❒ lunia lake

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ The action of Vesper intertwining their fingers together was definitely welcome, each touch point between them serving as a way to drag Aster further out of his own head. In fact, even the cooler temperature of Vesper's skin assisted in the process, a stark contrast from the generally warm air of the evening around them. Aster tightened his grip, squeezing Vesper's hand - not hard enough to hurt, but enough that it's obvious he doesn't feel like letting go any time soon.

As Vesper begins to regale him with tales about his day that's when Aster truly begins to blink into awareness - literally. His eyelids flutter, the surface of the lake melting together with the changing colors of the sky for a moment, before everything seems to settle into clarity. Like Aster had wiped away the condensation on a window, and he could know properly look at what was in front of him. It takes only a little longer for Aster to properly find his voice, breathing in and then out slowly. "Sounds like you had an interesting day," he says, and this time his voice is louder than a whisper. Quiet, but solid.

Other than the visions of where he had been still floating around his head, in all other ways Aster has returned to himself. It didn't take as long as it did some other times, maybe because the /darkness, can't see, nothingness/ from this latest episode didn't leave him with much to remain mentally trapped in. Aster turns to face Vesper and smiles gratefully, though it is a small, half-broken quirk of his lips than anything else. "Thank you, Vesper. That really helped," he still holds the other's hand, because even if he he's coherent now, it is still a source of comfort to whatever had shaken him up. "I... didn't check my calendar before I left my room earlier. I'm not sure how long I was gone." By "calendar" Aster was referring to the magical device in his room, the one that would show both the date and the time, and stopped whenever the magic within sensed when Aster's mind was leaving his body. It was one of the few ways he was able to keep track of time, but in his haste to meet Vesper at the lake he had forgotten to check it. "Did you see me at all earlier today?"

@ᴀsᴛᴇʀᴏᴛʜ sᴏʟᵈᵉᵐᶦᵍᵒᵈ Vesper let Aster reach out to him first. He knew how fragile Aster's body and mind could be when he came back, not so much in a literal sense, but it was still very much something the oracle had to recover from. The warlock slowly flipped over his own hand and locked their fingers together, his other hand coming over on top of Aster's hand, encasing the oracle's hand between Vesper's own. He hoped that it would help ground him a little more.

Vesper glanced up at the sky, and out upon the lake, looking out at whatever Aster was seeing. He didn't think that Aster was seeing the current state of the lake, not truly. The oracle still seemed to be gathering his mind, trying to piece things together somewhat. Vesper was a patient man though, so he was in no hurry to get Aster to respond to him.

He nodded and hummed in acknowledgement, knowing that whatever he had experienced, it had clearly and truly shaken Aster to his core. "I only had one class today. It's Friday," he said slowly and softly. "I spent my morning preparing for a class, then after the class, I spent some time researching and reading, as I always do," he explained. He told him about a student who had nearly tripped coming into class, about how a student accidentally set a desk on fire for a couple of seconds before putting it out. There were interesting stories almost every day, and that day's ones were quite entertaining. Vesper told them to Aster, taking his time and letting the words sink in as he did so.

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ The press of Vesper's thigh against his as the man sat next to him did help to tug Aster in the right direction. For a moment, everything felt a little more solid, a little more real. Craving touch he reached out and attempted to find Vesper's hand, fingertips skittering over the man's knuckles before Aster merely kept them there, too off balance to close the distance and truly hold on. Aster swallowed and wet his lips, still gazing at the smooth surface of the lake.

It was reasurring to know that he hadn't woken Vesper from his sleep, or something along those lines. Aster doesn't like to inconvenience people even in a time of need. He would choose to suffer alone than to drag someone with him, even when help is offerred to him. It took a long time for him to even regularly meet with Vesper when he truly needed it, but Aster is immensely grateful that they've gotten to this point.

It's nice, to know that someone is there for you, no matter the time and no matter the reason.

Vesper's voice was another welcome sensation as Aster listened to him speak and began to focus on the words swirling around his head. "Maybe later," he said, in response to Vesper asking if he wanted to speak about where he had gone. Aster still needs to formulate what he wants to say, and decide if he can even say it out loud. He hadn't written anything down this time, when he'd gotten back, like he normally does. Far too shaken up to do anything besides reach out for help. "I'd like to hear about your day, for now. Did you have classes? Or is it the weekend?" He knows the year but not the day. Perhaps the month, if he tries hard enough to recall, but at most all Aster can sense is the season. Spring, his favorite. He waits expectantly for Vesper's response.

@ᴀsᴛᴇʀᴏᴛʜ sᴏʟᵈᵉᵐᶦᵍᵒᵈ Vesper was glad to see that the other hadn't been scared or startled by his steps and voice. At least Aster didn't reek of fear too much. Vesper approached slowly, even though he knew that Aster had seen him and acknowledged his presence. He didn't know what could potentially set the oracle off. He doubted he would go off in another trance so soon, but he didn't want Aster to have a complete and utter meltdown.

He eventually sat down beside the other and sat close enough so that their thighs touched. Vesper had decided not to wear his robe, knowing that all that material would do no good in helping Aster be grounded. He knew from past experiences that the lack of an actual body could potentially send Aster spirraling down in panic. He shook his head at the apology.

"There's no need to apologise, Aster. I don't really sleep much anyway," he hummed softly. He was ready to figuratively and physically catch Aster if need be. If the oracle needed a shoulder or a lap to lean on, Vesper was ready to provide that for him.

"Did you want to talk about it at all? Or did you just need me to tell you about how my day was?" he asked softly, slowly. He knew that it was different every time. Aster usually needed to let out what he had been through, or he needed something to re-familiarise himself with the present.

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ Aster is trying very hard to pull himself together right now. He feels a bit like shredded paper, the pieces of him separated, crunched and curled and so difficult to put back into one solid thing. The process of bringing his mind back to reality is slow. He has to tap into his senses one by one, as if he is taking those shreds of himself and flattening them, fitting them together like puzzle pieces. One, the breeze playing with his hair. Two, the sound of water lapping against the lakeshore. Three, the solid bench beneath him, his hands curling over the edge, nails digging into the soft wood. Four, five, six and so on.

He tries his best to remind himself of where and when he is. Mystiq Institute, Lunia Lake, the year is 2022, Vesper will be here soon. It's harder than usual to keep himself tethered this time. His mind flashes between the lake he sees now, and the darkness of the place where he had been. It had been so cold, and quiet. He thinks that he was alone, for a very long time. Perhaps not as long as he's fearing - (no, he's sure he's been gone much longer than this before) - but long enough that it has left him shaken to his core.

By the time Vesper arrives at the lake Aster hasn't made much progress on his own. He doesn't jump when he heard footsteps, or the man's voice, but he does eventually turn his head in Vesper's direction. It takes a moment or two for his eyes to focus on him. He looks the exact same as the last time Aster saw him, and it's a relief, to see that things haven't changed too much since he's been gone. It hurts less, when things stay the same. "Vesper," he says, moving some more to make room on the bench for the professor to sit with him.

He's not nececssarily scared, like some of the others time that he's had to ask Vesper to help him crawl out of his own head. Instead, Aster feels more... empty. Like he's been hollowed out and needs something to fill the void to feel whole again.

"Sorry, I know it's late." he says quietly.

@ᴀsᴛᴇʀᴏᴛʜ sᴏʟᵈᵉᵐᶦᵍᵒᵈ With how busy they each were, it had been a little while since Vesper had seen Asteroth for more than just a quick greeting. They always ended up meeting each other eventually of course, whether just to catch up, or for the reason that Vesper was headed over to the lake now -- to help Asteroth ground himself a bit. With every trance and jump through time itself, Aster continued to come back, but it was never quite the same. Many times, he had just been a little confused by the trips he took, and other times, he would be very lost.

Vesper couldn't quite tell you when or how they began the relationship they shared, but eventually, Vesper was the one who Aster called for, or the one who visited him when he came back from whatever time he had been in and he couldn't quite remember where he was. The warlock had had things he needed to do that afternoon, but this was more important. He sped across the campus and headed for the lake, where Aster had asked to meet him at.

One the warlock got there, he saw Aster staring off into the distance, something akin to confusion and frustration on the oracle's face. He approached slowly, but made sure his steps made a bit of sound, unlike his usually silent ones. He didn't want to surprise the other too much. "Aster?" he called out. He wondered how far the oracle had gone this time, whether he would be as scared as other times.

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ "y-yes, sir!" she quips. xiaowei's countenance has never been one to coddle a friendly encounter with vampires, warlocks, hybrids (and anyone exclusive of her kin). that isn't to say that the fae have been particularly nice to her. it's just that no matter what, she'd somehow still be part of the lore. they will always go back to what they are at the end of the day. she and the fae would still be sharing something in the same vein despite, maybe, their differences in their capabilities.

as her eyes bore into vesper's, she could feel some part of her trust budding tenaciously at her heartstrings. the moonlight continues to shine effervescently, suspending them into little capillaries of time that have accidentally spilled into one another's life. not the most ordinary of combinations, but this experience has singularly made xiaowei feel a little less...stiff?

on top of that, vesper looks cute despite the little aspects of aloofness that effortlessly clung onto his fluids of motion (which honestly is the reason why xiaowei thinks he's cute). or maybe, it's also because this is the first time in so many years that she has experienced a passive but friendly encounter with another species. all the other ones have been too aggressive.

and xiaowei doesn't find it difficult to think of things as adorable or amusing. her positive worldview in general tinges her world in darling flowers like the ones she tends to. she has a penchant for them (obviously), and didn't one of the flowers just bloom at nightfall anyway?

@ᴅᴜᴀɴ xɪᴀᴏᴡᴇɪᶠᵃᵉ Vesper was on and off with his interactions with students outside of the institute. Of course he was always careful around others since he never knew their dispositions towards others, no matter the species. Him being a warlock already made people have a certain view of him, being a vampire on top of that was always a little cherry on top for the reactions he received.

He hummed in affirmation as the girl thought about what to answer with. The warlock understood that it would be difficult. All places within Lunaria were amazing in their own right and each had so many quirks and beauty that it would be difficult to truly choose a singular aspect to pick as a favourite. He nodded in agreement at her answer, finding it to suit the girl. "That is true. There is something very serene about the lake. I love coming here when I can since the moon and stars are reflected so clearly on the water's surface."

He turned back to look at the girl and smiled at her sweetly, "You're welcome. Even though I don't teach every student who walks through Mystiq, I try my best to welcome everyone. If you ever need help, please don't be afraid to approach me," he reassured. "And don't be afraid to ask me anything."

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ it isn't amiss to xiaowei how the question was phrased, the calmness and careful disposition that laced the syntaxes. she feels grateful to the man. at least maybe other species may not be as bad as she initially thought.

she ponders, you know, the curve of her shoulders has started to rest at a concave angle which definitely gives away the comfort warming at the center of her stomach. especially because he seemingly does not seek to impose fear or authority over her, and the darkness seems to complement him well. his eyes too, she thinks.

"my favorite part," her mind tumbles across the question. what indeed does she like about here? she really hasn't thought much of it; the lake just is. it merely exists, and she is but one fae who longs for its existence — seeks solace in it. "i think it would be the fact that this area comforts me a lot, and it isn't a place frequented by people from the academy."

she chuckles, her laugh lilts softly into the breeze. the sound of it instantly muffled by the steady susurration of the lake.

"you know, i don't say this a lot..but i appreciate your temerity to appear friendly to me...sir," she offers him a smile, its sincerity buoying into the whispers of the waves.

and hey, she needs to remain polite.

@ᴅᴜᴀɴ xɪᴀᴏᴡᴇɪᶠᵃᵉ Vesper knew that not too many people had met vampire warlocks, it was usually one or the other, since many warlocks and witches who fell victim to the curse which changed them, ultimately lost their connection or their pact. Vesper was lucky to have not lost his connection with the deity he had formed a pact with and he was ever grateful and faithful.

It was quite obvious and clear to the professor when the girl began to breathe a little quicker and look as though she was ready to faint or bolt away. He nodded slightly when the girl mentioned she was not too fond of other species, and well, Vesper was quite used to that by now, since many students who came to Mystiq rarely got much exposure outside of their own kind.

"I'll be transparent with you, I'm a vampire and a warlock. Probably not a combination you've seen before," he smiled. "What is your favourite part about the lake?" he asked curiously. He wanted to distract the girl with something she was a bit more familiar with. And after all, there would always be things that he would never truly see or understand because he wasn't a fae.

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ with the massive tumult of supernatural skills xiaowei has had, she's certainly never siphoned any of it to compare to what the man just did in order to set aflame both their silhouettes into light. her hand mindlessly follows the loose thread on her stained clothes, not minding the remnants of soil that have clung onto the edges. her fingers comply to the symphony of her thoughts which try to find the right words to say without expanding into the silence that she thinks she's made awkward. especially after the fact that the eyes of the man staring across have shifted into the jarring differences between white and black.

the expanse of her chest betrays the hesitance she's feeling, inhaling and exhaling ever so quickly. the wind nips at her, leaving behind a map of dotted skin. why does it suddenly feel so cold? not that she couldn't control the weather or that she couldn't hear the pasture communicating that the man wouldn't her. of course, they'd know who the man is! they're probably older than both of them, but it's just that xiaowei has grown wary of his kind. warlocks? she surmises.

not entirely sure. so she toes into his probing question in an attempt to identify as to who he could also be. "my name is xiaowei. it's just that i'm not particularly fond of the different species apart from my own."

her left hand has seemingly made itself comfortable atop the jitters on her bare skin. she just hopes it doesn't betray how uncomfortable she is across to vesper, knowing that he could probably be one of her professors back in the academe.

@ᴅᴜᴀɴ xɪᴀᴏᴡᴇɪᶠᵃᵉ Sometimes Vesper truly got a bit lost in time and thought and he took a little too long in that moment to realise exactly why the girl seemed to be so apprehensive around him. He shut his eyes for a moment and once he opened them once more, his eyes were back to what was considered "normal". He looked at the girl once more and was grateful for the moonlight and his enhanced night vision.

For the sake of the girl though, he did light up a small orb of light, captured moonlight to make them both more visible. He took in her features and smiled, "You're of the fae," he observed aloud. He knew that there were a number of fae here at the institute, both students and staff. He wasn't surprised that one of them were out here. He had met his fair share of fae in his life.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you. I'm a professor here at Mystiq. I go by Vesper Park," he said softly. He turned back to the sky and smiled a bit before turning back to the girl. "What is your name?" he asked curiously.

He knew that he was probably off-putting in a number of ways to the girl. He didn't have a heartbeat, he was very still and quiet, his eyes had been shining like the moon - it would have been stranger if she hadn't been afraid of him.

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ xiaowei liked to learn. the constant ebb for knowledge manifests into multiple areas of her life — not exclusive only to her family history nor her lore origins to which the answer remains lukewarm at best. it's apparent. after all, what else would demand her presence to loiter at the lake at this hour of night when she could comfortably burrow herself in the safety of her squishmallows?

and even as consciousness starts to kick in, her legs fail to register the desire for movement. not when xiaowei laces onto the eyes that seemed to reflect—no, glow in the same shade as the moon. even then the moonlight shine yields into kaleidoscopic strips of crystalline white onto the wet lawn. and she is hyperaware of it, her breathing quickens. is that her fight or flight activating? maybe.

but who could have a tepid reaction to what seemed to be a different species from her? one whose eyes shift into different colors as if in sync with its surroundings and emotions. xiaowei certainly does not desire to mingle with whatever this species is.

and yeah maybe she liked to learn, but she definitely did not have her time allotted to learn about the multiple species that walked alongside the same planetary enclosure. no! she has had more than enough unpleasant experiences to remind her not to ever cross the creatures beside her own.

this one seems to be fine though, his stature relaxed with eyes boring into hers. he's even asking her a question which her mind faltered to understand, lagging behind the fake composure with extreme tenacity.

"yeah, it's a wonderful night," she probes, tucking behind a stray lock of hair behind the sharp ear that has calibrated at least within a mile radius of noise from where she stands. "i-i am a student, but you know, i think i will get back to campus."

she hasn't even fully realized that the eyes gazing into hers belong to a professor, one that she ought to respect. damn!

@ᴅᴜᴀɴ xɪᴀᴏᴡᴇɪᶠᵃᵉ Vesper knew that the lake was a popular place for many of the students and staff alike at Mystiq. So it really wasn't a surprise to him that there was someone else out there that night. It was actually reassuring to know that someone else was also taking advantage of the clear night, it would be a shame if the moon and stars weren't seen on a night like this.

He turned around to see who it was, glad that it hadn't actually been a figment of his imagination. There was a nice breeze that night too, and Vesper couldn't help but close his eyes for a moment and bask in the feeling. "Tonight is wonderful, isn't it?" he asked softly, letting his voice be carried along on the breeze.

Turning back to look at the other properly, he immediately recognised her as a fae. "Are you a student here?" he asked curiously. He hadn't seen her in his class before, nor in his art class, but he knew most of the staff so he was pretty sure the girl in front of him wasn't a teacher.

@ᴠᴇsᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴋʰʸᵇʳⁱᵈ the ambience of the lake and the veracity of which to teem with so much life is one of the reasons duan xiaowei has always preferred nature to people. its presence nudges so silently into her peripherals, the waves lapping at the shore with familiarity seemingly divulging its relationship with the lakefront. and xiaowei knows that to be true. how so? well, the lake told her.

her effortless knowledge of nature is few of the things that has just come to her, thanks to her 368 years of living: she has learned that her connection with nature comes as easy as breathing. even its shortest staccatos are a mere spatter of intimacy to her limbs.

her hands woven into the grass, tending lightly to the effervescence green. her bubble of thoughts have sought to understand the last time this area has been tended to with its withered state and tufted stalks.

a crunch in the gravel coddles the sudden sentiment and inches it to down to alarm. xiaowei hears a voice — the baritone rumbling in the moonlit pasture.

legs recalibrating to wear away the hourlong numbness, xiaowei motions to stand and answers back in a warm voice, "u-um, hey? i was just tending to the pasture here is all."

@ᴅᴜᴀɴ xɪᴀᴏᴡᴇɪᶠᵃᵉ It was a clear afternoon and the perfect weather to go star gazing that evening. Vesper had finished everything he had to for the day, and he had time later that night to do anything that needed to be done by the next day. He decided to head over to the lake to watch the sunset, and then watch the sky change colours. He got the lake pretty quickly and found a nice spot by the lake. He hadn't bothered with a coat, not that he needed one anyway, he was just in one of his many hanboks.

He stood in his spot for a long time, every so often he would reach out and greet a bird or two. He smiled when the stars and the moon became more visible. He was always grateful to be able in to stand outside during the day by being in Lunaria, but he would always love the night for many reasons. He stood there looking up and his eyes glowed a bright off-white, much like the moon for several minutes as he had a mini meditation session. When he came back out of it, he noticed that he wasn't alone anymore. "Is someone there?" he asked, not bothering to turn around. He didn't sense any animosity so he wasn't too worried about who it could be.