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ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on May 20, 2019 at 22:56

Yeon glanced over at Dae and nodded, he was right, it was nice to know someone who understood what he had gone through, probably better than most. Yeon had struggled with leaving who he was before behind for a long time, kinda got caught up in wishing for the past instead of thinking about the future he had in front of him. He had felt physically sick at the very thought of living forever back then, he hadn’t felt like there was much to look forward to. And then one day, Cecilia had dragged him out of his pit and made him get out into the world a little. Now he felt like a completely different person, he had taken this second chance and took off with it running “Me too” he responded with a slight nod of his head “Doesn’t have to define us though” he admitted with a smile, you couldn’t change your past, you could your present and in turn your future.

Seeing Dae’s surprise at the words he spoke made Yeon shrug a little, he wasn’t the type of person who flattered others for the hell of it, he would only say things he wanted to say and only if they were true. He did think Dae was strong, to go through everything he had and still be this confident, sexy and no-nonsense guy that Yeon had gotten the pleasure of meeting, that took so much. He knew because he had been through that same sort of identity crisis too. “Like they really meant it?” he asked with raised brows, had no one ever acknowledged the way his courage manifested before? Maybe they just didn’t see the way he struggled like Yeon did because they didn’t know what it was like to go through all that “I’m not the kind of person to say things I don’t mean” he admitted with a shrug to assure the other male it wasn’t him flattering or trying to gain favor. Wasn’t like he needed it considering how things had played out this evening “You’re welcome” he added at the end with a smile, sometimes it was nice to be told you were doing well at facing up to the world, for someone to acknowledge the efforts you made.

Yeon laughed as he mentioned redoing it, as tempted as that sounded, he knew neither of them were in state for another round, his muscles ached all over and he felt very drained, still, swimming around in the water and talking was nice. He didn’t really talk to people after sex, usually, they were gone by the time he woke up and if they weren’t they left shortly after. Dae had stayed though, there was something significant in that. As he saw the way Dae gestured to Yeon’s body and he smirked “Hey I did quite the number on you too” he spoke as he leaned in closer just so he could move his eyes over the purplish bruises which littered the Niveis’ chest and neck, Yeon laughed too. It was funny because the two of them were so noncommital it hurt and yet they had marked one another up like their life depended on it. Got a little carried away at the moment he supposed but neither seemed to mind “Why does it just make you look better?” he spoke between laughs, there was no denying the way they found each other incredibly physically attractive by now, after all.

Yeon was interested in the way Dae saw progress, even in the space of the eight years he’d been living in Evermore, Yeon had seen a lot of change. For one, the end of the Initia and Phoenix war in the city as well as two iterations of the peace treaty, the arrival of the celestials and therefore the Volakiri bond. He had seen the world go from hating to slowly celebrating people like him and Dae, those who found others of the same sex attractive and he had rejoiced with the whole world when same-sex marriage had been legalized, even if he didn’t intend on marrying himself, he saw beauty in the progress “I know it’s my reality now but I don’t think it’s really set in quite yet” he admitted as his dark hues flicked up towards the other male for a moment and shrugged “But I guess one of the pros is having all the time in the world to figure it out right?” he pursed his lips and smiled. He was lucky to have an immortal for a volakiri, meaning he would never really be alone, or not for as long as the two of them lived however but he got the feeling Dae didn’t have many immortal friends “Well I know we barely know each other, but if you ever” he shrugged “Just need a reminder you’re not alone, you can reach out to me” he nodded a little “I’d offer you my number but” he looked down at his current half-naked state and laughed.

Yeon laughed a little as Dae teasingly scolded him on his actions, frankly, Yeon didn’t care what people thought of him so it was very hard to make him feel shame or embarrass him, it did amuse him though, considering how forward and into things the Niveis was. Still, Yeon always knew he was different to most people, not in the cliche ‘I’m not like other guys’ way but simply because he didn’t have a filter at all. He wanted what he wanted, he liked what he liked, he said his honest truth and people had a problem with that then they had a problem with that. He refused to be anything but relentlessly himself “Well I was doing pretty well at sticking to them until you” he jested with a shrug “I don’t regret it though, so I’m not going to feel bad for it” actually he felt really, really good for it “And of course I’m wild, life is too boring by itself, you have to make your own excitement” and he got quite the thrill out of it, he had to admit.

Yeon very purposely bit on his bottom lip again when Dae called him out for enjoying the temperature during their time together, two could play the unfair game after all and Dae had already given away the fact that he found it hard to resist the valkyr when he bit his lip, pretty sure he had a thing for them actually considering how much he seemed to nip and suck on them “True, neither of us seem to know the meaning of playing fair” he teased with a chuckle “Probably why we drive one another insane” in a good way he might add, Dae knew exactly how and when to exploit his weaknesses but he never took things too far and they seemed to find the right balance between teasing and pleasure. When Dae glared at him for the choice nickname, Yeon couldn’t stop the snicker that escaped in response to his unamused look “I just thought if you were planning on leaving then going through the stress of moving seems like a waste but” he shrugged a little “You do you, if that’s the tie you feel like you need to cut” he scooted over towards Dae and leaned up against the edge of the pool so he could look at him while they talked “Don’t feel guilty for leaving, there’s nothing shameful about putting yourself first” he could take the advice or leave it but he figured it might help him to hear him tell him it was okay to be a little selfish.

Yeon looked back at Dae as he sincerely complimented him and the valkyr smiled softly, he liked seeing the look in the Niveis’ eyes as he spoke it because the blond could tell it wasn’t just some whim thing he was saying, he really believed it and that made it more meaningful to Yeon, had he been called beautiful before? Of course he had, by many different people. But had it felt like this? Never. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled as he was taking in the sudden snowfall in the pool and laughed gently. Yeon winced a little as Dae told him about what he did for a living and talked about putting a guy in the hospital “Hope he deserved it” he mused but decided he probably did, since the other guy had started the fight that night at the bar. When he reached E, the valkyr smirked “Well you weren’t complaining about me using my valkyr speed so I guess we’ll call it even” he tilted his head slightly, there were definitely some perks to being supernatural, like snow in the middle of June. Though Yeon’s enhanced strength could be more of a curse than a blessing.

Yeon nodded, he supposed Dae was right, going with a friend would work too “I keep telling myself I’m gonna see all these places and do all these things someday but I’m starting to wonder if someday might be an illusion I keep dangling in front of myself” he chuckled softly, that was his way of saying he hadn’t taken a real break since he started his business, didn’t really know how to let things go. His phone was at the side of the pool on loud in case anyone from the studio needed him “Switching off, one thing I definitely have not mastered” he didn’t really talk to anyone about this but admitting things to Dae felt so easy, mostly because he didn’t feel like the other male would judge him or belittle him. Hearing Dae express empathy for his situation Yeon gave a sad smile “Most days I can tell myself I can move past it, you know, like I’m honoring them by making the most of my life” he pressed his lips together “You and I met on the night I couldn’t” which explained why Yeon was so drunk and down that day..

His breath did hitch when Dae told him he was a good guy, somehow that really struck him, coming from someone like Daehyun who didn’t like a lot of people, or at least Yeon got that impression from him anyway “Thanks” he spoke softly, averting his eyes down to the water for a moment. He was glad for the mood lift a little though he didn’t find it difficult to be around Dae, hard topics didn’t feel so hard around someone who he just felt..understood. He chuckled at Dae’s choice of books and movies but before he could say anything the ball came flying, in order to avoid being hit square in the face he quickly ducked down under the water and then resurfaced again “Trying to take me out? I see how it is” he smirked “Aside from dancing I was pretty average at most things, I majored in business, which I doubt is surprising” he chuckled “I’m good at remembering completely useless information which makes me very good at crossword puzzles” he admitted with a laugh and then pouted “But I thought making attractive blond’s scream for me was a pretty good talent” he snapped and smirked before he got closer to Dae and reached into the water to push a bunch of it over him and splash him before he laughed. Payback for the ball which had rolled off towards the edge of the room.

“Tell me something no one else knows about you” he challenged with an amused look on his face.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on May 21, 2019 at 20:06

Yeon seemed so youthful yet so mature, it posed as a question to Dae who wondered just how old the valkyr was before he found out his real age. There's the youthful air around him and there's also a mix of maturity lacing underneath all of that which really did amuse him to no end. After finding out what would be the manner of his death, he understood why the valkyr was more well-versed about the matters of the world than anyone else. For an immortal who's also lived one portion of his life in loneliness, away from everyone else, leaving him to wallow in his own pit of emptiness, Dae understood what it felt like to feel alone. Was it by choice, though? Even the Niveis wasn't sure about that. A part of him felt that this was what was predestined for him, to make up for his past faults, and the other portion feels that this was the path that he chose the moment he rose up as yet another deviant species. He's just glad that Yeon had someone else to drag him out of that hole so he could face the world head on with his furnished self. He wished he had someone like that with him then.

“You're right, it doesn't have to define us.” For once, perhaps, there is a small spark of light wandering somewhere inside him. A sliver of hope, maybe? No one has ever complimented hint he same way Yeon did, sure, he's heard a few praises here and there throughout his time, mostly after he's done his work efficiently, but none of them was quite like the way Yeon phrased it. Something about it made it felt more meaningful and significant. And once again, Daehyun felt like he mattered. Like someone could care for him. Was it wrong to feel this way? Especially with someone who he's known for only a few hours? But then again, to be fair, he had plenty of information on the blond already, and Yeon understood him better than anyone could. Nodding vehemently at his question, he reminisced what was left of it. “Yeah, nobody ever said it quite like that. I don't think they even meant it, just said it for the kicks and as a form of formal respect, I guess. Not that I expected anything… but hearing someone say that to you, it can make any grumpy person's day a tad bit better.” Oh, it does make him feel better. He knew Yeon didn't need to kiss up to him and give him half-assed compliments because judging from the way things went down between the two of them today, he didn't need to.

Dae would gladly scurry just to give him his services again. Apparently, the valkyr is that good. Returning the same genuine smile he wore around the male earlier, he laughed to himself because he kept wondering how those simple words were enough to flatter him. “Nobody would've known but those simple compliments is all that they probably needed to do to have me actually be genuine with them through everything else.” Such a shame. Much like Yeon he's sure, Dae wasn't really someone who would spare the time to converse with his sexual escapade partners. They usually knew where to exit before he wakes up because the snowy-haired Niveis loves to sleep. With Yeon, there's that possibility of befriending him and he knew he's a bit of a pain in the friends department, so why not, right? Yeah, sure, just try to befriend the guy who you probably couldn't stop thinking about sleeping with even after this. Such a great idea, Dae. Upon hearing the valkyr's remark on leaving bruises and marks all over this body, he arched an eyebrow towards him before darting his gaze to his own chest. He wasn't wrong.

The purplish marks travelled all the way from his neck to his chest, settling prominently like it was a tattoo. Hell, he even had plenty of them around his hips and waist, courtesy of a certain male's tight grip. “Yeah, these are gonna take a while to fade, not that I’m in any hurry for that to happen” if anything, he feels triumphant seeing the marks he left on Yeon and the same amount he received. It made him feel like he mattered, even for one night. “It does look prettier, I can tell you that. Especially the ones on the neck, feels like bite marks” he cooed wryly, etching a smirk as he tilted his head to eye the blond's neck. Speaking of tattoos, while swimming around earlier, he noticed a certain ink on the back of the blond's left shoulder blade. “I didn't know you had a tattoo. Does it have any specific meaning to it?” Well, compared to Dae's body which is littered with tribal marks that went from his wrist up to his arms and spread across his chest, alongside his wings covering his back all the same, Yeon was actually a mild case for that department but it wasn't like Dae personally inked himself. Yeon likes it, so he's guessing that's a pointer.

“All the time in the world, yeah, that's one of your pros. Not sure if we have to battle with racing against time too for other stuff but at least it won't bother much into he age factor. We're staying in this look forever anyway. A part of me was actually grateful I didn't have to go through a rebirth. I would've come out as someone else. At least this is the real me that was born out of my parents’ flesh and blood, the real Daehyun.” It's just something he tells himself at night for comfort. As if Yeon couldn't take him off guard more, here he was being in awe of the person that Yeonseok Lee showed himself to be. He's scored a good  humble guy for a potential friend, that felt nice. “You're more than what you led on, Yeon. I'm always surprised and I am always hard to be surprised” no fault in that either. The valkyr had managed to elicit more emotions than he's ever shown anyone else in his entire life today alone, which made him wonder what would e of him if Yeon stuck around longer. Would he be able to perceive this world optimistically the same way Yeon would? “”I mean I've seen all the best parts of you, Valky. You can prance around nude and I would thank the sight if anything” he teased, he would probably actually do that, knowing Dae. “Good, if you say you regret it, I would feel very offended. Was I not good enough for you?” he even went as far as to place a hand over his chest and feigned the look of offense. “Was I not what you expected?” He felt so free with this guy, it was no wonder that he felt more comfortable with him. It was probably due to the fact that Yeon is a good company, the sex he gave was just bonus pointers. Who wouldn't want to wake up after a good sex?

“I thought fuck the rules when I followed you into the bathroom. So, no regrets there too.” It wasn't as if he's given him anything to warrant such thing, after all. “With how wild you are, I wonder and worry what your definition of fun is” he shook his head, an amused smile still clinging on to the correct of his lips, making it look more genuine than ever. Dae groaned out in response the moment he saw the valkyr nibbling his bottom lip, that really does make it hard for him not to avert his gaze away. “You're so doing that on purpose, it's not fair.”Ironic when they're talking about fairness, but that gesture alone was enough to send him riling, causing the Niveis to splash the water as he huffed silently. So when the the valkyr scooted closer, he turned to face him on his side and shook his head before tapping his forefinger against Yeon's lips. “That was you being unfair to me earlier, stop nibbling on them” he chided, okay, maybe he did like the feeling on his finger pressed against his lips, or those lips pressed against his own. Now that he's thought about it, there is some truth to what he said. Why did he bother move into the city into a new place when he's going to leave the eternal city eventually? It doesn't really make sense but then again, nothing really does.

“I know being selfish is all about being human… or as human qualities go as some say but I guess since fidelity has been ingrained inside of me since the very beginning, I don't know anything else but that. I grew up wanting to take care of people, that sense of protection doesn't go away easily, I guess. It's probably what kept me around for so long when I could've left the tribe 40 years ago when I first got the chance.” Secretly, he wanted to stay but did he know that? In his eyes, Yeon is beautiful. He had this beauty to him that was indescribable and like many others, even Dae became a victim to his looks and charms but what really won him over was his personality, specifically his humility. He hasn't found enough people showcasing them so when he did, he couldn't help but to fawn at them. Why did he out that guy in the hospital again? Oh right, Dae got pissed off when he spent an hour trying to track him down and all because he's been playing him like a fool. Daehyun didn't take lightly to people who tries to outsmart him so when he had the chance, he took it and made sure they know the repercussion to it. “He pissed me off. I guess that's enough reason for me. I'm not exactly a people person… and to be fair, he did make me go into a circle of tracking him down for an entire hour so... “ For him? Weirdly justified. Besides, it's nothing that couldn't be healed.

Oh, he remembered how Yeon used his speed and every time his back would collide with the harsh surface, it was a reminder of just how rough and wild their activities could be when they're ‘pent’ up. “How can anyone forget that. My back is probably bruised from the pressure but just another bruise to add to your collection, I guess” he winked playfully. Only they would find the opportunity to flirt with each other amidst having a casual friendly conversation. “Well if you think about it, that someday will turn into a one day and  soon, it'll be that day. Don't wait for your dreams. Chase after it. It won't wait for you and you sure as well shouldn't be waiting for it either. Someone needs to take the first step and it sure wouldn't be them” he exclaimed, he wouldn't know much about dreams, he's never actually had them listed out before nor was he sure he had them originally. Perhaps he did. Perhaps he didn't. “There's nothing wrong with being vulnerable. Albeit it's not something you wanna show to everyone but sometimes, it's okay to feel. At least you're reminded you're still humane. I think I forgot what it feels like to actually feel other emotions that's not annoyance, resentment, anger, and exhaustion. That's probably what happens when you spent too much time working under a leash” he winced upon saying those words, he can't believe he said it. Dae would never say such things to other people, for sure. Referring to himself in such way, but being raw and real with Yeon didn't seem like a new concept anymore.

“Now that I think of it, I'm glad I met you that night. Wish it would've been under a different and better circumstances, but hey, at least I met you and well, can't forget the mind-blowing sex after that too.” In a way, did he feel blessed to meet someone he could relate to? Maybe. When he threw the ball a bit too hard due to the pressure he placed on the push, he mumbled a small  apology afterward. “A multimillionaire who's a talented choreographer that's also attractive as hell and humble like the ground? Not only that but also a crossword puzzle master?” a whistle escaped his reins as he leaned in closer with a coy smirk. “I never said it’s not a good talent, it's an exceptional one seeing as it's not an easy feat to achieve. I just wonder how much it takes you to utilize them properly” he whispered, or was it a purr? With the way his gaze turned half lidded in less than a while, it's hard to decide. But just like that, all traces of seduction was erased when he felt the cold water hitting his face. He had the same expression of that Pikachu meme.

“You didn't…” he gasped but threw a larger wave at him afterward, and yes, he may have been using his ability. He never said he's good at playing fair anyway. The question Yeon posed then did make him ponder for a while. “Something no one else know about me?” there's honestly plenty but he's disclosed at least half to Jae. “I like gummy bear sweets, I used to think it was what made my gummy smile. I am actually a good builder, I can fix things if I have the time and motivation. Uh… I've read many romance novels before just so I could comment and be salty on each character.” With that listed, it does seem like Dae is just an ordinary guy. “What about you?” Pushing his lips in a thin line lightly for a while, a wicked smirk came up to replace his dumbfounded expression. “Are you a public enthusiast?” And Yeon probably knew from the way he dragged the question, what the Niveis meant by ‘public' considering their earlier public escapade.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on May 22, 2019 at 8:44

Yeon smiled gently, he really liked the idea of being able to make someone’s day just a little bit better with his words, he’d always been told he had a way with them, came from being a businessman really, you had to know how to work a crowd and say the right thing. But with Dae, it came much more naturally, easy to tell him what was on the blond’s mind. Frankly, Yeon just didn’t feel like he had to fear what the other male thought because he hadn’t given him any reason to. He had seen some of the darker and more twisted ways Yeon’s mind worked already and he hadn’t been scared off so the valkyr took that as a sign he didn’t spook easily. “People say things they don’t mean in the name of what getting what they want a lot” he admitted with an exasperated sigh “Makes it difficult to know who you can really trust” he imagined a lot of people used flattery to get into Dae’s pants too. He was very attractive and compelling after all.

Yeon chuckled softly “I’m not one for flattery unless it’s” he raised his brows suggestively to hint at the ending to that statement as unless it’s a kink “But saying what I see honestly, that’s very easy for me” he admitted with a laugh, he was direct, if he found someone attractive, why not say so? What was the point in playing coy or pretending you didn’t like something when you did? Maybe he oversimplified everything but he found it worked pretty well for getting honest and upfront relations. Usually short lived ones that ended with someone sneaking out in the morning albeit but the sentiment was there. “You’re probably one of the most upfront people I’ve met” he admitted as he glanced over at the snowy-haired male “It’s refreshing, just being able to say something without the usual expectations or misunderstandings.” So many people deluded themselves into thinking if he fucked them they could have more with him. They were all proved incredibly wrong. With Dae, there wasn’t that pressure, which was why he was okay with him still being here he supposed. Besides, he thought they’d actually make kinda decent friends. If they could keep their hands off each other anyway.

It was certainly amusing seeing all the marks over both their bodies, Dae’s were a little harder to see because he was already covered in those tribal tattoos that covered a lot of his arms and torso along with the tattooed wings he had on his back. There was certainly a lot to look at and Yeon quite enjoyed following all the lines with his eyes, and his fingertips and his tongue. He shook himself out of it and chuckled softly “You would know a little about bite marks” he jested with a smirk pointing the one the Niveis had left at the top of Yeon’s chest, it had faded a fair bit already, sleep and valkyr healing made a wondrous combination after all. When Dae commented on his tattoo Yeon shrugged “I think first and foremost it was a choice to say fuck you to society and their expectations” he admitted with an amused expression “But the words ‘Look Up’ they’re kinda my motto, keep dreaming, keep looking up you know” the watercolor around the words was purple, green and blue, much representative of the aurora borealis and overall it encapsulated the future Yeon saw himself looking to.

The way Dae spoke about the ‘real Daehyun’ struck something in the younger male who just watched him for a moment before smiling “I never thought about it like that” he commented, he knew phoenixes rebirthed into new vessels but he figured they were just used to that as it was a part of who they were. But Daehyun had always been the way he was, the way Yeon would always be the way he currently was too “You like still having a tie to your roots huh?” he asked with raised brows “I dunno if perhaps I’d have liked to change face maybe, at least then I wouldn’t have to hide my face from the public eye” as a performer that could be a hard pill to swallow, that there was only so far you could go before you had to pull back because someone might realize you’re not aging. Yeon laughed when he said he wouldn’t mind if the valkyr went around nude “Tactless” he commented with quirked brows but he knew it was a compliment so he smiled a little. Yeon snickered at the fake offense Dae was giving him and rolled his eyes “You can be quite amusing for someone who barely spoke when we met” he commented with a nod “I like it” he admitted with a smirk.

Yeon shrugged “Hey I have some tame hobbies too” he commented with a chuckle, he liked sex, sure, but he also liked many other things “I like binge-watching things on Netflix and I usually read at least one book on the plane journeys I’m on nearly every week, probably not a surprise I’m super into going to the gym either” he had his own now so he could just get his workout over with and not have to worry about other people “and I have a lot of plans on my one day list” he added with a chuckle, he wanted to try so many things it was unreal. When he got a reaction out of Dae for biting on his lips Yeon chuckled softly “You’re very easy to rile up, you know that?” he commented though he quietened when he felt Dae’s finger pressed against his lips, his brain did that thing where he had to rise to a challenge and so he sucked slightly on the end of Dae’s finger, when he was done he smirked “When are you going to learn that giving me ideas is dangerous?” he asked the same question he did earlier and laughed.

Yeon nodded, he understood that protective instinct, had a hint of it himself but circumstance had made him accept that he needed to let things go sometimes, that if you didn’t put yourself first then you would likely end up getting hurt. The people Yeon cared for, he cared for relentlessly and did everything in his power to keep them happy but the difference between him and most others was that he included himself on that list. “Sometimes you just have to remember a very important person that should be on that list” he commented with a shrug, why was your own self any less important than others. Why should you bend yourself to make others happy and more importantly, why would anyone expect you to do so? Yeon pulled a face as Dae talked about the guy in the hospital and he remembered the bruise Jae had been sporting earlier and shook his head “Sounds like people don’t wanna get on your bad side” same could be said about Yeon but he was very very hard to piss off, someone would really have to do something completely unforgivable to set him off.

The flirting back and forth between the two of them felt natural and easy, he didn’t feel like he had to curve his words or make them sound fluffier than they were, in fact, everything he was saying was mostly raw and unfiltered reactions to what he was seeing and hearing “I’m sure my apartment took most of the damage” he admitted with an amused shake of his head, never had he broken so many things with one person. Nothing that couldn’t be fixed or replaced though so he didn’t mind. Dae was right, he really should get around to planning that trip and actually going and taking a real break from it all, the kicker was that his business didn’t actually need him to be micromanaging it anymore and probably could if he wanted to “I just don’t feel ready to let my work go just yet, still feel like there’s more for me to achieve with it” which probably sounded ridiculous given how much money it had made him but that’s how he felt about it, he still felt driven and like there was a mission out there for him to achieve. When Dae talked about the emotions he felt, Yeon gave him a half smile “I dunno hyung, I’ve seen quite the range of emotions from you tonight” he purposely used that formality because he knew how much the Niveis seemed to like being called it “You have quite the smile on you” he admitted with a chuckle, rare, but indeed beautiful.

“You and me both” Yeon responded without hesitation, he was glad he met Dae that night and Niveis had been able to take his mind off those memories that lingered and haunted him, he turned what would have been one of the worst he would remember to something good and Yeon could respect that. The way Dae complimented different things about him made the valkyr chuckle softly, especially when he added the crossword tidbit to the end “Rare specimen here” he teased “Who else would you want by your side in a general knowledge quiz” he laughed softly, a weird talent to have he knew, he suspected it came from his obsession with learning things to stay ahead when he was younger but it worked.

The look on Dae’s face when Yeon splashed him was utterly priceless and worth the wave that sent him under again, he came to the surface coughing loudly because he was laughing so hard at the surprise he had seen in the Niveis’ eyes “Drowned rat looks great you on you hyung” he teased with a laugh and poked his tongue out at him before they moved onto the next question. He liked how ordinary and charming each of them sounded and he could definitely imagine Dae shading characters who made stupid decisions in stories. When the question was turned on him he popped his lips as he considered what people didn’t know about him “I was a virgin until age 21?” he spoke with a chuckle, most people didn’t believe him when he said that “Let’s see what else….I love cute animals and the likes but I often pretend I don’t” he chuckled softly “And I am quite possibly the worst pool player you will ever meet, I swear if I can hit the ball in any way possible to help the other player beat me, it’ll happen” random things that came to mind he suppose. The next question made Yeon chuckle but he shook his head “No, I’m just very easygoing and an opportunist, if I don’t think I can wait, I’ll find the best option” he laughed leaning his head to the side and playing with his earring a little “What do you love and hate most about living in a city?” he quirked a brow curiously as he shook some of the water droplets in his hair off.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on May 24, 2019 at 6:39

He’s met a lot of people in the span of the same 40 years he spent across the world, searching and digging. But he’s never met someone quite like Yeonseok Lee, there was this energy around him that really pulled Daehyun in, he radiates a certain enigmatic air about him but the Niveis couldn’t find out what it was. Perhaps, it was his personality, despite being so outspoken and bold, Yeon was pretty humble and kind, matching his outlook very well from multiple corners. The more he chatted with him, the more he feels at ease; he feels comfortable, so much that he didn’t feel like he needed to be another person in front of him. It wasn’t as if Dae ever felt the need to be another persona before many others but they just didn’t get anywhere near the real him. Besides, everyone can appreciate a mature casual conversation that takes place, especially him. Nothing tied them down and that alone was interesting to see how their dynamic plays out.

“I’m a bit used to that. Never bothered me as much because, at the end of the day, I wasn’t trying to seek confidants nor was I trying to seek out friends. It works easier when you know you wouldn’t form any sort of attachments with your clients” easier said than done, of course. Dae chose to keep it that way, even when he knew there was this tiny part of him that wanted to befriend every other soul he comes across. When this thing surfaced more often, he knew he had to do something about it. And so he did. He kept it down. He convinced himself that it was just a phase that will eventually pass. Talking it out with someone so real and genuine feels like a change. “Trust doesn’t come easy, not today, not before, and certainly not in the future. That’s one of the cycles that doesn’t seem like it’ll change. Buildings and people evolve throughout the centuries, they change. But their beliefs, it doesn’t” perhaps it should be reassuring to some people knowing they won’t ever change that part of them but to him, change is the equivalent of being able to start anew. A fresh and clean slate. Everyone wants that, even if many would deny it endlessly. “Flattery and compliments aren’t all bad, I guess. Sometimes, you just needed a few to kickstart your day. But when you get too much, it overwhelms you and you can already detect which is authentic and which is not, then it gets increasingly annoying because some people just couldn’t take a hint” don’t get him wrong, god, Dae loves people praising him.

He’s very much like a kid trying to impress everyone else around him so he would be receiving a golden star by the end of the day. In a much different way of showcasing it, at least. But when you can sense it’s not genuine, you get tired of it. “I like being upfront and honest, I feel that there’s no point in hovering over mindless situations where it could be solved easily if both parties or more, would say their words and get it all done with” Well, that’s one way to phrase it. “I told you what I liked, what I wanted. And in return, you gave me the same reciprocation. That symbolizes respect, to me. A person who can carry their stances without wavering is someone you should always look forward into getting to know” Was that an indirect invitation to say that the snowy-haired Niveis was really interested in getting to know who Yeon is, on a much more personal scale? The valkyr piqued his interest and it’s a rarity when it comes to the elder Stormwind, seeing as he never truly pays any attention to things he deemed ‘trivial’. But this guy, much like the same way he wanted to find a friend inside Jae, he too, wished to do the same to Yeon, with a little different side note to it. He didn’t hope to find anything more than friendship with the blond, he only really does want to just be able to call him when he needed someone to talk to, or ring up stupid 3 am text messages because he feels bored and wanted to annoy him.

It hasn’t been long since Yeon knew him, and yet he’s already poking into the inner layer of him. Though the real challenge was if they can keep their hands to themselves. That’s a complicated hurdle for him to get through considering how intoxicated he always found himself in when in the presence of the latter. Following the way he pointed towards his own chest where some of the bite marks he left had faded, Dae scoffed in response and shrugged casually. “You’re not the only one with canines, Valky, albeit yours are sharper and edgier. At least yours are already fading so quick, mine’s gonna stay for a few more days, I imagine” at the mention of it, he immediately glance down to his own front and brushed his fingers against his pale skin. “Not that I would complain, it’s not as if anyone’s gonna pull me over and ask, anyway” he could cover his body with a top, obviously. The pale-haired male really does like to keep his body constricted from all views, to which he deemed as ‘privacy policy’. Though the ones littering his neck would probably draw attention.

Hearing the explanation and the way Yeon had interpreted his tattoo, his eyes lit up in wonder. The ink seemed so simple but of course, it would hold a meaningful message behind it. Every tattoo usually does. “Didn’t peg you to be such a motivator” he shot, it was meant to be a joke and they both know it. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You were quite loud, after all. It’d be a shame not to utilize the voice to good use” leave it to him to never give a break over innuendos, per usual. A faint blush crept up his cheeks once again and he directed his gaze on the water instead. “I guess it gives me a sense of identity. I wasn’t sure if I still had them with me, but the thought of losing it scares me to oblivion” this was something he would never share out loud to a stranger, but is Yeon really a stranger to him? He didn’t act like one and he sure doesn’t feel like one. The valkyr probably knew him better than his own tribe, at this point, and he’s already known him no more than a few hours. “I try my best to keep whatever’s left of it, even the smallest stuff. My name, my personality, my conviction...you know, all of that” the thought about changing their faces did interest Dae, even he wouldn’t deny that, but in time, he realized that while a part of him wishes to shed his original look away, he didn’t have many to hold on to, so shedding that would’ve taken another part of him.

In a strange sense, he believes that there was a reason for everything. “It’s convenient, yeah. But taking off a mask only to be replaced with another, it doesn’t sound like an idealistic life. Call me a sentimentalist but for someone who doesn’t have a lot, to begin with, it means a lot to me to have the freedom to choose” especially when freedom was quite possibly the only thing he kept thinking about the entire time he served his time as a soldier. “Cons of this meant you can’t stay at one place for long until people start to realize you’re not aging, everything feels temporary then. It’s sad.” Staring back at the male in front of him, he knew Yeon could relate to that, it was only a matter of time before he needed to move away, which is probably going to be a hard thing to do seeing as the male had a well-established life and was surrounded by many who looked up to him. “If by tactless, you mean honest, sure” he retorted, rolling his eyes playfully at the valkyr. “I’m not about to lie and say your nude state doesn’t please the eyes.”

Arching one eyebrow in amusement following the other male’s words after that, he snickered softly. “When we first met, I was pissed off because a dude I’ve been tracking down for a week tried to sucker punch me the first thing when he realized who I was. I was just trying to help and that’s what I get. And if I can recall, I was heavy on complaining because you were a bad drunk and trying to sober someone up was not in my job description. But at least I got paid in full, so there’s that.” The sex they had today was mind-blowing, but there was something about the first time that really etched itself in Dae’s memory. The mundane things that Yeon did, was not surprising. He did lead a rather normal life, anyway. Apart from having to consume an amount of blood every month, he’s as normal as someone with no beating heart can be. “I knew that body couldn’t be made out of dancing alone” he murmured audibly, knowing fully well that Yeon would definitely hear that. “Oh, I get that a lot. Even Mirae said I needed to loosen up a bit because I look like I’m ready to tear their heads off whenever one presumes to talk to me” okay, maybe there is some truth to that, he wouldn’t deny that. But he wouldn’t admit it out loud, either. A scowl marred his features when the valkyr nipped on the edge of his forefinger, his dark hues boring straight into the blond’s. “And when are you going to learn that challenging me is just as unpleasant, hm?” Over the times his patience wore out and his needs got the best of him, he didn’t mind crossing the sidelines.

Though this one is just a small simple indirect message that tells him to stop teasing him unless he wants to find himself pinned elsewhere. “You’re so lucky I’m drained, right now” When Yeon talked about self-importance, Dae knew he probably should take it up to mind. He’s good at self-preservation when it comes down to surviving, but sometimes there were these small flimsy strings tying him down in one place. Since he didn’t have many, when he did have a small portion of it, it became a lot more meaningful. It doesn’t help when he’s a natural-born giver. “Most people never got the chance to see if I have another side other than that guy who would give you frostbite and have fun seeing you glomp around because of it. I’m not sure if that’s mainly my fault because I didn’t try to show the other side, or if they just resorted to seeing me in one place only.” Who knew behind the cold exterior grumpy Daehyun lies a more sentimental and empathetic soft Daehyun? Who could believe if they say this guy who wouldn’t have any problems breaking a few bones is also that guy who cheers at the sight of gummy bear candies or any other sugary sweetness? Glancing back to give a second look at his apartment, he grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess I have to apologize for that. It does make me wonder though, haven’t you slept with any supernatural? Presumably, those who also possessed enhanced strength, or I don’t know, maybe inhuman strength like your own?” Dae had his fair share with supernaturals and humans alike, but Yeon was his first valkyr. No wonder everything felt more significant, seeing as he cherished his firsts very much.

“I’m not a workaholic so I can’t relate, with that I won’t try to impede in this. I told you I don’t judge. But, it doesn’t mean I can’t give a bit of small advice. Life is too short, Yeon. Believe me, you never know how things are gonna go. I didn’t expect to be a Niveis, I actually thought I wouldn’t even rebirth myself if I managed to actually escape the island the first time. But here I am, cursed with immortality that I’m not sure I even wanted. You should try to enjoy your life to the fullest, you deserve it” from the looks of things, the multimillionaire sure did. “You don’t necessarily need to let go of your work, but a few weeks or months of break can probably do you some good.” Here he is, advising another when he couldn’t even get a hold of his own life. Typical Daehyun. Blushing was never a normal occurrence for Dae, but why is it so hard not to be shy when this guy is around, showering him with compliments he could feel the genuineness dripping from?

“You’re probably deluding yourself, I don’t know, you took a lot of damage and it’s probably the exhaustion taking its toll on you, Yeon” he cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to play it off coolly, which is such a Daehyun Stormwind move. The term didn’t escape his notice, but he only smiled at the sound of it. He’s always been called hyung from a child, being one of the oldest kids there were in his former tribe, and the only times he ever got to hear hyung was when Jae calls him that. “So you’re saying I can utilize you if I’m suddenly blank when I’m playing a trivia game? Great, I’ll put you on my speed dial” he jested, stifling a laugh using his mouth so all that escaped the reins of his mouth were muffled. Shaking his head at the other male, a part of him felt so refreshed that he was able to spend a moment like this, without feeling any expectations encasing him in a cage. He feels free.”If you want a real drowned rat look, I can gladly send it your way, Yeonseok Lee” he exclaimed, wagging his forefinger in front of him in a threatening playful manner. The way he poked his tongue out, gosh, when was the last time he flashed his gummy smile to another? This guy is really cute.

“I can’t believe you’re a virgin until 21, not with the way you move…” he shook his head, refusing to believe this fact. “But then again, I was the same… only I was not 21, but 139. But I had over 40 years of experience after that… you’re telling me you’re this guy with only 7 years of- don’t bullshit me, Yeon” Was he in utter disbelief? Of course, he was. “Got it, if I want to have a pool match, I’ll bring you. And if I want to annoy you knowing you’re actually secretly enjoying it, I’ll bring cute fluffs. Look at you, you’re all fluffy, aren’t you?” he teased, dragging the words purposely. “I actually like to see how the city lights lit up at night when you take in a view like it from above, it actually looks beautiful. I hate that it’s noisy, even at night. A person needs their beauty sleep, hello. It’s easier to get access through things when you’re in a city. I wouldn’t say I hate living in a city and I wouldn’t say I like it. Everything has its pros and cons. I, for one, don’t mind staying anywhere” pursing his lips lightly, he cast a knowing look towards Yeon, biting his lips unconsciously as he debated in asking another question of his own. “If you’re not a choreographer or a businessman, what other occupation do you think you’d be into?” Of course, he was a bit shy when it comes to that, Dae’s occupation wasn’t exactly considered ideal to many.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on May 24, 2019 at 16:57

Yeon nodded a little, he understood the whole keeping people at arm’s length thing, was kinda a motto really and he was doing pretty well at it, never let someone stay longer than one night, only really had two friends up til now and they both got there with some serious exceptions, Celia, she was the only person who was there for him when he was at his absolute worst and she always looked out for him, he couldn’t turn his back on her even if he wanted to and Han...well Han might be considered a mistake but it was hard to not be close with your Volakiri and in the time they’d known one another, Yeon realized how much he’d missed out by not having a close friend to just spend time with. So he didn’t regret either. And maybe getting to know Han had softened him a little to the idea of friends. Or maybe he just didn’t want to admit Dae was different. “From someone who sees the worst in people every day, right with you” business brought out the asshole in people, that was for sure. He did trust people to an extent, but there were very few he would fully trust, never have any doubts in.

Yeon stretched and laughed “You know, I’m kinda caught between the two, I’m the kind of guy who always wants to say things exactly how they are but” he shrugged “Business background tells me that’s a stupid move” he chuckled “People are always trying to catch you out, make you say things you shouldn’t so they can twist it” he found a decent balance between both at work but in his social life, he definitely leaned on the side of honesty, if people couldn’t handle the truth they probably weren’t worth his time. “But when it comes to…” he tilted his head a little “potential friends, I definitely agree with you” the blond ran a hand through his hair, it felt weird to put any kind of label on the two of them because it didn’t feel like it was something you could categorize or explain. One thing was for sure, they had a similar sense of crude humor and sarcasm which meant he knew they’d get along well. Probably end up complaining about the world in general at stupid hours or banging their heads against the table because of Hanseol and Jae.

Yeon’s tattoo had actually been quite spur of the moment, went with one of his dancers as moral support when they got theirs and kinda ended up getting his own designed and came back to get it the next week. People told him he might regret it, he didn’t, he liked having it there and catching the bright colors in the mirror sometimes “You make it sound like I actually have anyone to preach all this to” he commented with a chuckle “No it’s for me really” he nodded a little. It was his daily reminder to keep being positive.

Yeon nodded “Identity” he spoke softly with a laugh “Not sure I know what that is any more” he went by so many names, most people didn’t even know his real one or care to know. Yeonseok Lee, he technically died at the age of 20 and so did that identity. He could be his father’s son again if he wanted to be. So now he had many identities, there was his work front, the cutthroat and sometimes harsh businessman, there was the creative and supportive dancer who reached for the stars and pushed others to do the same, there was the guy who liked all attention on him and enjoyed being a showoff. Were they his identity? Yeon wasn’t sure. He looked up at Dae and offered a half smile “But then I do get to be whoever I want to be, complete control over my own life and there’s solace in that” he spoke with a nod. Not answering to anyone but himself, that was where he felt most himself he supposed.

“The way you talk about freedom” he spoke and pressed his lips together wondering if Dae was going to totally shut him down when he asked about this “It sounds like you know a lot about a lack of freedom” it was the first time Yeon had spoken one of his assumptions about the Niveis but from the way he talked about roaming for 40 years a few times and the way he felt conflicted about his own identity, it made the valkyr curious is maybe he’d been forced to be someone he wasn’t. Yeon was never forced to be anything, but he did try and shape himself into someone he wasn’t in the name of family pride when he was younger and he knew how hard it was to feel like you didn’t fit in. “Well we’re lucky Evermore is majority supernatural population and they work a little magic with the humans” he commented with a half smile, hence why it was considered the supernatural haven, somewhere they could stay without fear of exposure “Other cities though, much harder” he admitted with a grimace, but makeup would probably solve that problem, at least for a while.

It was interesting how the two of them had been such a negative state of mind the night they met and yet it had turned out to be one of the most memorable the valkyr had in his mind “What do you actually do to help them?” Yeon was curious because the guy he had seen, or what he remembered of it anyway because the whole barfight thing had been witnessed from him lying atop a bar. Still, it was clear he didn’t want to go with Daehyun or take his help. Yeon laughed as Dae commented on his physique “Well the dancing definitely helps” he admitted with a chuckle, especially on weeks where he got really into it and could spend as long as 8 hours in the studio just hashing out routines. Man, he missed that. “You have what girls would call a resting bitch face” Yeon commented with a low chuckle “Nothing you can do about it really, your idle expression just looks like you hate everyone and everything” Yeon actually found the stern and intense expression pretty hot so he certainly wasn’t complaining. The moment he teased the other male, he wasn’t disappointed when he got an equal quip back “Remind me of a time I failed to live up to your” he pressed his lips together “challenges” he teased with a chuckle.

The blond had a half smirked when Dae spoke about his state of exhaustion, though he was inclined to agree, they both didn’t exactly play nicely with one another “I’m pretty lucky in general” he commented with a smirk, indicating that he was pretty much still on cloud nine right now. A little mad that this wasn’t going to ever leave his mind and he was gonna go back to feeling frustrated by other partners but that wasn’t exactly Dae’s fault. Listening to the way Dae talked about himself, Yeon thought he hit the nail on the head really, he had quite the intimidating persona on the outside and if it wasn’t for the fact the Niveis had taken it on himself to sober Yeon up that night, he probably wouldn’t have ever gone near him. Which would have been a massive shame “Don’t let anyone in and then they can’t hurt you right” it was pretty much a motto now, don’t get attached, people were gonna leave, break your heart, let you down or otherwise hurt you. “Gets pretty lonely though” he added with a solemn nod, it was probably crazy for someone constantly surrounded by people to feel lonely but that was his reality.

Yeon chuckled at Dae’s question “Well of course I have” he admitted with a shrug “But I have guest rooms I don’t really care about ruining so much” he added with a slight nod, he tended to be quite controlled when it came to his relations but with Daehyun it was the opposite, wild and free and completely spontaneous and there was something he completely loved about that. “You are a lot of damn exceptions” Yeon mumbled under his breath as he looked out the window at the city skyline and took an exasperated breath. The worst part was he regretted none of it and it just revealed to him how badly he had been holding himself and what he really wanted back.

Yeon kept his eyes on the city as he listened to Dae’s advice about his life, he was right, Yeon knew he was right but things just didn’t work quite that simply in the valkyr’s mind, it wasn’t just a switch he could turn off when he had the inclination. He tried. It had failed miserably. “You make it sound easy” he spoke with an ironic laugh and sighed “Eventually I’m going to drill it in there and it’s going to stick” he spoke and then smiled “Thanks though for the advice” he spoke and then bit his tongue before speaking “And maybe you didn’t want immortality but it did mean I got to meet you so” he smirked a little “I’m going to appreciate it on your behalf” he really did think knowing Dae was going to change his life in some ways, as stupidly cliche as that sounded, the Niveis had given him some interesting new perspectives to think about.

“Sure, that must be it” he responded when Dae said he was deluding himself but the smile on his lips said it “A smile making someone look even more attractive than they already are, sounds like a complete myth anyway right?” he teased with a smirk but said no more on the topic, he was pretty sure he’d gotten his point across just fine. The way Dae threatened him with soaking after sending him under the water’s surface twice already made the valkyr chuckle “I’d make a point about how I’m already soaked but somehow I believe you when you imply it could be way worse” Yeon chuckled, Dae’s Niveis’ powers really were something. The endearing smile that Dae pulled as they were joking though, Yeon wasn’t sure he would ever get the image of it out of his head though. He looked so ridiculously happy and it was a great look on him, one he had only seen briefly before when he saw the Niveis with Jae, it even caused the valkyr to trip over his breath for a few seconds.

Yeon shrugged when Dae said he didn’t believe him “I made up for lost time I suppose?” he valkyr teased with a laugh, he had definitely explored his tastes throughout the years, figured out what he did and didn’t like, who he did and didn’t find attractive, it had definitely been quite the journey and it had taken him a while to fully understand his bisexuality. Now it was definitely just one of the many things about him. He wasn’t sure whether to find Dae’s disbelief offensive or flattering so he simply smirked. When Dae called him fluffy Yeon pulled a face “Not the usual thing people call me but not the worst either” he quirked a brow as he leaned to shove the Niveis a little with his shoulder “No outing my secrets to the world okay” he chuckled as he glanced up at him with a soft smile.

Dae’s question for him was unexpected and made the valkyr go quiet for a while as he thought about it “I honestly have no idea at all” he admitted with a laugh “Terrible answer I know but, I spent most of my life training in business because it was what my father wanted me to be and I was young and naive” he explained with a grimace “I was never really great at anything, I tried hard to be good at everything but I never excelled” that was a very hard reality to accept for an overachiever like Yeon “Not until I found dance and then everything just….made sense” he nodded “So I have no idea, whatever it was, I feel like I would have felt like I wasn’t doing enough with it” he guessed that just showcased how he was a very goal driven person and being without one left him feeling empty. Well since that turned pretty deep, Yeon figured he’d go for something interesting too “What is something that makes you really really angry?” he asked with a curious quirk of his brow.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on May 28, 2019 at 19:44

Dae might've led a rather dull and boring life so far, and in all honesty, he wouldn't give a damn about how others perceived it. To some, it was too wild and uncontrollable because of how easy it was for the snowy-haired Niveis to lose himself in the midst of the company, and the others see it as a sad way of continuing his life because despite all the company he had, no one came close to being a friend to him. He kept people away and that honestly scares even himself, since he wasn't sure how long that was going to go on. Was it that right choice to distrust people so easily and push everyone else away without so much as sparing them a glance afterward? It was why befriending Jae was somewhat, a big deal for him. Throughout his entire life, Dae made sure to never let anyone else in for that exact reason of not wanting for others to use him only to cast him aside once they were done. But Yeon radiated a different vibe, much like Jae yet so differing.

After getting to know him for a while, hearing his stories and how he sees the world from his own views, Dae was positive that he would make a very good company. There was no harm in befriending yet another soul, right? That's what Mirae told him he should be doing; socialize and open himself more. So that's what he's doing now, albeit slightly different from what the younger Stormwind meant, but the same in another eye nonetheless. So he wasn't the only one who saw the worst and negativity shrouding them first before everything else. That honestly gave him an assurance that perhaps, despite his bitter self, he was being realistic and not so much on the pessimism side when it comes to judging people from afar. "Considering the kind of field you get yourself involved in, things mustn't have been easy for you. I hear the business world as a whole is a very cruel and harsh place, where only cutthroat people would ever seek the means to actually survive through the process and works. Is that true?" hearing Yeon's answer from a millionaire's perspective would definitely be added.

Pursing his lips lightly as he leaned against the edge of the pool and fluttered his eyes closed briefly, craning his neck to face upwards as breathed in softly. "That's exactly why I'm afraid" It wasn't easy for him to admit that. He didn't even try to word it as another. Guess the comfortableness he felt with Yeon did pay off, in a way. "I didn't want people to use me for their benefits when I know at the end of the day, I'll be discarded like any piece of old clothing and the worst part is knowing I wouldn't even try to do anything to them but scold myself for believing things could've been more than what it was" he mumbled absentmindedly, staring into the valkyr's dark hues from where he stayed at. Eye contact has been something he's always good at, it was the easiest way to read another person and while he couldn't read Yeon fully, there was something enigmatic about the blond that drew him in and latched onto him. Literally. One day he'll find out what it is, but for now, he's going to bask in whatever company the valkyr can provide him with. Things would not last forever, so why waste time? The way Yeon phrased them, it made him chuckle because of how accurate it was. Honestly, what are they to each other? One-night-stand? Potential casual hook up? Friends? Who knows anymore, because he sure didn't.

But the idea of having a friend in the wise male does appear very convincing. "Is that what we are? Friends? I mean, I don't want to be ahead of myself, you know. You did offer me your phone number earlier, so" he trailed, clearing his throat lightly as he arched a questioning brow toward him. Hey, he's curious too. It was amazing how things tied up with them, after that night, Dae never thought he'd ever come across the valkyr again. And now he did, only to find out that he was connected to the Celestial who was Jae's boyfriend. What a shocking twist. "Hey, I'm just saying that you have potential to be a preacher. That's a lot coming from me because it takes me hours to even say anything remotely nice to another" well, Yeon is actually a very good example of being favored. His company was one of the best he had, the best in terms of measuring in that one particular department and he came close behind Jae when it comes to the friend department. "Most people get tattoos because it meant something to them, I just wondered if you were the same, or it's just because you got too drunk one day that you woke up with… well, that" directing his finger pointedly at where the tattoo resides, Dae shrugged casually and dived head first into the water and pushed himself to do a few laps.

Identity is one of the sore topics Daehyun never bothered talking about because of his inner struggle that rounds up the turmoil within the Niveis. He may shrug and say it's nothing but in reality, it hurts him. It hurts him that no one can see how much he's slowly tearing himself apart due to the past and present. Perhaps he hid it too well. The urge to call out for help was very tempting. "That's reassuring" he pointed out, at least Yeon knew who he wanted to be. The same couldn't be said about him, unfortunately. Until now, Dae is still very much struggling with the conflict surrounding the said topic. "I'm not sure which is the real me anymore, I haven't been there since a long time ago, I figured. Don't know why it bothered me so much but it just does. It sucks." Only Dae would actually say it sucks having to deal with emotions, which is fairly normal for anyone. That's what happens when you closed your heart and allow it to freeze over. Truthfully, Yeon's question would usually earn him a scowl from the grumpy male, and a scowl did come surfacing, but surprisingly, it was followed by an answer that wasn't 'fuck off'.

Clenching his jaw lightly until he could feel his muscles shifting underneath the pressure he placed, Dae pressed his lips into a thin fine line. "I always say 40 years, didn't I? That's because despite being 179, that's the amount of years I received my freedom. Long story short, living your life as a silent 'obedient' soldier dog under a tyrannical rule isn't exactly an ideal life I wanted to lead in my 'immortal' fantasy." Why did he reveal that to him? What's so important about this guy that he feels so inclined to tell him what he wants to know? "I think there's plenty of times where I get the choice on what to make, but that time was one of those I didn't get a choice in making, so yeah, bitter guy, that's me." The pale-haired male inhaled the cold breeze of the late evening as he hummed the same hymn to himself. Dae nodded in agreement, Evermore is a magical place. It was no wonder that Anivia chose it once she received the information from Roman. It was a city Dae could see himself liking and he did, in a way, he did.

Unfortunately, since his tribe is residing here meant it was not an option for him because the whole reason of leaving was so he wouldn't be burdened by the guilt that weighs over him. The elder Stormwind stiffened visibly for a while when that question was directed his way, it wasn't something you can actually boast around so proudly. "I'm a spy, I take in and seek information. Everything is valuable to me, it's a rare case when it's never. On the side note, when the others are busy scouting the other half of the world and I managed to come across some 'unfortunate' ones, I did the scouting. Unofficially, but it means just the same" he paused momentarily as he searched for any judgments underlying Yeon's eyes before resuming. "Sometimes not everyone would jump so easily into the trust wagon, and my temper is not exactly… diffused by the ice. It made it colder and void of other pesky emotions, that's all. I'm okay with them refusing… but you know, once they started using physical force, so did I. That's why… that happened" he tried his best to simplify it because honestly, being someone who works like a bounty hunter is not exactly something you flaunt to others.

A look of disbelief flashed on his face upon hearing the term resting bitch face. Okay, point taken, they weren't exactly wrong. "I don't hate everything and everyone… " a small pout rested on his lips as he huffed in retaliation, clearly dissatisfied by the impression he gave others. Oh here comes that wave. Again. The amount of confidence the valkyr had was making him amicable. And to him, amicable people are affable. He's right, he's never failed to love up to his challenges, if anything, he rose up above it, hence why the Niveis averted his gaze elsewhere instead of answering. "People say when you're surrounded by it too much, you get used to it. I'm not sure if that can be applied to things such as that. I wanna say you get used to the loneliness but you never really do" at least not in his book. "It's not the end of the world, so... " that's how far he's willing to say it. His heart was swelling with pride because he knew he was a big exception to his rule, gracing not only his place but his own personal bedroom? He's the lucky one here.

"You're welcome. I give people advices better than I give them to myself so, I thought at least to utilize them to the best of my ability. Mirae nags. Though some people do see it as me trying to be bossy, which I'm not" because let's be real, if Daehyun wanted to be bossy, you'll know. Allowing his eyes to wander over to the blond, he does like what he sees. "True. Now that is something I really would rethink over" and secretly he is grateful he was given the chance to talk a few mild things out with him. God knows how long he's been bottling them up. This was a start. Too bad he's going to leave soon and he would too. What are the odds of them meeting again? If only the blush knew how to scamper off because it was having too much fun camping out on both his cheeks, especially after hearing that heartfelt compliment regarding his smile. It's a given since it is a rarity to see the Niveis break out a genuine happy smile that stretches out until people could see his youthful gummy smile. "I'm not saying it's a myth, but yes… that's exactly what I'm saying. I didn't peg you for someone with pick up lines, Valky" but are they really just empty words, Dae?

"Oh, it could be a lot worse, Yeon. You think this is wet? You haven't even seen half of what wet is supposed to entail when you're playing with a Niveis" he shot playfully, shaking his head slightly as to dry his hair. It wasn't really a lie when Dae said his smile is a rarity, only a few could actually witness it, the very few being his baby sister, and his best friend, Jae, at the moment. He wasn't used to being shy so all of it was so foreign to the pale-haired male, but it doesn't mean he didn't like it. "You definitely did make up for it... " even his internal self was already wolf whistling at the idea of Yeon mastering the arts in less than 8 years. "You do realize by saying it's not the worst thing you've been called is basically granting me a green pass to call you fluffy from now on, right?" oh, surely then, he would never allow the valkyr to live it down. Ever. "No answer is terrible, let's be real" he chuckled, not to him. And to Dae, everything is redefined in his own dictionary, it was one of the things he actually took pride into and was one of those he liked.

His answer really did pique his interest, as if the valkyr hasn't been doing that since the very beginning. He found himself staring at the beguiling creature before him. He really did appreciate it when another would show how real they are to others. Dae almost laughed out loud when Yeon asked him what makes him very angry. "A lot of things. I'm easy to tick off, if we're being honest. Hard if you're using the middle school comeback and witty remarks, but once you find the right ones, a single shoulder bump can piss me off" he mused, he would probably need to control his emotions a tad bit better. "And you? I feel like behind that confident and positive exterior, lies a scary person."

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on May 29, 2019 at 16:46

Yeon felt like he had been pretty well prepared for the business world, his father had shown him the ropes from a young age and his degree only cemented those practices. One this he found very difficult to balance was being a good businessman and being a good person, it was often hard to do both because a lot of business best practices could hurt the people. He sided on believing in his people over taking hard cuts. It didn’t always pay off but it helped him to sleep at night at least. “I think it’s more complicated than that” he admitted thoughtfully and shrugged “I try and maintain my credibility as a person despite the work I do” he admitted with a slight nod “But I have no problem screwing over people who would prefer to see my downfall” he explained and bit his tongue “You just can’t trust many people, everyone is looking to use and abuse” he added before he explained the rest “But my dancers and the people I employ, I try and believe the best in them, at the end of the day, they’re what makes my company what it is” he hoped he explained it well enough, it was about fending off and pulling close at the right times.

The more he talked with Dae the more vulnerable the other male made himself out to be, he saw someone with some hopes and dreams, they weren’t cemented nor particularly grand but they were his. He totally understood the fears of people just using you and then throwing you away, in a business sense, he expected that of people but it was hard to shut that self-defense mechanism off when it came to the social side. He was impressed by how easily Dae seemed to be able to hold eye contact, it gave a sense of integrity to the valkyr that he didn’t get from most people and frankly, shone him in a good light to Yeon “I find people by nature are greedy and selfish” she agreed with a nod “But not everyone” he added with a soft smile. When they met Dae probably thought he was some wannabe dancer and yet still took an interest in him and that told the valkyr all he needed to know about his intentions.

The blond chuckled a little, defining what they were, seemed like the weirdest conversation they’d had all day which considering the topics they’d covered was pretty ironic to Yeon, he beamed softly and shrugged “Friends sounds good to me” he nodded slightly, they were bound to see one another around Han and Jae at some point so calling today a full goodbye seemed silly only for them to run across one another again in a few months. Besides Yeon actually quite liked Dae and could see himself chatting to him more often “And to prove it, I will give you my number before you leave” which was also a pretty big deal because he didn’t give his personal number out to many people, just those he actually had intention of talking to really. Yeon couldn’t hide the amusement from his face when Dae said he’d make a good preacher “Thanks then” he spoke hesitantly, definitely not something he intended to take up but he figured being considered a good speaker was a pretty nice compliment. He tried to hide his slight offense when Dae pointed at his tattoo and said ‘that’ but he shrugged it off leaning back against the edge of the pool as he watched the Niveis do a few laps, he was a very graceful swimmer, it was quite serene to watch him.

As he returned, Yeon had pushed himself up onto the edge of the pool, his feet dangling in the water but his hair was slicked back and finally getting the chance to dry out a little. Dae’s whiteish hair looked interesting when it was damp, not as fluffy and well groomed as it usually did but he still looked handsome regardless. Dae’s comments about his own identity made Yeon furrow his brow a little, while the valkyr went through periods of his life where he too felt like he didn’t know exactly who he was or who he was supposed to be but he always seemed to reconcile them eventually one way or another “Maybe you should take some time to figure that out” he commented and then gave him a thoughtful look “I know I don’t know you that well yet but” he shrugged “I get the impression that you’re actually a pretty good person” which was very high praise from Yeon.

He saw the look of discontent on Daehyun’s face at his questioning and the blond wondered if maybe he had taken his curiosity too far, this was only the first time they’d properly talked after all and it was a pretty deep topic which clearly bothered the elder male. That’s why he went respectfully quiet when then Niveis entertained his question and actually gave a pretty real answer to it. Yeon opened his mouth in shock a little because that wasn’t what he was expecting to hear at all. He pressed his lips together for a moment and frowned, tyrannical rule sounded like something you only saw in movies so for it to be a reality, it did shock Yeon a little. He knew Daehyun didn’t have any reason to lie about it though. “So now you’re making the most of the freedom you have” he nodded softly “That makes sense” he spoke gently, he couldn’t imagine going through a time where he wasn’t in control of his own future and had to have someone telling him what to do, it just wasn’t who he was and frankly, it sounded like a fate worse than death.

Honestly, despite hearing Dae explain it and listening to every word, he still wasn’t very clear on what Dae did for a living, he supposed he was talking about his people as a collective and that was who he was spying for, not sure why they needed spies when the general outlook in the city was to make everything open and transparent, at least if you were supernatural but he was sure they had their reasons and it was clear from the way Dae explained it that there was definitely some grey area in the work he did. He didn’t make any more comments on it, mostly because it was hurting his brain to hear Dae talk around it, clearly avoiding giving too much away. Either way, his expression was more one of confusion or anything, mostly about where money fit into the said job role.

He did laugh at Dae’s pretty cute reaction to Yeon’s comments about his expressions though and the blond wrinkled his nose a little because that pout was actually really sweet “Of course you don’t, that would be so miserable” he commented with a shrug, imagine everything making you annoyed or upset, you would spend so much of your life completely obsessed with little things that you probably wouldn’t see the thunder for the storm. His thoughts on loneliness though, Yeon understood them well, you never really get used to being alone, you can teach yourself to enjoy your own company and find things to do alone but sometimes, you just want someone to be there and when they aren’t you feel a certain emptiness that is almost impossible to shake. “Feels like it at the time though” he responded, a comment that is strangely pessimistic for him but not untrue.

“I think we can all help others better than we help ourselves” the valkyr responded with a chuckle, it was easy to tell someone how they could better their own life but recognizing and fixing mistakes in your own was much more of an uphill battle. It wasn’t even that Yeon didn’t know what he needed to do in order to achieve it, he just didn’t have the energy to go through with it. It felt really nice to talk to someone who didn’t judge though, he felt like he could say anything about his life without fear of what the other male might say about it and that was really freeing because around most he felt the need to hold himself back in fear that he would come across too headstrong. His compliments to the other male actually managed to break a small blush on the Niveis face which felt like a feat in itself “I’m not” he responded to his comment about pick up lines “But there’s a first time for everything right” he teased with a wink, he just enjoyed flirting with the other male, to be honest, there was something inexplicably fun about it.

The valkyr nodded a little, he had learned very quickly that being around a Niveis meant accepting the cold and wet that came along with it, he gave a playful grin in response to Dae’s and shrugged, wet and cold had never bothered him, that’s why NYC was still one of his favorite places even though the weather was always miserable except for the very best days in summer. Yeon laughed when Dae agreed with him on making up for lost time “Glad I didn’t disappoint” he teased with a smirk though he frowned a little when the other male seemed to take his unbothered comment as an excuse to call him fluffy, he rolled his eyes “One, I don’t do nicknames, two, you’d get so bored of calling me that” he shook his head a little, endearments were his pet peeve and definitely a way to shut down all interest he had in a person.

Hearing Dae talk about how easy it was to make him angry, Yeon couldn’t really be surprised, though he supposed the other male didn’t quite understand what he was trying to get at with the question. It wasn’t about his temperament, it was about wanting to know the things he felt passionately about. With it turned around on him the valkyr pouted his lips a little in thought “Lazy people” he responded with slight shrug before explaining “I don’t have much time for people who want to do as little work as possible and then complain when they don’t get what they want” he had very little time for people like that and would usually avoid them at all costs “I can be pretty scary when I want to be but” he shrugged “You’d really have to push” he didn’t like wasting time on such negative energy, to be honest.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on June 3, 2019 at 22:19

Now that he thought of it, Dae wondered if he had a life outside his tribe. All his life, he never really tried to excel in other departments, he wasn’t like Mirae; a social butterfly who befriended everyone as easy as it was plucking a cherry. All he ever cared about was to live to the expectations everyone had, which wasn’t even much every time he went back to it. It made him wonder if he ever resented the idea of becoming a phoenix and not an ordinary regular fire Initia, though he knew he would chose it any day if it meant protecting his sister. Chuckling softly at Yeon’s answer regarding the manner he used to everyone else around him, Dae only found it more enticing, why? Because it felt raw, like it’s a real response and he knew by then, that he didn’t need to worry if the valkyr i someone superficial.

"I think that's fine,  it shouldn't be a problem.  I can relate wanting to see the look of their faces when they realize they're the ones being played.  It doesn't get any better than that kind of satisfaction" he mused coolly, casting a knowing gaze his way while still maintaining a rather reserved look but a more comfortable one now. “I never really paid attention to people in general, you know… I guess it’s because I didn’t try to dig up things further than they needed to be. I don’t try to pry because once I get hooked, then there’s no getting rid of me.” Oddly enough, that sounds a lot like their current predicament, the snowy-haired Niveis didn’t seem like he wanted to leave so soon without knowing if they’ll ever meet again. “Sometimes I think I fool myself into thinking a few things. Like… I don’t want people to use me but at the same time, I want to be useful. It’s a bit, complicated to put it together. I guess it's just that odd sentiment you want to feel memorable to some people" Dae wanted people to appreciate him in a way most people forget to do, in the simplest form.

"I think it's good that you know you have people you can put your trust in, even if it's in minimal form" sometimes even the things they do with bare minimum ends up being noticed the most. On the outside, no one would ever thought Daehyun Stormwind is actually as fragile as glass, but to show this side of him slowly to someone who he's known for a few hours max, it definitely displayed his willingness into trusting the blond. He didn't know what it was about him, there was nothing specific to why he likes him, but Dae knew he's going to trust his instincts and right now, it's telling him that Yeon is the kind of company he needs. Nodding softly at his remark, he agreed wholeheartedly. "Not everyone, indeed." Yeon had that wise air around him and it's very addictive, O's much Dae couldn't find himself to look away; yes, that's why he kept maintaining his eye contact. He'll never admit it outloud, okay, maybe not to others, but he would love to meet him again. Yeon is not someone he could just dismiss with ease by  downgrading his worth to his company, because god knows how much the Niveis enjoyed them.

He can work with him being his friend, maybe what he needs was someone he could open himself up fully to. Talking to Jae and talking to Yeon, it feels oddly different for reasons unknown. "I'll be truthfully honest, I never expected this to to turn out fine. I definitely did not see a friendship coming our way when I met you" talk about serendipity. "To make it equal and balanced, I'll give you mine too." Hopefully it would be used, he may not say it now, but he would love to see and talk more of the valkyr. He always seemed to put him at ease, which evidently does make him feel extra frustrated because he didn't know what it was about Yeon that makes him feel that way. And how badly does he hate not knowing something. In his futile attempts to push it as something that wasn't nearly as serious as it should be, Dae waved his hands casually and shrugged. "Maybe I should. I don't think I should concern myself with it too much though, too much of that may take up the other spaces in my head," he trailed, he's trying to avoid that. Again. "Also, are you saying that if you don't look at well enough, I can be perceived as a bad guy? Rude" he stuck out his tongue in retaliation, reminding him fairly enough of what the valkyr didn't earlier.

He was still in the pool, drenching himself wet with the water while Yeon was already sitting at the edge, his feet dangling not far from where he's at. His hair wasn't as wet as Dae's, but that's only because the Niveis swam a few laps. He never expected himself to give Yeon any comment about that question, much less an answer to sum it all up. Perhaps, he's even company deprived more than he would let himself on. A part of him just wanted to tell him what been bothering him because he knew wouldn't be judged in return. Yeon wouldn't judge him, and he feels thankful for that. Strangely enough, following his words, Dae felt a bit shy after disclosing such information to the valkyr. It wasn't as if it's a topic he talks often with other people, if he even talks to the other people. So it's understandable. "I guess you can put it that way. I didn't know what freedom meant, if we're being truthfully honest here. I never understood the full concept of it. When I thought I finally had them in my grasp, I eventually always get the short end of the stick." There were plenty of things that the pale-haired male didn't understand, but he never had anyone to ask his questions to, to quench his curiosity at.

Yeon, despite being a whole lot younger than him; young in general, has shown an impressive mature appearance which gave him a brief insight of how things work inside his head. A blush crept up once again following the look of confusion masking Yeon's face, he still didn't give a proper answer to his question, he knew that. It was done on purpose, kind of like to delay the inevitable, so that the question ends up being forgotten. But the look on him was just so pure that he found himself wanting to enlighten him with a real answer instead. God, what is he doing to him. "You're wondering how I receive an income" he spoke, after occupying his time staring at the male. "Being a spy for my tribe obviously does not grant me any income. I do have a job other than that, kind of. It's somewhat a freelance thing. Nothing permanent as of yet, because I didn't know if I wanted to branch out from that department and go elsewhere but so far, it's been good. I don't know what you call it, bail recovery agent or fugitive recovery agent, whatever it is, uh, I guess in a literal sense, I'm a bounty hunter, though it's a lot more than its name" he tried his best to simplify things for him because he knew Mirae's reaction when he first told her.

She was in confusion for the next hour. That, and because he really didn't want Yeon to see him in a another light. Especially, a negative one. Just because Yeon doesn't judge, doesn't mean Dae wants to give him any second thoughts. "I carry out arrests, I trace fugitives and criminals down per the order given. I guess I associate myself easier to it because of my initial position as a spy." In a way, Daehyun did find himself enjoying the chase, sometimes for his own entertainment, he would let them think they're getting away just so things wouldn't be boring. His approaches are always clean and precise, ensuring that the clients arrive  on trial. "It's one of those jobs that once you raked the ranks, you get higher paid fees." He didn't want to divulge in the matters anymore longer, because in all honesty, even if he was stationed to capture wrongdoers, he's still very much labeled as a bounty hunter and considering the history, it's not exactly something people flaunt around. "Isn't that how life is though? Okay, maybe not miserable but you know what I mean" did he? Dae wasn't even sure if he himself knew what he meant.

"No one wants to be lonely, Yeon. Even I don't want that, contrary to other people's beliefs that I hate everyone and everything. It's not an ideal way of living, you'd be so miserable, so much you'd question yourself why you're still holding on to the world of living" he murmured silently, nibbling on his bottom lip as he did so, thinking of the possibilities that would likely occur if he continued to live his life in such life filled with disparity. Nodding in agreement, what Yeon said was honestly truth in so many ways. "You're right. We always find ourselves helping others a lot better than we help ourselves. I guess it's balanced, in a way. You exist to help others, in hopes that others would do the same to you. But it does make you wonder though, would there really be anyone who would do the same to you as you did to others?" In his case? There hasn't been one who tried to break his walls down. No wonder he hasn't found any partner yet. "I think many look up to you, you have your way with words, which I'm pretty sure you already knew from my comments previously. And you should be proud." He had no idea if Yeon had anyone to help him the way he helped others, but he genuinely hoped he had them.

The blond seemed too kind and humble for this world. The latter wasn't the only one who enjoyed flirting, Dae did too, or more specifically, he really enjoyed flirting back and forth with him, it feels like a continuous challenge, albeit a rather fun one, but a challenge nonetheless. It was harmless flirting, nothing wrong can come from that, right? Honestly, he would love to keep swimming, but he probably should get back to his place and settle what needed to be done, besides, if he stayed here any longer, then he wasn't sure how he's ever going to force himself out. "You never disappoint" he purred, giving him one of the highest compliment he could ever give to his partners. He's been with so many people and yet no one, not one, compared to the likes of him. No, just him. Not even the likes of people like him can come any close to it.

"You don't do endearing nicknames from what I see, I can still remember how you snap at me the first night we met when I accidentally allowed that to slip up. It's just something I like calling my...partners. They like to be spoiled and doted on, unsurprisingly. But you, you're different. Everything about you seems to be so different compared to everyone else, so once again I don't find it surprising either. And I don't get tired doing anything, but well... " he had shamelessly eyed the valkyr up and down when he got himself out of the pool, with no hints of subtlety as usual. "there's always a first time for everything, right?" he winked playfully, chuckling softly at his own words. He literally just used Yeon's own words and played it back to the valkyr, knowing how well it would evoke a reaction from the blond and the Niveis really does like seeing them. "I knew I was right when I said behind this pretty person, lies a scary one, I guess I should know how to keep my steps so you don't try to kill me in my sleep" he mused wryly, putting both his hands up in defense and craned

his neck as an attempt to stretch out his muscles. The dip earlier did soothe it but given how sore his state is after their escapades together, it wasn't about to be that easy to rid it off. It's not as if he had accelerated healing like the valkyr. "To answer your question properly, I don't have a lot of things I like, but I live by the code of respect. So people who don't have the basic decency to follow it while demanding for it, pisses the hell out of me." A smile lingered on his lips as he dried his hair with a nearby towel. "I think I'm gonna need that number now, because I'm desperate for a cold shower to wash away the soreness."

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on June 5, 2019 at 0:01

Yeon chuckled, he supposed in some ways he was cutthroat when it came to business because when someone didn’t play nice, he took it as a queue to play nasty and people really didn’t enjoy being on his bad side. There were some companies he was amicable with but there was one particular dance company that kept occupying the club he often attended and had made into somewhat of a social space for members of his company. He knew why they were there and it maddened him that they needed to resort to underhand tactics and stealing another company’s talent. Most of his people were wise enough to tell them no but they had succeeded a few times “It’s definitely a game you have to play, everyone wants to be at the top and most don’t have an issue stepping on others to get it” he shrugged a little, probably why he trusted so few people in general, seeing them in a business situation painted such a bad light “I think you just have to keep looking, no matter how discouraging it is, someone out there has the right intentions” he pressed his lips together “Least that’s what I try to believe because it seems better than the alternative” which was that everyone was out to fuck you over.

He glanced up at Dae and nodded “I think both our lines of work likely made us good judges of character” he commented with a wry smile and yet they had found some level of trust in one another, Yeon didn’t know if it was the idea of barely seeing one another after this or just the Niveis’ personality and demeanor in general that had him spilling parts of his life and thoughts that he wouldn’t dream of telling others. Some of these things hadn’t even come up in conversation with Hanseol yet, though often the two of them tended to talk about the fallen star’s life more. Generally, he found Dae to be very mature and realistic when it came to the world which was refreshing to be around considering how many people he knew who were either completely lost in the clouds or too wrapped up in themselves to see anything around them. Dae was an interesting person to him, someone he could see himself getting along with well.

And the idea of friendship didn’t feel too far fetched, at least it wouldn’t if it wasn’t for the fact they were both clearly hooked on what the other could do in bed. Yeon knew it would be stupid to keep craving after that when he intended on leaving though, he needed to find some peace with it and maybe today would be enough to do that. “Me neither” Yeon responded either and then shrugged a little, trading numbers he could do though, probably send the Niveis a few texts when he thought of him, probably when he saw a really great body of water he knew the other male would enjoy swimming in or something equally silly. Still, it was another friend he felt like he could trust the intentions of and those were few and far between for the valkyr so he could take what he could get. Looking up at Dae he gave an amused grin when the Niveis asked him about being seen as a bad guy “I’m saying you’re not what you seem” he commented with a thoughtful nod, getting to know him today had shown him that Dae was very different from the outward aura he gave when they first met. He definitely liked this side of him much more.

Looking back at Dae he had an empathetic gaze as they talked about freedom, Yeon had spent the last 8 years of his life doing quite literally everything he wanted, really spreading his metaphorical wings to the sky and reaching as far as he could. And he had truly made something of himself, he had finished his study, started a company from nothing and built it into something, shared his passion with the world and actually had them like it. He never took the hard work he did for granted because he still remembered days when he didn’t have enough money for a proper meal or he had to go to the local cafe because his electricity had been turned off and he needed to charge his phone. But he was free and that was so important “I think one day I just realized I was the only person holding myself back from what I wanted” he admitted with a half smile “Keep pushing for the things you want, you’ll find it” he assured Dae and he truly believed that.

Yeon’s confused expression must have been more evident on his face than he intended for it to be because not long after he pulled it, the other male commented almost exactly what he was thinking, as a businessman, money was often on the mind and everything that Dae had said didn’t equate to anything of monetary worth. He went quiet as the other male finally explained in words the valkyr actually understood and he widened his eyes in realization sucking in a breath “Ahhh” he responded with a nod “That makes a lot more sense” he responded but he kept a neutral expression as he listened to the snowy-haired male explain further. It occurred to Yeon that Dae seemed worried about what he might think about what he did for a living and that was why he was explaining it in such a hesitant way. That, or there were things he wasn’t able to share and the other male was being careful with his words to prevent himself from getting into trouble. “Well don’t worry, I didn’t judge you that night when I literally saw you attack a guy so this is nothing” he smiled a little, he was bringing in criminals who skipped bail or went on the run, he could respect that and it definitely took a lot of work to climb those ranks Dae spoke about, he was sure.

The topic of loneliness though and the words Dae spoke about it, it was the first topic that whole evening that had the valkyr lost for words for a little while. His eyes widened just a little as he let it set in just quite how low the other male’s thoughts seemed to hover. He swallowed for a moment, then cleared his throat “Well neither of us are alone now right” he assured, which was his silent way of saying that if Dae needed someone to be there for him or just to talk to when he felt low, Yeon would be there “Or at least once we’re less damp and electronics can be used anyway” he nodded, though his expression spoke words he didn’t need to actually say. And despite the pessimistic way that Dae spoke it, he was right when he said people put things out into the world hoping they would get equal back, didn’t always work like that though “Everyone wants to be important to someone” he agreed with the pale-haired male “I chose to be someone to myself” he admitted, because at the end of the day, it was himself he was stuck with loving himself seemed like the smartest way to process it all.

Yeon tried his best to be his best self, didn’t mean he always succeeded, some days he could be snappy and harsh and didn’t want to deal with people. Some in the business world might even call him ruthless based on what they had seen of him. But he hoped in the eyes of the people he cared for most, they could see a simple guy, trying to make his mark on the world and desperately searching for happiness in whatever form it wanted to manifest. The smug smile returned when the other male said he never disappointed, if anything could truly inflate his ego, it was hearing something like that, knowing he gave someone such satisfaction that they couldn’t even fault him. Not that he could fault Dae’s performance either, he was truly spectacular at what he did. It made the valkyr wonder if this would yet again be day one of missing what he had with him because no one else was able to measure up.

Now he was out of the pool he pushed himself to his feet, grabbing a towel off the rack and then tossing another over to Dae, he placed his over his head and used it to dry off his hair some before he flattened it out and wrapped it around his lower half, leaving his torso bare as he stood at the edge of the pool. He gathered from what Dae said that he was curious about Yeon’s gripe with nicknames. He wrinkled his nose at the very thought of being called by them but he did feel like he should explain considering the openness of their whole conversation today “My parents and a” he didn’t even know how to phrase it “someone I knew once, were very big of endearment terms and they” he shrugged a little “they just bring back a lot of stuff I don’t want to remember or loiter over, especially when I’m supposed to be in a good place” basically it was a major turn off for him and could completely kill the mood, not because he hated the names but because he couldn’t stop the memories that came every time he heard them. He definitely took it as a compliment that the Niveis had never experienced passing out from pleasure like he had today before though “Seems like there’s a more than first for everything too” he commented slightly snarkily as he glanced over at Dae not missing the fact he was trying to use his words against him again.

“I think anyone be scary if you piss them off enough” he commented with a nonchalant shrug “I’ve seen little old ladies when their coupons won’t scan at the store” he widened his eyes dramatically with an amused look in his eyes as he came in closer towards the other male bit by bit “Honor among…” he trailed off with a cheeky grin “special forces, huh” it was a nicer way to describe the general kinds of work that Dae did for a living. Yeon had to admit he was kinda sad for Dae to say their evening was over but there was only a small pout to his lips before he gave an easygoing smile “Okay” he spoke, his eyes lingering on Daehyun’s for just a moment taking in the way he looked in that moment in case it was the last. Then he forced himself to turn away, heading back into the dining area where he left his phone before getting into the pool, he opened the contact app and then held his phone out to Dae and gestured for the other male to hand his own over to him, when he gave it, Yeon took a photo of himself, purposely posing with a sweet smile and saved it to the contact and then typed in his personal number on the contact section, he glanced up with an amused look and then instead of writing his name as the contact name he wrote “Smug Bastard” and then saved it, handing it back to the snowy-haired male.

NiveisPermalink Reply by ✓ Daehyun Stormwind on July 22, 2019 at 18:20

Their company together was slowly coming to an end and Dae couldn’t help but feel upset by it. Was he slowly getting attached to this guy he’s only just met twice? A guy that he’s only known for a few hours max? Oh shit, that’s it. He definitely fell into the rabbit hole of never-ending doubts once again, but this time the topic in hand was of this beautiful man before him; Yeonseok Lee, the one that managed to capture his attention with ease and he didn’t have to do much for it too. The power he holds over him, the leverage, it ultimately scares and intimidates the living hell out of the Niveis but there was something about Yeon’s confidence that made him smile in return. Perhaps it was that confidence aura he radiated every time he opens his mouth to talk or the way he walks? Maybe the way he carries himself? His ability in bed? Whatever it was, from the array of things he could pinpoint the Valkyr’s significance on, Daehyun had no idea which is which, not particularly. 

He’s a good guy. He decided to settle on that. Yeon gave a good company, both inbound and outbound so to say. He knew he had to get out of this before he gets too deep. It was his number one rule, to never allow anyone, drag him down, no matter how unintentional it was. Doesn’t mean he couldn’t do friends though. Friends, there’s nothing wrong with that. Jae is his friend. Yeon can be another just the same, albeit a friend that he might have a hard time keeping his repressed desires under a wedge, but a friend nonetheless. “Then every game is cruel,” he shrugged, raising his hands as if he was saying ‘deal with it’, “ironically, it fits our current predicament. The world is cruel, especially to the weakest, so if you want to survive and preserve yourself, you need to make sure you’re on the top. Morals have nothing against you, at the end of the day.” As cruel and harsh as that sounds, Dae could understand why it’s being said. There was a reason for it, and whatever reason they used it on, there was no use frowning upon it. 

Yeon was very mature, he didn’t need to know this guy for years worth to know he’s mature. If anything, his optimistic views on how things go did pique his interest, often making his lips curl in amusement. It was interesting how he viewed them, it made the snowy-haired Niveis curious how he’s lived his life. He was a hybrid in that; a tangible mix of optimism and realism. “That’s one way to say it,” he chuckled dryly, no one has ever said that to him, they acknowledged him sometimes but no one’s ever told him he has a good sense of judging, not that he expected much anyway, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re very... peculiar?” Seeing as the other male is about to leave the eternal city, nothing was constrained from Dae, he wished to have a longer-lasting relationship with this peculiar man. Someone he could talk to without feeling burdened or shy. He couldn’t let his ego get the best of him, he may not see this guy again, the least he could do is get his number and hope they’ll still be in contact one way or another. “I’m not what I seem hm? Well, you’re not, either.” He sent a playful wink toward the blond and snickered softly. Freedom was a sore topic for the Niveis but the way Yeon never pried more than he should have shown him the level of respect and consideration he held for the male. Yup, he made the right call of befriending him. 

There was something more to him, he could see it whenever he glanced over to stare into those dark hues, and this longing feeling inside him wishes to get to know him better. Dare he say, Yeonseok Lee is an admirable man. That advice that was given by him, ‘keep pushing for the things you want, you’ll find it’, his words kept ringing in his head. Hopefully, I will, he mumbled to himself. Had it been up to him, the elder Stormwind would’ve blushed so hard in response to the way he had to tell him about his current ‘occupation’, the one that paid him handsomely. It was as if a huge weight was lifted off him when he nodded like he understood, oh great, no need to elaborate awkwardly any further, as if that wasn’t awkward enough. Dae pressed his lips into a small shy smile that he kept slightly hidden when Yeon said he wouldn’t judge him for it. He didn’t know why but it relieved him. Staring back up at him with an unidentified expression, his lips parting slightly in momentary confusion, he nodded in affirmation. “No, I guess not.” You’re not a lonely soul, Daehyun, a voice kept telling him that. 

It didn’t take the Valkyr much to make the pale-haired Niveis crack up. “I really hope you won’t spam me with memes.” He had a playful warning look as he squinted his eyes scrutinizingly at the latter, daring him to do exactly that. “You’re right, everyone wants to be important to someone.” His heart began to swell in reassurance when Yeon proved to him that he could be happy for himself too if he just searched for him sincerely and hard enough. He was going to hold him to that. God, will he miss him? A part of him was somewhat saying yes in a tiny voice. When was the last time someone got him to speak like this without a worry in the world? Non-existent. He was the first. Grabbing the towel tossed by the blond, he dried up his bright locks with a small smile that was evident on his face, though his back was turned against the Valkyr, so he wasn’t able to see that visible gummy smile on the Niveis. “Got it, no endearment terms. It’s okay. I can call you fluffy and mosquito… or Valky… Blondie sounds too generic because even I can go blond that way.” Knowing him, he would do good on that promise. 

When he implied smugly on how he made Dae pass out from immense pleasure for the first time, the elder Stormwind chuckled and threw the towel, aiming to hit him on the face. “Don’t be so smug, Valky” he shook his head and took his phone, keying in his personal number on the male’s phone after offering his own, to which he eventually put ‘Jack Frost’ as his contact name before returning it back to the owner. “Hey, we have this thing called ethical evaluations every month, okay” he stuck his tongue out, completely unaware of the childish gesture. When his eyes landed on the phone, he snorted at the contact name. “Really? Smug Bastard? True to his words, I see.” He wolf-whistled and smirked wryly at the name, and started to pick up his stuff that was scattered everywhere else in the space. “I guess… I’ll see you whenever we get to meet.” He was always awkward at goodbyes but he sent over a semi-decent wave and a smile before scurrying off as soon as the elevator opened. It was only a ride down a few more floors, the moment the elevator stopped at his floor, he fumbled to find the keycard and scanned it before rushing to plant his face first on the sheets. Groaning tiredly as soon as his face buries itself on the pillows, he fished out his phone and typed a message. “Thanks for giving me a good night.” No emojis, nothing. But something tells him that Yeon knows what he really meant. The thought of a cold shower slowly diminished away from his head the moment he slowly closed his eyes shut with a small smile.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Yeonseok Lee on July 23, 2019 at 17:26

The way Dae phrased how it all worked pretty much summed it up with a neat bow, life wasn’t fair, things weren’t always going to go wrong, people were going to disappoint you and the world didn’t owe you a living. He’d definitely learned that lesson many times over in his life so far, to the point where he didn’t trust people and he always expected the worst and was pleasantly surprised when things turn out differently “Every game is rigged, the world is often going to be against you and nobody plays fair” he chuckled softly “But if we rolled over and just let it happen it would make for an awfully boring story right?” he laughed, he supposed that made him a fighter in basic terms, he wasn’t the type to give up easy and when he wanted something, he almost always got it.

Yeon found Dae to be a pretty interesting person, he was quite reserved at first but once you got him talking a lot of the things he said were quite insightful, you could definitely tell that he had been through a lot in his long life. Yeon felt like he could probably learn a lot from him, despite his mature personality, he was aware that he was still young and quite likely the worst was yet to come in his life. “Peculiar is just another way of saying unique” he spoke with confidence and chuckled softly “I don’t aim to be like everyone else, that would be awfully tedious and basically lying to myself” he tilted his head to the side wondering if the other male meant it to be an insult of sorts. “On first look people are probably pretty intimidated by you” he pressed his lips “likely rightly so considering who and what you are” he wet his bottom lip “But I get the feeling there might be someone who gives a fuck somewhere in there” he gave him an amused gaze, he definitely liked seeing Daehyun’s more playful side and the way he seemed to just be able to let go for a little while.

Yeon wasn’t usually the type to lecture people on how they lived their lives, his best advice was to tell someone to follow what their gut told them to do, he had definitely allowed his wilder side to run when it was necessary and sometimes it paid off. Like when he showed up the celestial castle and found himself befriending a celestial who was slowly becoming an important part of his life, or even taking a handsome pale-haired Niveis to the bathroom of a coffee shop. He didn’t really have many regrets, at least not since he had started his second life, he had too many stacked up from his first and he didn’t want to waste any more time now. Perhaps that was why he wanted to keep the other male around, despite the fact he told himself he’d keep people at arm’s length he seemed to keep adding to his exception list. That scared the valkyr a little, he had been so used to being alone that the idea of letting people in felt a kind of foreign.

He laughed softly “But memes are the epitome of friendship don’t you know” he was impartial to social media and enjoyed watching the odd video here and there in his downtime, though he rarely had much of it. It brought a soft smile to his lips to hear the way that Dae agreed with him on wanting to be important to someone, he got the feeling the other male understood that feeling more than he probably communicated. It was already clear to the valkyr that he had a somewhat rocky relationship with his sister and he seemed to not be all that comfortable with the place they were currently in. It made Yeon a little sad to know he was leaving soon considering how much there seemed to be in Evermore for him now, Cecilia was finally home, he had a Volakiri now and he didn’t even know how to describe or label Dae but he had him too. He wrinkled his nose a little “I’m not fluffy” he complained though the point felt totally moot considering his hair was currently all fluffed up.

Yeon chuckled as the towel hit him square in the face, not bothering to even duck from the blow though he could have easily avoided it “I am smug, it’s part of my charms” he teased with an amused glance towards the Niveis “Alright defensive” he commented with raised brow towards him and took back his phone eyeing the contact name and smirking as he looked up at him “In my defense I wasn’t completely wrong when I called you that, though it needs a grumpy prefix” he waited for Dae to react to his own addition and laughed again “Eh, I figured it would be nostalgic” he commented and shrugged nonchalantly. His expression turned a little sadder as Dae said his goodbye though and Yeon raised his hand and waved a little watching as he left “I’ll see you” he spoke softly. Pretty much the moment he left, the valkyr trudged his way back towards his bed and collapsed into it, he laid there for a little while with his eyes closed just recovering a little from how tired he was after everything today. He wasn’t expecting to hear his phone go off but when it did he rolled over and checked the screen grinning brightly as the words he read “You too” he responded simply, it had been a very good night in many aspects. He locked his phone turning onto his back and just rested for a while, processing how much his life had changed in the past few months.

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