lucky enough to never really have experienced but of it, for the most part, the people in his life were good influences for him, though he feared that may change sooner or later. “Well getting better is a start” Jae affirmed with a nod of his head “Next you find the reason or reasons” Jae had reasons, many of them actually, that all tied together.

From what Jae could gather, Daehyun seemed to be someone who as doing things in the name of duty or what he should do rather than what he wanted to do “From someone who is the youngest of four siblings, I think you’d be surprised just how much we need our elder siblings” his older brother had been such an influence for Jae and while the younger dhampir could act bratty and childish at times, he really cared about them all and always wanted to make them proud, he didn’t think that feeling would ever really go away. He could tell that Dae felt like he didn’t really have anyone on his side though, which was a sad thought. “I mean I wouldn’t actually climb a mountain to prove a point, even I’m not that much of a try hard” he chuckled seeing the way Daehyun was stifling a laugh, Jae was glad to be able to find something their shared humor-wise.

Jae shrugged a little, he supposed Daehyun was right, he did have to be careful about what he did with his daggers to prevent them from being seen, he’d probably get himself arrested if they saw he had a weapon on him, pretty much all his belts had holsters built into them now so he could keep his weapons on him if he wanted to, so he just needed to remember to pick them up “Oh no I can hide them just fine, I just always forget to pick the damn things up” he cursed with a shake of his head, he didn’t have the best memory when it came to short term stuff, he tended to have to write things down on a notebook he would carry to make sure he didn’t forget to do things he was supposed to.

“Well I never have to worry about that one because I don’t have them” Jae teased with a laugh, it sounded pretty awesome to be able to fly but he would settle for his current level of crazy, being a dhampir, while not something he always embraced, was what he knew. Jae was aware that a lot of people feared phoenixes though, mostly because there was reason to, they were one of the main reasons that Evermore city had needed a peace treaty after all and then they refused to sign it “I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, I don’t think anyone is born evil, they have the free will to choose who they want to be, regardless of what they are” he’d met nice humans and asshole humans and he had met kind supernaturals and bitchy ones, it was personality, not species.

When Dae asked him about his own identity Jae paused in thought for a moment and then went to answer “Sometimes yes and sometimes no” he answered with a shrug “I think I would have been better born a human because I never really fully embrace what I am” he ran a tongue over his lips “For many different reasons” he added and then shrugged “But then I also accept that this is who I am and there’s no point in wishing for the impossible” he chuckled softly “And you, do you like being a niveis?” he got the suspicion the answer was no but he was interesting to hear what Daehyun had to say.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on March 5, 2019 at 8:00

Daehyun couldn't remember the last time he actually had a decent conversation with someone else, much less laugh so openly. Granted, he wasn't much of a conversationalist, but he shouldn't be that hard to talk to seeing as he usually doesn't things seriously or straight to the heart, which would make him easier to talk to without worrying. Aside from a few teasing here and there just to brighten up the mood, since the niveis is a snarky soul. Jae kept the flow of the conversation, bringing a whole new element into it as time passes by, subsequently earning a nod of respect from the notoriously closed off niveis himself. What an achievement for the dhampir.

Not everyone search for family, some just wanted company to last worthwhile, like him. He didn't care if he didn't have any family left, because it wouldn't impact him as much as it did to others. He would still move on with life, but the question still remains, for what is he continuing? If he had no one, then what's the point really? Was it for himself then? Unfortunately, even Dae didn't love himself that much to use it as a solid evidence. “Perhaps fate had more plans under their sleeves to play out for the cat. The cat could land itself in a sticky situation like that in the beginning, only to get out the next and follow the path that was laid out in front of it. Some just needed the catalyst to trigger something in them. It could be that the captivity was only one of the early tests for the cat, to see if it could endure the hardships it might face in the future.” It was surprising to see just how much thought he was giving into this. The cat seemed pretty relatable.

Since Daehyun grew up in an Initia tribe, all the people he's ever known were basically either Initia or humans respectively, no one outside of the circle. Then, he met phoenixes, the same people like him a time ago. After they were turned into niveis, the tribe remained the same group of people he knew, with a few loses here and there as well as new addition. He's never gotten the chance to explore the world as a whole, only managing to go around the Northern part for the last 40 years. Jae was the first dhampir he’s officially met. The snowy-haired niveis knew about them due to his extensive research on supernaturals, but the male would be the first he met with his own pair of eyes. “Do you know you're the first dhampir Overnight ever met?” he quipped softly, playing with the helm of his jacket in the dark.

When Daehyun heard the word fighter and his sister in the same sentence, he felt a lump forming in his throat, constricting his airstream successfully. “After my transition into a niveis, we led a life under tyrannical rule so I was molded into a soldier, it changed me both physically and mentally. Things were never the same and I feel like the ice in me eventually found a way to freeze every empathy I ever had inside me. Perhaps for the better,” in his profession, attachments seemed dangerous and mind-boggling for him. The idea of something he's foreign towards, it's scary. Admittedly, it scared the elder Stormwind. “I always wanted to rebel against almost everything though.. That hasn't changed. I don't question my superiors when it comes to carrying out a mission but don't expect a closed mouth from me if I feel like it doesn't hit well. I'm surprised he didn't attempt to take my tongue..probably too busy planning to take over the world,” he mumbled audibly, part of him still finding it hard to forget about the Frostbourne entirely.

“My sister and I led a separated life for a century because of him. I'm her big brother, it's my responsibility to look after her. But she's more than capable. She doesn't need me to tell someone off, and I'm proud to see how far she's come.” In Dae's perspective, he is that overprotective older brother who would break your hands or made sure there would be no further use of it if you mess with his sister. Chuckling to himself, he never ceased to be surprised by the dhampir. He had a way around with words, befitting his status as a literature major. “It's not much of a loss. I'm a pain in the ass, they probably spared themselves,” he shrugged casually. Yes, it did become easier to dwell in the worst. Whenever Jae spoke, he couldn't help but to feel so stricken by them like they were shards plunging itself into his heart invisibly. “If they care you, they'll want to do what's best for you. But if they love you, they'll want you to be happy. Either way, it represents what they truly are behind that vessel of a body they wear everyday.” The pressure Jae felt must've been weighing on the poor dhampir's shoulders all this time.

“There will be that moment in your life.. When you become the person you are afraid of becoming. But in different views and perspectives, it isn't a necessarily bad thing. That person might be repressed because it wasn't a norm. It's a troublesome thing for you to handle but it also brings you closer to the light of the truth. It's trying to offer you clarity, but it's up to you if you wish to accept it or not. Everyone has a choice. They just don't know which one is the better of the two.” It was ironic to see him speak volumes about these, because he was far from being a speaker, more to a listener. “There's not much for me to live for myself. I lived.. And I died. Then I got a second chance at life, having to continue in this other world while knowing I would have to live my entire life after being robbed of my choices. I don't see it as a loss.” Did he not?

“I live today because I know I'll be able to contribute more being alive than dead six feet under,” he hummed lightly, the bass in his tone dropping lower in the last few seconds. “And that doesn't have to necessarily be a bad thing.” And just like that, his gummy smile was back to display itself across his lips, looking like he didn't just talk about death in general. But he did receive somewhat a reassuring closure on his sister when Jae spoke about having older siblings. He would lie if he didn't want to be significant to people. It's the only reason why he's continuing, so being appreciated sometimes, it's nice. “Maybe you should attach a strap around it so you'll remember to carry it everywhere,” he teasingly suggested, making a few air gestures. “That or you just post memo on your forehead everytime. Which can be effort.. So I'd go with first option.”

Free will, Daehyun saw them as something so inconspicuous. It's volatile in nature. How unpredictable it could be in one second and the next. It's too influenced so there was no stopping which advancement it will lean to. “I can relate with wanting to be human from birth. My father was our tribe's magister, so eventually the title would pass down to me, or at least that's what people thought. I spent my childhood trying to live up to the expectations, while looking straight into other people's eyes and say that being an Initia is an honor, when all I ever wanted to be was human like the minority in our tribe that didn't inherit the heritage,” he murmured silently. “As a phoenix, I wasn't sure where I belonged. Then as a niveis, while I found whereI belonged, I feel empty. Like there was still something missing. I don't particularly like being a niveis because it's still hard for me to control my emotions and I really don't want to cause a snow storm in the middle of the day because I was being a whiny bitch. I also don't hate it. It's a love-hate relationship if you will.”

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