↳ street market

　　　↳ ᴇɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ ᴏɴᴇ. ↰

@☼✠　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: mateo - tove lo

Of course Kairos struggled to get away from him as soon as he was able. Areti flinched at how quickly Kairos shoved himself away from the tree nymph and got to his feet, even though his legs wobbled when he stood. Whatever he had done, whatever it was that Kairos held against him, it left an uncomfortable twisting in his stomach as he was quick to follow Kairos up, dusting his pants off as he rose.

"Kairos, wait!" Areti called out after the other nymph, but he disappeared easily into the crowd and when Areti pushed through, he could find no trace of Kairos.

Head hanging low, Areti wrapped his arms around himself and turned to head back to the Dream Guard barracks. His day off was ruined by the growing discomfort of guilt knotted in his stomach, confusion about what he must have done to hurt Kairos so.

↳ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ.

@☠　Derek Mantaya Even if his friend didn’t feel ready to hold him back, Youngmi was ready to offer all the comfort he possibly could. He’d caused this upset by being too nervous to admit he was alive, but he hoped the situation could still be salvaged. He’d known Derek longer than anyone else after all - he couldn’t quite imagine his old friend being absent in his life. Feeling the hold finally returned, Youngmi’s grip also tightened. His fingers curled into the back of Derek’s shirt, his head buried in the man’s shoulders. He didn’t really want to let go. He liked this. It felt like he might be helping a little, even when he knew the hug likely wouldn’t do much.

“You should be mad, I’m mad at myself,” He admitted. He smiled softly, giving the slighter taller frame a squeeze. “I don’t need you to go easy on me, I’m a big strong archangel now! Guess what, I even have more wings!” His eyes shone as he proudly explained his new improvements. Even though he was struggling with coordinating them, Youngmi couldn’t help but be very proud of them. He paused a moment though, suddenly looking quite worried. “You might stand me up?” Now he really couldn’t go all out and fancy! He didn’t want to be stood up by his friend, it would be so embarrassing, and definitely not help mend the friendship.

Nonetheless, the bright grin had returned to Youngmi’s face in a few moments. His tears had dried, and he was quick to move one of his hands to rub the tracks of them away, leaving his cheeks all red. Not that it mattered, his eyes were still bright and puffy anyway. “Do you want to hang out for a little while? I can call my friends! I’ll tell them I have to go somewhere right now, so they can go on without me,” He offered. If company would help, then he wanted to give that company. “And, how have you been? How have you /really/ been? Tell me, while we’re being all soft and emotional together.”

@✠　Lee Youngmi Derek closed his eyes at the touch of Youngmi's finger and shook his head in response. A heavy sighed followed after, the exhalation making his body slump into the angel's embrace. He hesitated to hug the angel because he was afraid to break down. He was scared to hold on to to someone that might not even be real. The Youngmi in front of him could very well be a figment if his own imagination, desperately trying to cling on to any hope that his only true friend wouldn't be dead and that he wasn't alone. Another unstable breath aired passes his lips as he felt an overwhelming surge of emotions beginning to fester up inside of him over more. The first reaction was to push away the sole reason why he was feeling this way. Youngmi.

But he had just lost the angel once. And now the sun-like chicken was standing right in front of him. Instead,  the hunter wrapped his arms around the angel tightly. When he heard the promise from Youngmi, his hold on the small angel only tightened. He knew it wasn't true. There would have to be a day where the two may have to come face to face again. One of them would have to give. But he would never let Youngmi give up his hopes and dreams for such a monster like him. And Derek couldn't get past his anger at the world. Not right now, anyway. The pinky swear only left a bitter taste in his mouth even though a smile tugged at the corners of his lips at the cuteness Youngmi displayed.

He chuckled softly,  nodding his head. "Yes. I expect you to make it up to me. I won't go easy on you since I'm still mad. " He mumbled, his dark, brown orbs flickering over the angel's.  "We can start with that date. Nothing too fancy or I'll probably stand you up. " a small smile draws onto his lips as he looked down into your eyes. "I'll be waiting,  chicken."

@☠　Derek Mantaya Unfortunately, sometimes even the sun had to go behind the clouds, or say goodbye so the moon had her chance to shine. It was something Youngmi was becoming increasingly aware of - he couldn’t be a mindless happy being, there would always be the negatives there. He just had to work through those negatives, push away the clouds, if you like, to let the sun through again. The angel’s fingers that had crumpled the front of Derek’s shirt from his grip drew back, along with his arms.

He heard the soft mumble, and couldn’t help but let Derek brush away the tears that still shone in the alley’s dim light. “It’s okay for you to cry, you know. There’s nothing wrong with crying. It helps sometimes,” He said softly, reaching out so his thumb could dip just under the human’s eyes, brushing away the tears that hadn’t fallen. “But I should probably warn you, seeing you cry will definitely make me cry. You’re so strong.”

As though sensing a second hug was needed, Youngmi moved close again, slipping his arms around Derek’s middle and resting his head back against the man’s shoulder. “I won’t leave you alone again, I promise.” Would a promise mean anything? Youngmi had broke a lot of them. But he was trying to make amends. It would take time - and he was terrified. Terrified he was going to lose his best friend. A sudden thought coming to mind, the angel drew one of his hands back, coming to take Derek’s pinkie, clasp it with his and give it a little shake. He’d loved making those childish little promises with his fingers with he was younger.

The angel was reminded once again of how carefree things had seemed back then. They’d been so young. Even though Youngmi had been an adult by the standards of humans, he still had a lot to learn. He slid his arm back around the hunter, a small sigh leaving him. “I’ll make it up to you one day. No matter how long it takes or what I have to do, I’ll make things better, I swear.”

“I am an idiot,” He agreed, the smallest hint of a smile on his lips. “But how could I leave when I haven’t claimed my third dance, or when I haven’t taken you on the date I promised? Would you.. would you still hang out with an idiot chicken like me?”

@✠　Lee Youngmi The more the angel spoke, the harder Derek bit down on his cheeks, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall. He lifted his chin to towards the empty sky , blinking his eyes dry when he felt a pair of small arms, wrapping tightly around him. He stumbled forward in surprise,  his hands automatically going for the other's hands to pry them off of him. "What are you- let go." The angel's grip was no joke and Derek didn't want to accidentally hurt the latter. Instead, Derek rested his hand onto Youngmi's as he listened to him speak.

Though Derek and Youngmi weren't in the type of relationship to seek comfort in eachother's physical touch, Derek almost found himself melting into the smaller's embrace. It felt warm.  He could hear the guilt and sadness in Youngmi's voice. It almost broke him to keep on listening.

From the first time he had met Youngmi, there was never a day where he had seen Youngmi stray from him sun-like personality. He was always bright and cheerful, even on the most cloudiest days. It was hard for Derek to hear his friend sound this way. Once he felt the arms and fingers that held him captive loosen, he took the opportunity to turn and face his friend. Though his eyes were dull, they were wet. His rough hand moved to brush Youngmi's tears away, his brows furrowing together.

"If you cry like this, how am I suppose to stay mad at you?" He mumbled underneath his breath, unsure whether the angel would hear him or not.  He closed his eyes and looked away, not wanting himself to become attached again, but he knew that it was far too late.  "You're the one who died, idiot. " His heart felt like it had just been stabbed. He couldn't save Youngmi that day. Just like his sister. He felt helpless. So Youngmi coming back to life shouldn't have made him feel so upset like it did.

He wanted to lift the angel in for another hug, but was hesitant. Instead, he gave an awkward pat onto the other's back, pressing his lips together to keep his cheeks from flushing. He was still very angry at the angel, but how could he walk away when Youngmi was saying all of these things.

@☠　Derek Mantaya Even the knife against his abdomen couldn’t prepare Youngmi for the pain that hearing those words brought. ‘Even if Youngmi were to come back to life. He’s as good as dead to me.’ The angel’s breath caught in his throat and he felt his eyes sting. He didn’t care about the knife that had been panicking him. He wanted his friend. He wanted his Manny.

“I’m sorry. I-I really meant to tell you. There just - things within the guard are only just clearing up, I’ve been really busy recently,” He began, before he shook his head. The excuses weren’t worth it. He couldn’t try to defend himself, he was a bad friend.

Youngmi wasn’t really sure why he did what he did next. It would be so easy for Derek to shove him off, to stab him if he had another knife hidden on him. But Youngmi leaned off of the wall, his cheeks already stained by silent tears. He lunged, his arms flying around the man’s middle from behind, his face pressed into the back of Derek’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Apologies wouldn’t heal the pain he’d caused, nor would the tight hug the angel was so desperately giving. He understood if Derek never wanted to see him again - but Youngmi didn’t want to leave it at just that. Derek never cried. Youngmi had made him cry. The angel’s guilt felt as though a second roof had collapsed onto him, and he inhaled shakily, trying not to break into deep sobs where he was.

“Please don’t go yet.. I-I’ve really missed you. I-I died and I was gone for.. more than a week? That’s what they told me at least. And since then I’ve been-,” He paused, his breath shuddering as he spoke. “-trying to recollect myself. It’s.. it’s really weird for me still. B-but I understand that you’re mad. You have every right to be. It was stupid of me, I was too scared to reach out for you. Every time I went to, I found I didn’t know how to do it.”

His fingers, which had curled tightly in Derek’s shirt, began to loosen their hold. “I broke a lot of promises and I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.”

@✠　Lee Youngmi Manny. Derek winced at the nickname. Only a few people had associated it with him. His jaw clenched and his knife pressed further into Youngmi's shirt, ready to pierce the imposter's heart at any given moment. "Youngmi's dead-" He was cut off by his disposable phone that rang in his coat pocket, the ancient noise bouncing off the walls of the alleyway. Letting out a tired sigh, Derek reached for his phone and broke it in half, dropping it to the ground between them. As he did so, his eyes never left Youngmi 's, the simple action almost a threat.

"Explain what exactly..?" He arched a brow. "That.. someone I considered my closest friend... came back from the dead.  And... instead of telling me he's alive and well, I came to find out this way? Where he's living his best life, carefree and happy. As if nothing's changed?" There was a crack in Derek's voice, but at this point, he didn't care. He was hurt and it was growing evident in his eyes.

Maybe they weren't so close after all.

He looked down at the knife against Youngmi's heart. It brought back memories from when they had first met at the City of Dreams when he had found out Youngmi was a angel. The hurt in the angel's eyes were still clear in his mind.  He clenched his jaw and threw the knife to the ground,  turning away from the dark haired creature.

Derek wouldn't have blamed the angel if Youngmi didn't want to be friends anymore, let alone tell him that he had come back from the dead.  He had done some pretty heinous acts that couldn't be taken back. He would've done the same thing if he were in the angel's position. 

The hunters cheek was wet. He lifted his hand, fingers lightly dusting over his own cheek before examining it closely. Upon closer inspection, he realized that he had shed a single tear,  someone that hadn't happened in so long. His cold eyes flickered over to the angel that was still leaning against the wall. "Even if you... no.. even if Youngmi were to come back to life. He's as good as dead to me."

@✠　Areti Spiros ↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: Saturn - Sleeping at last
When Kairos finally regained his senses, his reactions were slowed by the lingering effects of the vision, his body stiff and cold from the receding fingers of death. He didn’t immediately jump from Areti’s arms as he once might have, though his cheeks flushed and eyes went wide at how close the wood nymph was. All he wanted to do was let himself go limp again in the other's grasp, take a moment of respite in the relative safety Areti’s strong embrace afforded.
Alas, their history did not allow him such indulgences, Kairos could almost feel his heart rate spike at the embarrassment as adrenaline and tension thrummed back into his limbs.
Struggling to sit up Kairos managed to force Areti’s supportive arms to release him, letting him drop from the other's lap onto the cold cobblestones painfully, without more than a grunt in reaction Kai lifted himself to his feet, wobbling unsteadily for the briefest of moments.
Shock, guilt, embarrassment, confusion all played together in the chaos of Kairos’s mind. His coffee-colored eyes glancing hesitantly down at Areti, sickening dread adding to his already sour stomach. Who was he kidding, why would someone like Areti be interested in a relationship with someone as broken as him…
They didn’t work together, weren’t obligated to see each other and exchange pleasantries. It was no wonder that he had refused to show up at the wedding… Taking a step back Kai shook his head, as though to clear water from an ear or drive away from the physical manifestation of a thought. With a murmured “I-I’m sorry, I should go…” he grabbed his grocery bag and melted into the dispersing crowd, breaking into an all-out sprint once he had turned the corner back towards his apartment and Hestia’s Kitchen.

@☠　Derek Mantaya The hand that stretched out made Youngmi’s heart thrum in his ears. He wanted to reach back out, run over to see the human, envelop him in a hug and explain himself, but his limbs felt stiff, as though he was trying to move underwater. He should have spoken to Derek sooner. He wasn’t sure what stupid part of him somehow assumed the man wouldn’t want to see him. The archangel’s eyes widened when he was disturbed by a hand on his sleeve, one of his friends giving him a tug so he wasn’t left behind from the group.

His heart still raced as he walked away. Derek had disappeared again, and Youngmi didn’t have time to track him in the crowd. Was it for the best? A sign that the human didn’t want to speak to him? The hunter would have every right to be upset with him - Youngmi had been around for a month now, after his death. He’d still failed to even do something as small as send him a message asking to talk.

“I never got to pick him up for that date.” Youngmi’s murmur under his breath had seemingly gone unnoticed by his friends, as he stepped away to put his empty drink cup in the bin. Another factor that his death had ruined. While they’d been playing around at the ball, Youngmi had promised another time that they would hangout together. He’d add it to the list of promises he’d broken. That was when he felt a strong hand on his wrist, coarser than most that he recognised. With a dreadful feeling that he was about to be robbed, Youngmi found himself against the wall before he could cry out.

He gazed at Derek’s face, inches from his. He’d been right then, it was Derek staring back at him across the street. The guilty angel’s eyes didn’t drop. He felt like he might be stabbed if his old friend thought he was lying. Youngmi raised his hands a little, his eyes those of a deer caught in headlights. “You know who I am, Manny, I’m Youngmi,” He answered, his voice carrying the guilt that made his shoulders feel heavy. “I’m - I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I should’ve. I could’ve. I’m obviously not dead, I’m here with you.”

Youngmi winced at himself - the wording was awful and not an explanation at all. “I understand if you’re upset with me… but will you let me explain before you do anything else?”

@✠　Lee Youngmi Derek's eyes shook the moment Youngmi's eyes met his. The faint ringing in his ears grew louder as people pushed passed him in order to get through. What exactly was going on? He saw Youngmi's funeral service. He saw all of those people and creatures mourning over him. He knew that Youngmi was certainly dead. He was positive. And now, that same angel was standing right in front of him, alive, healthy, and laughing pure his heart away. The same laugher that made him shine as bright as the sun.

He took a step forward in Youngmi's direction, his hand reaching out towards the angel before he stopped. Confusion set in and the hunter retracted his hand. A frown fell upon his face, brows knitted and lips tightened. Youngmi would never let him go on, thinking he was dead. He would have at least given him a sign. But then again, the Youngmi he knew then and now weren't the same. Their relationship wasn't the same. The had their own fair share of darkness and secrets they wouldn't dare tell the other.

His eyes hardened as he turned away, disappearing into the crowd before the angel had time to react. Derek wasn't sure if the creature laughing amongst the Dream Gaurd was actually Youngmi, or some sort doppelganger. Either way, the monster was going to have his dagger shoved deep inside their heart if they didn't have answers he was looking for, fast.

Now at a safer distance, Derek peered out from behind a wall, scanning the crowd for the dark haired angel. Once he caught sight of his target, he lifted his hood over his head and slowly stalked behind the group of friends, making sure to blend in as much as possible with the crowd. He just needed the right opportunity to get the creature alone long enough to get the answers he needed. He his bottom lip to comfort his growing uneasiness as his heels clicked silently onto the paved pathway. He held the knife ready in his hand as he walked through the crowd, swiftly taking Youngmi by the wrist and turning into a small alleyway that was hidden by a group of stalls.

He shoved Youngmi against the wall and walked up against him slowly, pulling the good off his head, his dark locks falling into his eyes. "Who are you?" He asked, his voice cold and calm.

@☠　Derek Mantaya Time had been travelling fast since he’d returned. The last time things had been slow was in the painfully long milliseconds when he’d watched the building fall down to end his life. Since then, so much had happened. He’d spent a week in heaven, watching mournfully as the days went by, before he was permitted to return in a higher glory. Youngmi would do so many things better this time. However, one of his greatest regrets so far was not reaching out to old friends who still believed that he was dead.

How did you go about telling someone that you were not in fact dead? It couldn’t be done over text or phone, and definitely not through a letter. The angel had also promised to keep his resurrection more on the down-low, because a ghost in the dream guard didn’t want him speaking to the man who killed him just yet. He couldn’t let all of the hunters know he was alive yet - but Derek was a hunter. Agonising over how to explain himself and reach out to the human was what kept him from doing it, even months after his rebirth.

The day was bright, as cheerful as the archangel’s mood was known to be. He’d decided to go out with a few friends from the guard for the afternoon, while he wasn’t on patrol. It had brought him to the perfect place to find little treasures, handmade bracelets and various other pretty things the market presented. He was having good fun, his eyes bright with an old excitement. A hint of wariness had joined them, wherever he went. Small things would send the creature on a downward spiral, but he now knew better how to handle those feelings of horror when reminded of his death.

He hadn’t noticed the eyes falling upon him, too busy ordering drinks and fighting with one of the recruits to pay for them all. When he turned back, an iced latte in his hands, his gaze drifted absently to fall into locking with dark eyes he recognised in an instant. Derek. Not the person he’d been expecting to find out at the market.

Youngmi held the gaze unwaveringly for a few moments, then his lips twitched up into a knowing smile, though he didn’t move to approach. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do? How would he explain - would Derek listen to an explanation?

@✠　Lee Youngmi It hadn't been very long since Derek stood atop a hill, behind a tree at his best friend's funeral. Death didn't phase him much anymore, but Youngmi's left him feeling numb, much similar to how he felt after he'd lost his sister. Because they had drastically different values as well as working for opposing groups, Derek had always seen this coming – One of that would end up 6 feet in the ground as the other watched. He was sure that the last war they had would be the last time he saw his friend. But it seemed as if fate had brought them back together once more, when they bumped into eachother at the ball.

It was a common occurrence. The bumping into eachother after periods of not seeing eachother. It happened once when Derek had moved into the city. Another time at the ball. Derek didn't believe in fate. But if fate was real, he wouldn't be surprised if youngmi would be it.

But Youngmi was dead.

Derek had gone back to his usual routine. He had taken up tasks given to him to earn a little cash on the side. Whenever he was free, he would be at Mortem's headquarters or out and about gathering information. Today, he was assigned to scout out families within the vicinity. There had been rumors that a creature had been kidnapping citizens and hypnotizing them to form a family as a cover.  He didn't really care much for details. He just needed to kill something. Fast.  He needed to feel his heart racing again instead of the dull pain, weighing down on his chest.

His bored eyes scanned the over the citizens, the noisy chatter and laughter buzzed over his ears. His hands were shoved deep into his black cargo pants as he strolled through the busy street. He looked like any normal citizen. As his eyes worked the busy crowd, he heard a familiar, deep laugh coming from a few stalls down. His dark orbs paused on a familiar face. It felt like his whole world had stopped.

@☼　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: way down we go - kaleo

To say Areti was freaked out would be something of an understatement. His blood went cold to see Kairos looking so hollow, chilling the tree nymph to the bone.

Kairos collapsed, and Areti lunged forward to catch him before he could hit the ground. Even if he was confused, somewhat stunned by the strange situation, his reflexes were still sharp and his body moved without waiting for his brain to catch up. Through the seizure he held Kairos gently, waiting for the other nymph to wake up.

"Kairos? Are you okay? What happened?" Areti asked, when Kairos' eyes finally opened again. But instead of an answer, all he received was a painful wailing, one last convulsion wracking Kairos' body. He fished a cloth out of his pocket and wiped the bile away from the other nymph's lips, certain that wasn't much of a pleasant sensation, and looked down at him in concern.

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@✠　Areti Spiros ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
Now Playing: Lonas- Shiver
Raptor felt his body, Kairos's body, separate from his consciousness. Awareness for his body faded away and then Kairos was there with him, staring with dead soulless eyes into the darkness. "Death comes" he murmured voice just as hollow and lifeless as his eyes. Raptor understood what was happening, and despite wanting to, he knew he could not fight it, with one more instinctive breath, his consciousness faded to black.
Kai felt himself falling, then tumbling then spinning head over heels, he couldn't breathe. The sensation of drowning; water everywhere and incomprehensible pain. Their lungs burned with lack of oxygen, panic filling their senses, the bitter unripe persimmon taste of blood and contaminated water invading their nose and mouth.

As Kai’s consciousness merged with the subject of the vision he felt the water release him, beginning to recede, seeping away all at once and he hit the stone with a wet thump and a cry of pain.

His enemy was talking to him, leaning over, but the words were lost to him. His words were muffled by the sound of his blood rushing, his heartbeat racing, iridescent black blood spilling over the concrete with each beat of his heart—and his ragged breathing, struggling to get oxygen into his lungs.

He started to push himself up, limbs heavy from exertion so that he could stop the bleeding, but a foot on his chest pressed him back down against the stone. It was rapid, the gorgon’s head cracking against the concrete and a dull throb joining the pain that stemmed from his ear.

“You shouldn’t move, Enyo,” the man’s voice laughed, “you’ll only speed up the process.”

Enyo merely strained upward, lifting as far off the stone as he could. He pushed against the pressure on his chest, one of his hands opening as he pulled for one of his weapons. Any of them that he could use to get his enemy off of him.

He struggled to curl his fingers around the hilt of the sword that rested heavy in his palm. His blood was pouring from his wound rapidly, too rapidly for Enyo to even get his hopes up about surviving this. But he swung the blade anyway, the foot on his chest leaving to evade his last-ditch effort at harming his adversary.

The foot returned, slamming him back into the stone. The second impact of his head on the ground left Enyo feeling a little dazed—or was it the blood loss?—and he lay still for a long moment, staring up at the face of the hunter that had come back to haunt him. A new face, a new body but it was the same man.

But then the weight on his chest left, and Eden reached up to touch the blood-drenched wound on the side of his head. His fingertips slid through blood and mangled flesh, confirming that his ear had been severed by the enemy’s blade. His laugh was shaky and soft, the corners of his eyes burning.

Enyo’s heart struggled, he could feel his breath growing shallow. He was laying in a pool of his own blood, spreading around him in a beautiful pool like an oil slick, shining with many colors under dim light.

He knew Death was coming, but he did not feel fear—he only felt sorrow and guilt. He wanted to lift his head, to sit up, to fight to the bitter end but his body was weak, his limbs refusing to cooperate; this, in fact, was the end.

A face entered his blurry vision, a smirk splitting the hunter’s features. Enyo wanted to spit venom at him, but it was so cold and his body was heavy, refusing to cooperate when he tried to move. It was the second time in his life that Enyo had felt completely and utterly helpless, but it was the first time that he had been beyond the verge of death; he could feel it, sapping his strength, a chill settling through his body. It had started from his fingers, traveling through his prone form until he lay numb, listening to footsteps as they receded to the north.

Eden coughed, blood staining his pallid lips. He could feel it, the dark fingers that were clutching at him, pulling him under. He had always known that he would die alone, but he hadn’t expected it to end like this.

“Not like this,” he whispered hoarsely, a hot tear slipping unbidden down the side of his face. But there was nothing that could be done.

↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
Now Playing: Lorde- Liability

There was a moment of utter darkness, the stillness of death and then Kai was himself again, he felt his soul thrash against the superimposed death. Breath forcing its way back into his chest as he came to, a gut-wrenching cry of agony and sorrow leaving his lips as his sense of self and vision returned to him. His body convulsed one more time as though to expel the poison of death from his stomach. Only bile came to his lips, burning the sensitive skin there.
When his bodily awareness fully returned he realized he wasn’t lying on the ground, but instead cradled in someone's arms. The arms of none other than Areti Spiros.

@☼　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: only human - jonas brothers

"What do you mean, Kairos isn't here?" Areti could only look on as Kairos' hair changed color, and took the familiarity with it. Areti had never seen the water nymph with white hair, only with black. If someone else had told them they had witnessed this, he wouldn't have believed it. "Where is he?"

Electric blue eyes, not Kairos' own.

/Broke him. Fragile self. You weren't there./

Areti felt as though he understood, now; this was, indeed, about the wedding. But... but his parents had canceled it, right? Was the cancellation what broke Kairos? Did he feel as though he wasn't good enough because the Spiros family had withdrawn from the marriage?

He was going to apologize, to press for more information but then Kairos, or whoever was speaking through his mouth, was collapsing and Areti darted forward to catch him, dropping to a knee with the other nymph clasped tightly in his grip. It had him terrified as he lay Kairos on the ground, watching as Kairos... or the stranger inside Kairos convulse.

He didn't know what to do, or if he had accidentally caused it, but he shooed away spectators with a flash of the Dream Guard emblem stitched into his shirt and checked to ensure Kairos' airways were clear.

@✠　Areti Spiros ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
Now Playing: Sickick- Infected

The black continued to fade from his hair, brilliant white taking over, a pained incredulous laugh seemed to tear its way from Raptor’s lips,
"Fool, Kairos isn't here right now,"
He could taste metal now, he knew he had seconds at best. His eyes took on an electric blue shimmer, his own powers surfacing in response to the heightened emotions.
" Do you have ANY idea how much you /broke/ him." he spat.
"How I had to put the pieces of his fragile self back together again?"
"Of course you don't.
Because.
You.
Weren't.
There."
“I don’t know what you were running from but….”
Raptor swayed violently and shook his head as though trying to clear water from his ears. His vision tunneled white static beginning to invade his senses, he felt his muscles lock up and then his knees buckled and he collapsed, his eyes going misty white as they rolled around in his head, body shaking violently...

@☼　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: headlock - imogen heap

Areti was confused when Kairos jerked away from him, like the tree nymph was a forest fire and Kairos had burned himself. There was concern etched into his features as he watched Kairos, the way his face went blank and then suddenly there was anger, a look so foreign on his ex-fiance’s face. It wasn’t as though Areti was used to seeing Kairos often, of course; but whenever he had seen Kairos, or pictures of him, there had not been such an emotion present.

There was venom in Kairos’ words, and Areti couldn’t stop himself from flinching at the aggressive words. “Kairos…” he started, unsure of what had caused the 180 in the other nymph’s behavior. But his words were cut off as Kairos continued, pushing forth with the word /priceless/. Areti wanted to defend himself, but what good would it do? Clearly Kairos wasn’t going to listen to him!

(He didn’t even know what he had done, to have Kairos lashing out at him like this; was Kairos so upset that their marriage had been canceled? It was a loveless arrangement, that much Areti knew. Was it pride that Areti’s withdrawal had hurt?)

“Kairos, I… I’m not sure I understand. I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Areti whispered. “If I hurt you somehow, I’m sorry, but…” his words died out, unsure what to say. Unsure what he could say, when Kairos seemed so angry over something… something he didn't understand.

@✠　Areti Spiros ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
Now Playing: Digital Daggers - The Devil Within
Kairos didn’t try to relieve the awkward silence that lingered between the two of them, too caught up in his own mind to be able to really register Areti’s words. Even thinking about this man was strange, he had done his best to expunge him from his memory, the pain of that evening only just starting to scar over. “Fate is certainly cruel” he murmured absently.

He was about to answer Areti’s question about the apprenticeship when another patron bumped him from behind, shoving him forward and into Areti pretty roughly. Kairos managed to keep from yelping but recoiled away from Areti as though the others' touch had burned him as soon as he regained his balance.

Raptor saw his opportunity at this moment of distraction and stole the driver's seat from Kairos.
If Areti were observant he would see the moment where all the muscles in Kairos’ face went limp, the tension releasing as his eyes went misty and unfocused, before refocusing a moment later. Anger tensed the muscles around Kairos’s eyes as Raptor took control, a snide smile turning the corner of his lip upward.
“So you think you can skate around our history with pleasantries and questions about how I am now? “ Raptor scoffed, his scalp prickling as his white hair began to invade the black of Kairos’ as he secured his hold on the body.
“Priceless”
Raptor shifted his body into a far more aggressive stance than Kairos would ever have used, not threatening but definitely agitated.
“clearly you could care less about the people affected by your decisions. And to think, my mother wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
Raptor was too riled up to care that he was beginning to see the telltale aura of one of Kairos’s visions. If they switched back now he could avoid the inevitable seizure. But he had just regained control, and he wasn’t done talking.

@☼　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: friends - chase atlantic

While he did find it a strange twist of fate that he and his ex-fiance had ended up in the same city, Areti decided it was just the will of the gods that they should meet again. Perhaps they could become friends, since they hadn't gone through with their marriage. It only made sense to assume that Kairos must have married someone else, right?

"Fate certainly has strange plans," Areti murmured, more to himself than to Kairos. He twisted the handles of his bags between his hands, feeling slightly unsure of what to say. It wasn't every day that one encountered the man they were once intended to marry. But all was well, right? Areti's parents had definitely called off the ceremony.

"Apprenticeship?" Areti repeated. "What are you doing? I'm a..." For a moment, he wondered if it was okay to tell him what he was doing in the city. Then he shook the thought away. "Well, usually I cargo, but I kind of got persuaded into becoming a Dream Guard here."

@✠　Areti Spiros-Iona April 27, 2051
Now playing: moth in the porchlight- freelance whales
Kairos's mind went completely blank, train of thought derailed by Areti's cheerful and friendly introduction, and the seemingly innocuous string of questions to follow. Did he not know what had happened? How Kairos had waited at the altar, the eyes of his small remaining family staring at him. How the minutes had turned into hours and the day had turned to night.
Kairos could almost hear Kai chomping at the bit for control, the stomach turning fuzzy feeling creeping in from the edges of his conscious
"It has been a long time..." Kairos mumbled eyes breaking from Areti's gaze to stare at the ground beside his feet "I just recently arrived, about a week ago, just long enough to find an apartment and get settled at my new apprenticeship... I didn't know you would be in the city either"

@☼　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: city of the dead - eurielle

The recognition answered Areti's question. This was, indeed, Kairos Raptis in the flesh, by some strange twist of fate. Areti had assumed they would never again encounter each other. "That's me," he laughed, awkward and shy when he reached up to rub the back of his neck, cheeks tinted a light green from his embarrassment. It was strange, to see the man he was once supposed to marry in the flesh. Areti believed that his family had probably broken the engagement off with foul words of how Areti had turned out wrong and ran away from home.

"It's been a long time," he remarked, "how have you been? I wasn't expecting to see you here. How long have you been in the city?"

@✠　Areti Spiros-Iona ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ Kairos: https://64.media.tumblr.com/302de9681022381403c47ac9ece55cbb/tumblr_pnyw58QDlk1v6bamko2_1280.jpg
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: Amber Run - I Found

The morning had gotten away from Kairos and he was late to get the good produce from his favorite vendors.
He moved with singular focus through the market; plucking a small cluster of tomatoes from a display he passed the vendor a few coins and moved on. Stopping occasionally to inspect the already thoroughly picked through veggies, Kairos was pulled from his concentration but the out of place sound of someone shouting across the market in Greek.
Freezing in his tracks Kairos hesitated for a moment before looking up, he didn't know what he was expecting but Areti Spiros was the last face he was expecting. Eyes widening he observed the other's vaguely familiar face, "A-areti?" he stammered, stunned incredulity and hesitation in his voice.

@☼　Kairos Raptis ↳ ᴀᴘʀɪʟ 27, 2051
↳ ᴀʀᴇᴛɪ: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b8/a5/cd/b8a5cdba9e05a00af2026386d0a41a72.jpg
↳ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: burnin' for you - blue oyster cult

Areti Spiros wasn't much of a grocery shopper, but Reina Thor had taken one look in his kitchen and kicked him out to get groceries, so there he was in the open-air market, meandering through and picking at vegetables and goods that caught his eye and were of satisfactory quality. It was there that his eye was caught by a flash of hair and a familiar face, a man he'd thought he wouldn't see again standing amid the other shoppers. Surprised, Areti raised his hand and called out to Kairos Raptis in their native language.

"Kairos! Is that you?"

@NA JAEYOUNG The street market was bustling with bodies and tourists. Derek found that the loud chatter and noisy clanks of pots and pans drowned out his busy thoughts. The scene was much different from the quiet serenity of the forest in which he resided. Although he preferred the tranquility of his secluded home, he decided it would be best to come out once in a while. It would certainly help with his goal to weave his way into society and get more information on the monsters who took his sister's life away. Dressed in a casual white t-shirt and baggy jeans, Derek blended in well with the crowd. He looked like a normal citizen as opposed to the dark, murderous killer he was by nightfall. As he scanned the selection of food from a nearby stall, Derek heard a deep voice from behind him, making him tilt his head back, giving the taller stranger a side look. He rose a brow at the seemingly innocent question before parting his lips. "Neither. I don't like sweets." His eyes flickered over to the camera that was propped onto the selfie stick then back to Jaeyoung before turning his attention back to the food stand. "Do you go around filming people without their permission often?"

[]Hnn sorry if this ;;;; I'm still at work haha. And no shh. It's lovely! Ty for starting us off <3