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CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Hanseol Park on February 14, 2019 at 11:16

Hanseol stared at the pile of papers scattered in his room. There were at least up to 9 different sketches of him attempting to draw the same thing. Multiple colors sprawled out from every side, from south, north to the west and east corners of his room. Both of his hands was tainted with blue and yellow paint alone, molding it into a mixture result of light green, with half of red paint dirtying his cuff sleeves and collars. He was a complete mess when it comes to his art, but boy was he frustrated he wasn’t able to complete one sketch, let alone paint another canvas of Jae. Ever since they affirmed their relationship going up the clouds of positivity, the celestial has been nothing but a ball of light. And that was saying something, even though he was a literal light. He’s never felt this happy before and he knew he liked it. The stark contrast between early morning today and this evening was clear. Even his hair is a tousled mess.

Running his fingers through his dark locks, he mumbled a few words that went nearly audible to even himself that remained as random ramblings. For most part of his day today, he didn’t need to check on the animals’ health since most of them are standing over a decent plaque. He had the whole day to himself today, and was only reminded that he was supposed to be on his way to the celestial castle to meet Ophelia. Which he definitely did not forget that it’s past an hour already. Shoot. He really did it this time, didn’t he. God damn, the celestial really needed an alarm to alert him every time he had a schedule to get to. Things kept going around like clock work for his daily routines, but today was supposed to be extra important day. Apparently, his Wayfinder wanted him to stop by to talk about something. Whatever it was, it surely required his attention so he didn’t wish to upset her in any way. Of course, that’s a goner now because he was supposed to be there 7 but now it’s 8.

As soon as his eye caught the clock’s arrow pointing to number 12, he got up and hit his head accidentally on the bed’s edge. His right hand travelled up to his forehead, where he howled out in pain before cleaning the entire equipments on the carpeted floor and rushed to the bathroom to wash off the paint that really did cause a distinction on his top. He definitely forget how detergents work because he couldn’t scrub it off no matter how hard he brushed it. “Ugh..Why. Won’t. You. Get. Off.” he grunted and eventually gave up halfway past 5 minutes. “To hell with this.” he mumbled and ended up discarding his clothes on the laundry basket and adorn himself with a brand new top that he randomly took from the closet. His dark hair was a slightly neater tousled mess now, while maintaining a casual practical look to himself, leaving a laid-back mark.

Grabbing an overcoat to make sure he didn’t die from hypothermia, the celestial went as fast as his feet could take him. One good thing about living in the west side of the city’s neighbourhood, is that the celestial castle is only a few hundred meters away from his place. Sure it required him to travel by the hillside, but he used to go back and forth before he moved out when he had to return back to his clinic for work. Tucking both hands in his pockets, a couple of minutes later, he arrived at the victorian looking building. Hanseol went straight to her reading room and greeted the raven haired Wayfinder politely. “What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?” 15 to 20 minutes later passed and well, things did not turn out well for him nor her. He didn’t expect to hear the sudden alliance talking about two different species. Especially when they are the exact opposites of each other and would literally fade away into existence if things don’t go well. The argument between him and Ophelia really did spice things up, and not in a good way. This whole time, not once has he thought of disrespecting her, much less defy her. But today, it’s the first time for everything.

“This is not fair, Phe!” he grumbled, clearly displaying the distaste he had in this idea. He didn’t like the idea of being tied up to another that he hasn’t even had the chance to meet yet, neither did he want another prospect of being attached to anyone else that wasn’t Jae. Call him petty, but maybe that’s precisely what he was being. The argument was nowhere near an end up until he heard a foreign voice interrupting their heated discussion. Turning his head around to find the source of the voice, he came face to face with a male who seemed to stand at the same height as his, dressed comfortably and of Korean descent. For real, did they go along with this without running things with him first? Talk about being taken seriously and consideration. Though, he knew everyone else probably got paired up already and he remained as one of them that wasn’t pulled into this arrangement.

When she left the room with only the two of them, Hanseol sighed heavily and closed his eyes briefly and fluttering them open again to reciprocate the greeting, for that was the most polite thing he should be doing. “I’m Hanseol.. Hanseol Park. I would say likewise but then I’d be lying, and I hate to lie.” he said, literally owning up to the honesty radiating off him and let his gaze follow the Valkyr who literally went with the whole ‘make yourself at home’ thing. “Did you expect anything else? I just got here to hear my leader explain things to me in less than 20 minutes. I haven’t even had time to catch my breath yet before I got hit with the news.” He couldn’t help but to let his dark hues linger on the male. “Nothing’s on your face. I just wonder if you knew about the arrangement? You agree with it?” He’d lie if he wasn’t curious, of course.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on February 15, 2019 at 0:04

Yeon had to admit he wasn’t going to totally dismiss the prospect, after all, the idea at its core had merit, making your greatest weakness your secret weapon was really smart when you thought about it, not to mention that the whole city or even the world might suffer if another celestial was killed, Yeon liked the world the way it was right now. What he didn’t like was this speed dating way of going about it, like he was going to be okay with being linked to some random person he didn’t know. But Gideon had insisted it was Yeonseok’s choice whether or not he went through with it and that gave him a small amount of peace about the whole thing.

The person they’d picked out as a good pair for him, however, seemed to be dead set against it, he could hear his voice, shouting and bickering every part of the idea. In her defence, the woman seemed to be pretty rational about the whole thing, he supposed she was the one due to get a link with Gideon. Yeon tilted his head to the side a little, well an afternoon with this particular spitfire of a male was certainly going to be interesting. Yeon was one of the last to meet with the celestials, mostly down to the fact he hadn’t even been in Evermore for the majority of this month so he wasn’t going to be choosy.

Once the wayfinder left the room it was down to Yeon to carry the conversation because it seemed like the celestial didn’t have much interest in talking to him, especially from the cold introduction he gave “No problem, dishonesty is a nasty trait” he commented respecting the fact that Hanseol didn’t seem to like him, or perhaps Yeon supposed, the idea of him, either way, he didn't take it too personally, there were a lot of people that didn’t like him very much after all. “Ouch” Yeon responded as he realized that this had quite literally been thrown on the other male “Tactless” he commented, amusement on his lips, really this whole thing was quite entertaining to the valkyr, neither of them particularly wanted this and yet here they were.

When the male questioned him on his knowledge Yeon shrugged “If you didn’t know already you probably should start reading the papers” the alliance between Ophelia and Gideon which was upcoming was all they were interested in talking about right now, Yeon gave a half eye roll as he crossed his legs like he was a child sitting on the carpet at school “I’m not for it” he clarified with a shrug “but I’m not against it either, that’s why I agreed to come, I have to see it for myself” though he realized it wasn’t his choice alone, if the celestial didn’t want this then Yeon was hardly gonna be the one to make him go through with it

Leaning forward a little he rocked back and forth as they talked, something he did, somewhat of a habit he’d kept since before he died “I mean no offence but one blast of that pretty light you harness and I’m dead, if anyone should be sceptical here it’s me” his tone was matter of fact though it was laced with a hint of snark which tended to just naturally form it’s way into the valkyr’s words “She might talk a big game but you should know she can’t force you, I did my reading on it, unless we both choose this, it won’t work” he shrugged softly, he didn’t know if that was helpful to hear or not.

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Hanseol Park on February 15, 2019 at 14:32

It shouldn't come off as something surprising to see Hanseol rejecting this entire thing. The very idea of it alone made him suffer a headache. Supposedly, this would be a good arrangement between the two, seeing as Hanseol would gain himself a protector. But on the off side, wouldn't he be initiating a blood bond with the guy? The guy he barely know? Scratch that, a guy he doesn't even know anything apart from his name and species as of today. This is like a huge mental breakdown for the celestial, who's really just screaming internally in search for a way out from this whole thing. He wouldn't want to oppose this entire thing with no actual and solid reason to why. It would make him come across petty, and that's the last impression he would anyone to have on him. This is a bad idea, he thought. No, it's actually holding more pros than cons right now.

He needed the protection, for sure. Even he can't dismiss that. The celestial understood, whilst he still had Jae to help him, it was not going to be enough. He might even put the dhampir in a higher chance of danger again. His whole head is like wrecked up, as he tried to find the most soluble option to go with. That wasn't easy as it came by, though. Following what Ophelia told him, if was entirely up to him. It was a choice, that was not forced into him. Yeon's words highlighted that part once again. But why does he feel like he was being forced? In this dimension and reality, was there really a choice for him anymore? Instead of feeling endangered by multiple prospects of getting himself killed, he would have to choose between taking the best choice to keep himself preserved so no more deaths would occur. So everyone wouldn't have to suffer the consequences like some collateral damage. Yes, this isn't about him as a whole, he needed to be considerate and think about the bigger picture.

Everyone else had agreed to this, why should he do the same? Because you're different, he mumbled internally. But what good is being different if you're going to get yourself killed at the end of the day anyways? Right about now, it was like a war between the angel and devil whispering into his ears. Only it wasn't angel or devil, just side number one and two. All that projected into the person he was today. “I'm glad you think that way. There's not much of those traits lying around these days.” he exclaimed, as he cleared his throat before taking a seat across the valkyr. Let's just have them talk this through first, no? It seemed too good of an agreement for him to dismiss without hearing more of it. Once in a lifetime opportunity too.

Eyeing the valkyr carefully, Hanseol really wasn't being subtle in staring. Not that he had something to be shameful of. The fallen star really didn't have anything to worry about regarding his ego. “Not the first time people's called me that. But sounded so different coming from you.” Maybe it's because most of the time people's called him that, they didn't actually mean it, neither did they spoke it so casually like he did. Scrunching his nose up, it made him look like a bunny who just ate something sour. Exactly like that. “I don't read as much.. That's probably it. Thought I should start doing that now.” he nodded, his dark hues still looking over to the latter. Staring should be rude, but today, Hanseol wasn't feeling much to following rules. Especially seeing just how childish he was, that however did spark up a small snicker coming from him. What, it was cute.

“And now that you have come by to see it, what about it? Am I what you expected?” A little forward, but that's what it was. He had no problem showing it, especially since Jae had instigated everything positive about him, as well as a boost to his ego. Maybe it made him come across as a smug little brat, but the only opinion he cared for was only limited to a few, and he could count them using his two hands. “I heard about the Volakiri. But yeah.. Heard. Never really knew anything about it. It used to be a myth going around, I wasn't sure it was legit. Do you want this? We're talking about the both of us, anyways. It's clear where I stand with this issue earlier, but.. I still do want to know what you think.” Volakiri was not something they should thread lightly with, after all. And Hanseol wanted to be sure on everything. Every possible detail.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on February 16, 2019 at 0:40

Yeon had done his best to be level headed about this whole thing, mostly because Gideon had asked him to be and he respected his leader enough to not completely deny his words. But there was no denying the tension that was present in the room as he looked back at the dark-haired celestial. The truth of the matter was that they literally knew nothing about one another and a bond like this was a big deal, it would link them in a way that was indescribable to anyone else. It was particularly daunting for Yeon because he didn’t keep people around, at all, he had never been the type to rely on others, he preferred to handle things by himself but the valkyr knew he couldn’t just shove this idea off, there was a sense of duty he’d had deep in his chest since the moment he came back from his death and it was telling him that this was where he was supposed to be. Pesky intuition.

Plus Yeon had been training almost constantly from the moment he was brought back to life, he was skilled in combat, shadow ability and he knew how to use the gifts that death had given him to full advantage, it seemed a waste to not use that when he was confident he could do more to protect people than just wander the streets of Evermore and listen out for trouble. Perhaps Gideon wasn’t forcing him to do this but the drive in his brain sure as hell was applying the kind of pressure which would normally see him cave. He was conflicted about it all, he knew Celia was against the idea but that knowledge hadn’t stopped him coming here today. The blond valkyr sighed gently, what a troubling situation.

Yeon shrugged softly, he wasn’t much for fake people, he’d rather someone just tell him they didn’t like him up front and be done with it, he was generally pretty real with people, always being clear about what it was he wanted from someone and what they could expect from him. Though in this situation he wasn’t sure he wanted anything from the dark-haired male at all. It was clear he was less than thrilled with the idea of a blood bond after all. And yet the celestial continued talking to him which made the valkyr curious, perhaps he was giving this more thought than he was letting on “I prefer to be honest with people, if they can’t handle the truth then they probably can’t handle me either” he chuckled dryly, he said it how it was after all and he knew he could be pretty intimidating to some for that reason.

Yeon noticed the way the celestial was staring, he supposed it might be off-putting to some people but the valkyr didn’t really have anything to hide so if the celestial was hoping to catch him in a lie or find some fault in the way he moved or acting then he would probably be disappointed “Sometimes it’s a good quality, not everything needs to be about worrying about people’s feelings” he commented with a shrug, sometimes what was best caused people to be upset but if it was for the best in the end then he could live with that. “I try and keep up with the tabloids at last, considering how much time I spend out of the cities I’d probably come back to an entirely surprising community if I didn’t” just over the past month he’d spent more weeks in New York than he had his own apartment so. “Have you managed to spot anything suspicious in my behaviour yet?” he questioned directly noting the way the celestial was still staring, Yeon knew enough of stares to know the nature behind them, Hanseol’s definitely was one of skepticism, which he couldn’t really blame him for, he was a fallen star who no doubts had to look over his shoulder after all.

He could tell that the celestial wanted Yeon to help him make this decision easier, which was kinda hard to do when the valkyr was still sitting on the fence himself “I’m just glad you’re not one of those shy types who can’t even talk about their own opinions” he commented nonchalantly, Yeon had no problem with forwardness, he was about as forward as they came “Though I’d hedge a bet some of that confidence is a front” he tilted his head, Yeon was pretty direct when it came to what he thought and felt around most people. When Hanseol asked him if he wanted this he paused for a moment pressing his lips together “Personally, no” he answered honestly “If it was something I wanted for myself I would have sought someone out a long time ago” he shrugged, Yeon was impulsive, when he wanted something he usually got it “But I also can’t ignore the nagging feeling in my chest that this is the way I serve my people” he didn’t expect the celestial to understand that before he didn’t understand it himself “And I can” he trailed off “Protect you that is” he was a force to be reckoned with when he wanted to be and strengthened with a volakiri bond who knew what he could do.

“What makes you so against it?” he questioned with raised brows, he’d heard some of the bickering between Hanseol and the brunette but he wanted to hear the celestial put it into words to him directly, perhaps if they both aired their doubts then the two of them could come to some sort of middle ground and he could make this incessant nagging feeling in his chest go away.

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Hanseol Park on February 16, 2019 at 16:36

It wasn't as if he was 100% against the entire idea of it. Though he'll admit, the whole prospect of being linked to someone else, where it's more likely for them to also know what he's feeling or even thinking, at times, just really freaked him out. But he also couldn't refute the fact that it is advantageous. For both of them. He'll have to do more reading and searching on the thing alone. And he probably should start reading the local news too. It seems like he would be missing a lot of things around the more he forgot he's a celestial. He's not just a human who can just worry about getting fired over his job and not having enough source to bear his necessities.

Hanseol had to accept that he is a fallen star, and he's categorized under some species that are considered endangered. They're literally going to keep living their lives as runaways. It wasn't going to stop. He pondered over his memory lane, all the memories that triggered his euphoric senses; his time spent with his dhampir, Jae. Every single second of it, he didn't want to give it up. Accepting this arrangement would mean,  more protection for him. As an individual rather than a group. Maybe, this isn't so bad afterall. Perhaps, he should give it a chance. If it meant him getting a more likely chance to stop thinking about running every time trouble comes, he's all on board. He had someone to care for now. He can't just pack up and run.

Much like Yeon, Hanseol also found this situation to be conflicting. It was in their best interest yet they still had to think about their personal lives. The gap between a duty and a want, it's thin. “Well, I guess at least you got that one checked off the list.” he mused lightly, affirming their situation with his forwardness. How was he even this confident? Jae played a heavy factor in boosting in, but as soon as he heard the valkyr pointed out how this was just a front hrs putting up, he was taken aback. They haven't even started the process yet, and he already knew? Was he that easy to be read or something?

Well, the blonde certainly surprised him. Although it wasn't nearly much of an impact. Somehow, the celestial got the vibe and reading off him. He seemed the kind of guy that wouldn't give a care in the world, and whilst that was comforting to hear, he wasn't sure where that placed him in his view. The scourge of insecurity and anxiety slowly began to seep in the star, as he found himself wondering just what was it about the valkyr that made him curious. There was something about him that screams the air, but the celestial couldn't quite pinpoint it. His palms suddenly got sweaty, and he didn't even know why. It wasn't as if he was intimidated by Yeon. Wait, was he? Nah.

“Forgive me for my indiscretion. I'm not used to..company that involves my personal life. So this is all quite new. I guess when you've spent the most part of your life locked away from civilization with the only crime of being yourself, you tend to get paranoid.” He wasn't shy on talking about the bitter experience that never left him. It wasn't something you'd forget something easily. Especially, when everything and everyone around you just somehow kept reminding you of it, unconsciously. “Being careful. It's becoming a second nature. I have to do everything to preserve my life, afterall.” he added. “And.. Maybe the confidence is a front. You can never be too careful around people, no? Sometimes, your worst enemy is just standing before your eyes.” His dark hues glanced over to meet the valkyr's own. “Rhetorically, that is.”

Upon hearing Yeon's admission to why he chose this, he saw the mild similarity between them. Overall, the two of them could easily pass off as the direct opposites. But were they? Here's to finding out. When the latter affirmed that he could protect him, Hanseol pursed his lips as he slightly parted them to speak. “I have no worries on that. I'm sure you could. But that's not why I'm rethinking this over. Maybe I overreacted earlier but this is a bond that will tie us both together for life. I'm slightly skeptical about it because well, my personal life is no longer of my own recently. And you, I don't think you're the type to keep people around too, right?” He was careful to keep his tone levelled and it showed his timidness.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on February 16, 2019 at 19:50

Since coming back from his death Yeon had been pretty free to make his own decisions, aside for a gut feeling that he carried with him to this day, his second life had been a gift that let him become the person he’d always wanted to be. It had its price sure, he had paid it in full, still felt the pain caused by it even now but he had died, if he hadn’t come back the result for his old life would still be the same and he had to make peace with that. His parents moved on after his death, they even had another child, a sister he would never meet and he found peace in knowing that, knowing they healed and moved forward.

So, of course, it scared a little to commit to something like this, by initiating this bond he would be tying himself to one person for the rest of his life, not in a romantic way of course, because that wouldn’t even be something he gave the time of day, but protecting someone, protecting was literally in his DNA now, it was a pull he couldn’t deny and he felt it in full force now “Well I’m not so sure about the second part” he commented as he leaned backward placing both his hands behind his head, the celestial talked a lot but he got the sense he was putting on a show for the most part, probably forced by the life he’d been made to lead.

Yeon took the opportunity of all the staring to return the favor, scouring over the other male for tells, to try and gauge his thoughts and actions, Yeon was very very good at reading people, it was a necessary skill for the life he leads, both professionally and personally, he was especially good at taking in body language “You don’t have to endlessly try and read me you know, if you wanna know something just ask it, I swear I am who I say I am” he prompted as he leaned forward a little curious to see if it would make the celestial back off, which he did. Yeon tended to be a little much for most people, he didn’t back down and he was near impossible to embarrass unless you really knew him and his weaknesses.

The comment that came from Hanseol’s lips made sense though, Yeon nodded his head a little, personal life was one word for it, he supposed, though the valkyr didn’t see the need to make a big deal about it, he took blood from people all the time and thought nothing of it, it was only a big deal if you made it out to be one. “Being paranoid is understandable” he responded with an affirmed nod “But hopefully I can ease your mind on that part, I am a decent person” he used the word decent because it sounded semi-modest “Not without my flaws, as you probably already picked up on” he shrugged “We valkyr are protectors, the last thing I wanna see is a celestial dead” and most decent people would probably be on the same stance as him.

Yeon could respect Hanseol for being upfront about his concerns, it became evident to Yeon that the celestial seemed to be a good person, “Trust isn’t just given, I know that much” he responded with an affirmed nod “There’s not many people I can say I trust either” he could count them on one hand actually, he wasn’t a trusting time, he tended to assume the worst in people and be pleasantly surprised when they didn’t let him down “But I can’t think of any reason why someone would offer to link to someone else if they had suspect intentions” he commented searching his mind for possible ways the bond could be exploited but he came up with none.

When Hanseol mentioned the way his personal life was no longer his own Yeon parted his lips in realization, so this was concern about someone else’s feelings. That one he couldn’t relate to, he’d never really made a decision in the past 5 years that wasn’t in his own interests alone, part of the life he lead being alone he supposed “No” he responded to Hanseol’s questions directly “Not longer than a few hours most of the time” he chuckled softly and shrugged “This is about as out of character for me as it probably feels for you” he admitted, he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t have the feeling it was the right thing to do though, there was no arguing with his valkyr intuition after all “If it helps, I have zero interest in getting between anyone” he spoke directly about what the celestial seemed to be concerned over "Not unless they want me to anyway" he gave an amused smirk, though he knew it wasn’t as simple as intention, blood sharing was definitely an intimate thing and he couldn’t blame the dark haired star for having concerns, he probably would have given it second thought too if he had someone significant in his life, especially after he’d heard how things turned out for Cecilia, Yeon didn’t skirt around the subject, he was direct, if something needed to be talked about, he would talk about it.

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Hanseol Park on February 17, 2019 at 12:52

Hanseol has been living his life ardently ever since he set a foot here in Evermore. Carefully and precisely, and for a coordinated person such as him, it was hard to see him acting so spontaneously. The celestial didn't know much about what Yeon was, generally. All he knew was that they live on blood, and as frightening as that sounded to him, he was sure it wasn't what people said. The celestial was sure there were many things that passed off as mythology and misconception about the matter alone. And this was one of those. Despite not knowing what the volakiri meant in a wider scale, he knew enough that the bond meant tying oneself to another, where his life will forever be bound to Yeon, someone who he's only known for a few minutes today.

Whilst he was a bit disturbed by the fact that he was going to be sharing his life now, the prospects of having more advantages to protect himself from every other threat that looms over, it was very tempting. Who wouldn't want a life away from the danger? No matter what the world has in store for him, a little assurance wouldn't hurt. What more could he lose if he accepted this arrangement? Nothing much, for sure. He'll have a hard time convincing Jae other wise, but overall, it's all fine. The idea of committing himself to another person when he's already been tied to another, it might come as something surprising but this was all for the sake of the better settlement for both their species, right? If anyone else could do this, why couldn't he?

“Most people don't allow themselves to be asked. Some questions might pose too personal and I don't want you to think I'm imposing your privacy.” he mumbled timidly. Hanseol was that kind of guy. What you see is not what he was overall. Like Yeon had pointed out before, his confidence was somewhat a front. One minute you'd see a confident guy who would do anything, but the next you might see someone who's cowering in fear. “The world doesn't adhere to logic..” he murmured absentmindedly. Which was true, there were plenty of occurrences that happened because of the nature's law. Hence, the creation of supernatural beings.

Following the words spilled from him, the celestial in him was glad he was able to gain absolution to this. The very least he was able to hold on to; hope. What else was he going to cling on to, if not that? Regardless of how fairytale-like it sounded to most, to him, it still possessed magical properties. “No one wants to see a celestial dead. Well, at least not those who had no effort in killing us. To alter the timeline.. Change the history, those intentions only belong to selfish people who are greedy for power. If you're not part of the dark deed to ensure our demise, you'd be scared. Who knows, one of the things changed might led to something so much bigger.. Wars, misconceptions.. Devastating things.” He knew firsthand how cruel some people can get just so they could their hands on their energy and them, generally.

“Perhaps, that's the only thing keeping me fighting today instead of letting myself die every time I get hunted down. Because my death would not just affect me alone.. A sense of responsibility much like what you are holding on to now.” Yeon didn't give him a stranger vibe anymore, the more they talked, even if it was small talk, he was getting another air around the valkyr. “Well.. If we are going to talk about this said arrangement, I should probably let you know the impending danger coming. You know.. So you could think more about taking me for a partner.” Fiddling between his fingers, he felt slightly reluctant to tell him the incident that took place at his workplace over a month ago. The last thing he wished to do was to give more burden and trouble to someone else.

“I was attacked by a few mercenaries. 6 in total. The leader was a therianthrope and 5 more were regular humans. No doubt hired twice through the same line. Managed to fend them off with help. But even then, I don't think they're regular people. If they were brave and daring enough to come to Evermore and attack me in the open, I'm guessing whoever hired them knew about the peace treaty contract. We haven't signed it, so.. There was legally no problem with whatever happens to us, I guess.” At first he wasn't able to understand why Ophelia wouldn't sign it but now it's starting to make sense. They can't trust anyone. The trail of betrayal was heavy on their tails. "Just thought you should know what you're signing up for... I'm a wholesome to handle." 

This was the first time he got flustered by someone after Jae. The valkyr really was open and forward, no kidding. Slightly taken aback by his remark, Hanseol cleared his throat a few times before tilting his head briefly, part of his habit whenever he's nervous or was thinking deeply. “Yeah don't let him hear you say that. I think he'd kill me first if anything. It's your job to protect me, right. I'd appreciate the sentiment if you can protect me from someone dear first.” Hey, he didn't know how Jae would take to this. Blood sharing was an intimate thing. Especially when the other was someone who lives off blood. It didn't help when Hanseol always got reminded how his dhampir's insecurities are still very much prone to all of this. This is going to be a trip.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on February 17, 2019 at 21:26

Yeon didn’t really know everything there was to know about celestials, he knew the basics, they were fallen stars and supposedly the reason that valkyr existed in the first place, he knew that their death was basically the most catastrophic event the world could see, though he’d never really know the proof of that because when a timeline changed, the memories simply shifted to the new one. From what he’d heard though, some of them had caused insane amounts of deaths and pain. Yeon was pretty happy with how the world right now, the last thing he wanted was for things to change. Or maybe that was just what he was telling himself to feel less weird about what they were potentially starting today.

Yeon shook his head a little in response to the celestial’s concerns for his privacy “Believe me I have nothing to hide, if you want to know something, you can know it” he liked to think he was a pretty straightforward person, he showcased the person he was for everyone to see. That didn’t mean he wore his heart on his sleeve, because Yeon didn’t believe in love, but it did mean that he put himself out there for all to see, if people didn’t like that person that was their choice “You could ask me about the first time I had sex if you wanted, still wouldn’t care” not that the celestial would care about that but Yeon was simply proving his level of openness, there was quite literally no topic he would shy away from, though it was already evident that there were topics Hanseol would. Which was okay, he didn’t expect people to have his level of tact.

“Agreed” he responded with a nod “I’ve heard the talk in this city every day and it’s not in anyone’s interest for any fallen star to die, we’re working to make a better world, not change it in ways that can’t be predicted or controlled” at least that’s what Yeon had surmised from Gideon’s placement on this. His leader had placed himself squarely in the protect the celestial’s court and while Yeon had his doubts about that political move, the last thing he would ever do is question his Valkyrie’s choices. “It’s also not a secret that yours and my kind make one another weak if we can make that null and void, it takes one less concern away from us both” he felt like he was saying these things to talk himself into it rather than Hanseol.

It was kinda sad though, that the celestial seemed so beaten down by the cards he had been given, Yeon had always tried to see the positives of what he had become, he still had his moments though, namely on the anniversary of his death but for the most part he tried to put the hard parts behind him and look for the better ones “You should try and find the will to live for yourself too” he valkyr commented, seemingly a little out of character if you didn’t know him well but Yeon had always been a big advocate for self-love “You’ll never move from existing to living otherwise” the fallen star could take that advice or leave it.

Despite seeming like he had a flighty nature, Yeon actually wasn’t one to back down easily, there were very few people he let see that side of him but considering what it was he was talking about with Hanseol he knew there was no point holding back any part of himself. If they did decide to go ahead with this blood bond then they were going to share thoughts and feelings, after all, there was no hiding from that. Yeon leaned against his hand as he listened to the male warn him what was happened, the valkyr already had an inkling that was what was going on, hence why the alliance came on so suddenly and dramatically. “If that’s the case then the whole city is going to be getting into this” he commented almost as if it was a fact “And your people are going to need an alliance all the more”.

He did appreciate what Hanseol was trying to do though, he got the feeling he cared about others more than he actually gave on and he probably worried about getting Yeon hurt “I’ll end up in the middle of this whether we do this or not, might as well take the advantage while we have one” he got the feeling this was about so much more than a vendetta against the celestials, if someone was trying to target them in Evermore of all places, war was probably going to follow and Yeon would take whatever side that Gideon placed himself on. Gideon told him this was what he thought was best and the younger valkyr chose to believe in him.

Yeon was a little surprised when the other male mentioned the word he when referring to his significant other but he didn’t show it in his expression, just nodded as he listened to the way the other male almost spoke in panic, so he’d hit a nerve there then. Yeon smirked a little and leaned back in the seat he was occupying, making himself comfortable as he waited for Hanseol to calm down his verbal spam “Awh” he drew out the sound with a laugh “Sounds like you wouldn’t dare break his heart, what a lucky guy” Yeon chuckled, as he said, he’d never do something malicious like that, he was very big on consent after all. Pursing his lips as he noted the way the male spoke about Yeon being his protector already “It sounds like you do want to go ahead with this after all” he pried with a slight tilt of his head.

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Hanseol Park on February 18, 2019 at 10:16

Something tells Hanseol that there was more to Yeon that what he's allowing himself to show. He's not a good reader, obviously. His obliviousness prevented him from being able to take in everything around him, except the rarity where he paid attention to a certain area to pour his attentiveness in. But, overall, it did not allow him to read anyone. Especially those he doesn't even have basic information on. Though he is willing to give everything a chance, something he thought he owed to when he was given a second chance at life. Yeonseok Lee piqued his interest. And he didn't know why. There's only so much one could take but by the way he looks over the latter's way, he wasn't filled with worries at all. Was it a front? Or was it legit? Either way, he envied it.

But he's so open, it actually surprises Hanseol. And when he said Yeon was forward, he was not kidding because the next thing he knew the male was already raving about his first time. Which honestly just gouged out the priceless and hilarious reaction from the celestial. His doe eyes widened twice the size before and looked at him as if he grew two heads. Is this guy for real? Oh my god. He was internally fanning himself because of the fire ignited by the valkyr inside him. It was like calling a whole fire department down so they could wash down the flames. The star's cheeks were flushed at the mention of it and curse internally just how forward this guy in front of him was being and how silly it was for him to grow embarrassed by such a small thing.

But Hanseol was quite conservative, he grew up that way, or whatever it was that was left of him to grow. So this was just mind-blowing for him. Speak about culture shock, for a guy that's been to plenty of countries and only stayed in Korea for 4 months. Coloring back to his pale complexion, he was sure the reddish pink hue was going to make itself prominent any time soon. “Are you always this shameless?” he asked, his head literally couldn't rack anymore synonyms that would bring a much more softer and smooth delivery. So he opted to just use whatever that came to his head first. The celestial actually had to place both his hands over to his cheeks and grunted in distress. Curse this guy.

Hearing him speak about it, Hanseol returned his gaze over to the valkyr and raised his eyebrows together. “Quite a way of speech there. You sure you haven't participated in any public speaking?” Which is a hit to himself too, considering how often he too, picked up phrases and quotes from around occasionally. But Yeon didn't need to know about that. Not just yet. Actually, the whole idea of his kind making his weak was actually astonishing to him. Naturally, they would be sworn enemies because they could one another. But no, it was actually the direct opposite. He had to admit it was a smart planning. “You don't sound convinced, if I would say. You're trying to convince yourself, aren't you?” The snark accentuating his words did not escape his notice, he actually came back to his normal self as the defense mechanism slowly lowered itself down.

If Hanseol thought he was not going to be shocked again, he was wrong. The sudden change in his demeanor really came back tenfold. “I used not to think much about it. If I die, I die. I just hope I won't die so tragically at the hands of another who wished to use me. It kinda gets hard to think much about positivity when you spent your entire life knowing you might die the very moment you stop putting a shield up.” When Jae came into his life, that was when things started to look up back at him. Sure his two years of living in Evermore didn't exactly tell him all the aspects of being dead, but it wasn't any better living like a soulless living corpse. What could you expect for someone who's known nothing but running? “It doesn't get easier.. But it's better now.” A small smile tugging on the corner of his lips showed just how happy he was to find meaning in life again. And all it took was just one person. One.

“Since we didn't sign the peace treaty, there's not really a lot of people all on board to protect us. So I'm not surprised to see every single one of us to go through with this arrangement. We take what we can get.” The more they talk about it, the more Hanseol found himself being pulled over to the prospect. Maybe this really wasn't so bad after all. Perhaps, there was a road to unlocking yet another friend in him and it was just starting its warm up. Just when he was about to go easy on this, Yeon just had to poke around that area. He's going to be a handful for sure, he thought. God help him. “That's the thing about having a significant other, dude. You don't dare to break their heart. Definitely not because I know he'll break mine in the process.” he averted his gaze away from the valkyr, as he huffed. “He's the guy who made me feel that living doesn't have to be painful.” Yeon wasn't wrong, he was leaning over the idea real fast.

“It's going to happen one way or another, like you said. Someone dear to me got hurt the first time they attacked me here. I don't want anyone else to get hurt anymore.. I've lived plenty of years.. 85 years of it alone was me spending every single day in a caged cell. It's time we stop accepting shit that's thrown our way and stand up for it. I actually wanted to live now.” He still believes in the idea of fate and destiny, but following Jae's words that rung in his ears. He can carve his own.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on February 19, 2019 at 0:48

The blond valkyr didn’t really have much to hide, he wasn’t a liar, he didn’t try and hide parts of himself from view, though his past did tend to be a sore subject if anyone saw enough in him to pry, he was direct and curt when it came to what he wanted and how he intended to get it. The valkyr couldn’t help but chuckle at the look of complete embarrassment on the celestial’s face at the topic Yeon brought up, it was just an example for him really, something he figured more people were pretty reserved about. The valkyr, however, was about as liberal as liberal came, he believed people were free to make whatever choices they wanted to without judgment. Well as long as it was on the right side of the law anyway, there were lines even for him.

Hanseol’s question made him nod and then shrug “Pretty much” he answered candidly, Yeon never expected other people to be the same way he was but he did like to think that others seeing the way he was would help them to see that it was okay to have confidence and not be embarrassed to talk about things that people typically considered ‘taboo’. The blond gave an innocent smile “I don’t think I can think of a single thing you’d think to ask me that I wouldn’t be willing to answer” he chuckled “Except maybe my social security number” the joke caused a wide grin to spread over his lips. He actually didn’t hate being around the celestial, he seemed to be willing to talk about his thoughts and opinions which was a good start anyway, Yeon hated closed off sheep who couldn’t think for themselves.

Yeon gave a somewhat surprised raise of his brow when Hanseol complimented the way he spoke “I run my own business so I know a little about talking to crowds” he admitted with a nod “But really it’s just something a friend of mine taught me, I just like to pass the message forward” he couldn’t claim all the credit after all considering that Celia was the person who he had modeled his own mentality after. Yeon gave a low throaty chuckle when the other male picked up on the way he was listing out reasons to go ahead with this, truth was he did need convincing, after hearing so many sides to all this, it was hard to know what was the best choice for him “A little” he responded with a half smile “Like I said, for me personally, this is a little troubling” he pointed between the two of them “But I know this is what I’m supposed to do” he cleared his throat “I’m trying to find a middle ground between those two states of mind” Yeon wasn’t kidding when he said he was up front, anything Hanseol asked him, he would give a full and completely honest answer.

The valkyr went quiet as he listened to Hanseol talk about his thoughts on death and his own existence, he remained silent throughout as he took in the way the celestial moved and expressed  himself as he spoke about this particular topic “It takes a certain kind of person to not be afraid of death” Yeon commented, he did fear death, he had been through it once already and seen the aftermath of it for himself, it wasn’t the pain he felt when he died that really scared him, it was seeing what happened afterward. The smile he saw on Hanseol’s lips spoke volumes though, he could see a sense of hope in the star’s eyes that hadn’t been there before. Was someone else really able to make that much of an impact?

“Well the peace treaty is only gonna stretch so far” Yeon commented with a shrug of his shoulders, he’d seen the brutality between factions for himself many times, it only took one single person to snap and they’d all be back to square one “I don’t really trust in politics, though I do choose to trust in my Valkyrie” the formal title for the very first valkyr, Gideon Ashworth. “But this bond is permanent, it’s basically a guarantee our two factions will always be aligned” he stated with a nod “When you think about it like that, it’s a really smart choice” he totally got the logic behind all this, though he did question Gideon’s sanity to place himself on the side opposite the Ailward faction. When Hanseol spoke about his significant other Yeon smirked a little, it was kinda cute seeing the way he got really touchy over the whole subject, clearly he really cared for this other guy “I wouldn’t know much about that” he commented with a shrug “I don’t do relationships” he admitted straightforwardly. But the way Hanseol spoke about his did intrigue him a little to know what it would feel like to be that attached to another person “So you love him?” he asked directly, curious to know the answer.

Yeon had to admit that he found the way Hanseol stood up to his own fate pretty uplifting, the speech about taking things into his own hands and fighting for it, he could get behind a person like that and truthfully he could find himself getting along with the other male with time. He didn't hate him anyway, which was saying a lot. “Okay” he spoke with a slight nod of his head “Well then it seems like we’re both agreed on where we stand, we both have our reasons” it was strange to Yeon, to be making a decision that wasn’t entirely about his own wellbeing, he was well aware this was dangerous territory and yet it felt right to him, like it was meant to be somehow.

“85 years alone though, that’s gotta be as rough as it sounds” he pried curious, if he was going to be linking minds with this guy he figured it was worth getting to know him first, that way they could get any potential character clashes out of the way before they had to deal with them on a deeper level.

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Hanseol Park on February 19, 2019 at 19:22

Hanseol has never been that guy who feels the complexity in normal. He feels it's overrated and too mainstream, why? No idea. He just does. Perhaps, it was why he never really took in what people had to say about him. It worked well in his relationship with Jae, but it somewhat weighed on Jae seeing as the celestial couldn't give a care in the world about what people thought. He was safe inside that bubble, at least. But no bubble stays forever, and there's always a few loopholes here and there. For the celestial, the few things that could pierce it, that one, he takes deep into his heart. He'll never be able to forget about it, for sure. He tends to overthink it and eventually, it overpowers him. It seems that there were more to Yeon that Hanseol saw. For instance, they were both liberals.

At least, the star will be able to form an opinion about that one since it would clash with their understandings. Though the blond's personality overwhelms him by a mile. His ‘exuberant’ energy always seemed to catch him off guard, everytime. And the valkyr's only been here for like what? 30 minutes? More? Less? Either way, it hasn't even exceeded an hour of their conversation together between one another and yet the latter had successfully found a way to poke the celestial. It did rise a question from him though. Was this guy the one he's going to share a bond with? Like literally, a tie together? The one that will last for a lifetime? When you ask Hanseol, he never knew what to say about forever, and he still doesn't. But the idea of the volakiri being forever for him, it somewhat scared him. Not because he knew he'd have to divide the attention, but because he will have dragged another into his messy life.

A life that was forever going to be complicated.

“You say that now.” he coughed purposefully when he heard Yeon quip just how confident he was when it comes to answering any kinds of question the celestial might pose. It did warm him up to see how quickly the both of them were starting to hit off. From the way he sees it, it's going to be a relationship filled with plenty of arguments and bickering, but on the plus side, they'll be close. It was also a win-win situation for both of them, there wasn't anything to lose over. “That's good to hear. Most people don't even have a standing, much less the time and effort made to pass around messages.” That was really just a calling to himself out. Hanseol Park was clueless. In almost every matter. He wasn't just slow on general terms, but he's completely oblivious and lost when it comes to coordinating his life. It's getting better, he thinks.

Things require progress, afterall. There shouldn't be a worry in that. But considering the amount of paranoia the celestial possessed, even Yeon will have his work cut out for him to make sure the star step out of his shell a little bit more. At least the two had the same view on duties and responsibilities. That alone was enough to relieve the celestial off some of his worries. The difference he could once again pinpoint between them both was that while Yeon was always confident and forward with his answer, Hanseol was not. He really just couldn't come up with one answer. He didn't know why, and at some point just figured that maybe his mind was wired that way. He never questioned it.

He heard that every valkyr went through death before becoming one. So Yeon would've been dead before. “I think for me.. It's just the matter of hope. Hope, it's a dangerous thing. It gives you strength or it wears you down until the point you can't even get up. They say a broken heart can kill. I believe that. I can't be expected to tick off another day whenever I hoped to be freed. It messes with your head.” It was only by luck that Hanseol was even sane today. The same nightmares plagued his nights, but when he put it both together, he found it sad that a part of him feels that being locked up was slightly justified. Because they won't die. And no one else with be affected too. Of course he felt guilty just thinking about that, but he couldn't help it. “There will never be a day that I won't need to think to run. That's why, I'm thankful you even thought of this. I have more to gain than you but yet you still signed up for it.” A soft smile played around his lips, his doe eyes twinkling underneath the light.

He wasn't surprised to hear that the valkyr didn't do relationships. He doesn't seem like the type who would take commitment and tie himself down. And there was nothing wrong with that. This only made Hanseol smile brighter because the blond was willing to commit himself to this bond that will last forever, even though commitment wasn't something he balls with. “I try not to get involved in politics. I wanted to live a simple life. I was given a second chance to do so and I intend to make the best of it. My only hope is that I'll be able to live in that bubble for a tad bit longer.” It was upsetting to see how the celestial was ready to accept what comes after, judging from his talks about destiny and fate being intertwined together. It was the topic Jae didn't particularly like, but as stated, things require progress. And it wasn't something that could changed so quickly. A flower doesn't bloom overnight, afterall.

Love, it's funny because he doesn't even know what it truly means. But he's starting to figure out. Bit by bit. “The amount of feelings I have for him makes up love. So yeah, I do love him. Would give up anything for him.” Chuckling softly, he fiddled with his fingers absentmindedly. “Now that I think of it, he's the reason I didn't want to be ripped away from this life. Why I wanted to live this life a tad bit longer.” It was amazing how one person could change everything. “He's why I wanted to fight. If you'd ask me a few months ago, I'll tell you that I wouldn't mind not living another day. Only that I hope that my death won't be misused, that's all.” Who would've known someone so bright like him would think a lot about death? He surprised himself with it too.

Leaning against the soft cushion of the couch, he hummed lightly. “Felt longer than 85 years, I swear. We don't get much sunlight so I don't really know if it's day or night other than the time they bring food for us. I don't talk much to the others too.. Kept to myself and at some point, just grew bored. I'd lie if I said I wasn't relieved I didn't have to run every time I land in another country, though. It's conflicting.” That was when he trained his hues on to the blond. “And you? How was your life before all this?”

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on February 20, 2019 at 9:48

By no means was Yeon completely convinced this was for the best, there wasn’t any way he could know that; he had decided pretty quickly, considering he had never experienced the feeling of a Volakiri bond for himself and while he had done his best to educate himself on what to expect, no amount of words was ever going to satisfy his curiosity. So perhaps part of his motivation was wanting to know for himself but mostly it was about what he felt was the right thing to do, while he gave the impression to most that he didn’t care for much, he actually did and those who took the time to know him a little would see that pretty easily. It wasn’t a rash decision for him, he’d been mulling it over for days since Gideon told him about it and showing up here was his way of acknowledging his interest in the idea.

“I’ll shout it from the rooftops if you like” the valkyr responded with a smirk at Hanseol’s challenging, he got the feeling that the two of them would probably get along well with time, they’d both already managed to ease one another’s worries about the whole thing already and their personalities were different but he didn’t sense anything from the star that would cause major indifference “Most people are sheep without ability to form their own thoughts and opinions” Yeon commented with a nonchalant expression, the number of times people had judged him simply because of something they’d heard about him was ridiculous “I can’t work with sheep” he shook his head “You, however, have potential” a wry smile played at his lips, the star definitely had opinions, he’d heard them from the moment he walked in.

The valkyr knew he could sometimes come across as intimidating, because a lot of people found honesty and confidence scary when they couldn’t achieve the same level of it themselves, he hoped to set an example, however, to make it clear to people that it was okay to speak their mind and to be their own person. Hanseol seemed to be quieter than Yeon but not without his own morals and thoughts, he had even stood up to the wayfinder on those thoughts. Yeonseok could respect someone who stood their ground like that because that was the kind of partner he was going to need and while that might lead to some clashing of heads metaphorically in the future, he’d rather that than someone who was lying to themselves.

It was interesting to hear about some of the darker thoughts that seemed to plague the dark-haired celestial’s mind, the way he wanted to refute the idea of hope and even how he seemed to still be caught in a certain lack of self-worth. Yeon wasn’t going to chastise Hanseol on the way that he felt, that seemed completely counterproductive, but he did make a note of it in the back of his mind. Perhaps he could be a good influence on the celestial, help him find reasons to fall in love with life, like Yeon had, because he knew those feelings of depression well having experienced them personally before “Damn” he breathed a long breath when the star finished speaking “That’s pretty dark” he commented running his tongue over his lip and then nodding. Yeon paused before nodding a little in response to Hanseol’s thanks “I believe in doing the right thing” he admitted with a knowing nod “And maybe I can help you find yourself along the way” he nodded a little. Of all the people to share thoughts and emotions with, perhaps sharing Hanseol’s didn’t seem too bad to him, he was curious to see what effect it would have on the both of them.

“Take it from someone with experience, the bubble isn’t what you wanna hold on to” if you let your past and all the pain become something that would burst as soon as it was touched then sure, you would fall apart when it came crashing down “Try small things that matter” he spoke softly, that was what Yeon had latched onto anyway, every detail that was good, things that made him want to get out of bed in the morning, even silly things, like a snack he really wanted to eat that day. He knew it was easier to push things down than it was to actually deal with them though, it was easy to pretend you were happy when you weren’t, some people even managed to convince themselves it was true and lived their life like that. Yeon had chosen to focus on himself, he had been given a second chance at life and after dying himself, he intended to make the most of being alive, or semi-alive anyway. Yeon didn’t lecture any further though, he knew his influence on Hanseol wasn’t strong enough to have any real impact right now, it would take time and trust, which he hoped to gain.

Yeon was pretty curious to hear Hanseol’s answer to his question, he leaned forward on his seat a little as he listened to the word he spoke, for someone who avoided love at all costs he sure was curious by it, or the idea of it anyway. His bright eyes traced over the other male as he spoke, affirming that he did feel love for the other man he spoke of, he noted the way he fidgeted with his hands a little, perhaps thinking about touching the person he spoke of or was he nervous. The blond tilted his head a little, it was curious, the way Hanseol attributed so many changes in his life to someone else. Yeon had never had that, never felt love the way the celestial described it, he’d never allowed himself to get that close with anyone. “All of this sounds so foreign to me” he spoke honestly, another thing he was curious to know what it felt like, though that was one he didn’t see himself chasing after “But it sounds like there’s a bit of that pesky hope left in you yet” Yeon commented with a smirk, Hanseol had painted it to be negative but the words he spoke about his ‘significant other’ gave a different impression to the observant valkyr.

Yeon realized that the way that Hanseol thought was very relatable but also very pessimistic, perhaps even fatalist at points and he couldn’t blame him for that considering what he had been through, Yeon had done the opposite he supposed, turned to optimism as his coping method for it all. When the male asked him to tell his story in return the valkyr quietened, okay there were a few topics he found hard to speak about and the celestial had managed to hit one of them on conversation one. Regardless he had promised the male honesty and so it was honesty he would get.

“It really depends on how you define ‘before this’” he made air quotes and shrugged “The past 8 years of my life had been filled with opportunity and success, the kind that has made me a very proud and very happy person” he pressed his lips together for a second then continued “but 8 years ago I also died” he admitted closing his eyes for just a second as he re-lived that horrific moment that would always be burned into his mind “And I didn’t leave that life on good terms” he followed up, not that he was sure any valkyr really did, most of them were brought back after a tragic end of sorts “I never really got to resolve anything I left behind in my previous life, including some very hurtful things I said but didn’t mean” the blond leaned his hand against his own cheek, he was actually doing okay at talking about this without getting emotional for once “I think a part of my past will always haunt me but I can’t change who I am any more than I can stop the sun rising in the morning” he did believe in fate and meant to bes but he also believed in acceptance of it, moving with the course of the path offered, it was his form of optimism.

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