forgingfires | Labythrinum Inbox

"Ah. In short, sight beyond the physical world. See things others cannot," he said. "It helps in a lot of ways, I believe its why I'm so quick to learn new things, it just also made it so I keyed into the ultimate wildfire," he added, rubbing the back of his neck.

He shrugged, grabbing another batch of screws. "To be fair, they don't know I'm able to reforge it," he said. "No, their efforts to befriend me are all purely genuine because they frankly have poor tastes in new friends. While I would say I'm good taste most of the time, even I can admit someone really should be put off by someone who tried to kill them multiple times." He does not get them. He really, really does not.

He chuckled and looked back with a raised eyebrow. "Oh? And how are you going to 'distract' me?"

"Oh. I can kind of do that- it's probably not the same thing, but even when I was mortal I learned to see the invisible paths in the Forest of Dreams that the fae use. They're in their own plane." So. Kind of? Basically, she understood the concept.

Night Sky chuckled. "There are people out there who just like to believe the best in everyone, even if they tried to kill them. I can't fault them for it - the world sucks a lot of the time, and clearly they saw something in you worth trying to befriend. Just like I saw something in you worth trying to romance." A blatant admission of that, if any doubts remained. "Then again, you haven't tried to kill me, so I didn't have any resistance."

And in that same vein, Night Sky smiled, playful and a little mischievous. "I can think of a few ways. At least three of which involve me taking off my clothes." Just going to... wait for the blush.

He hums, tilting his head. "If I understand it right...what I see is more metaphysical than that, but that is getting more in the ballpark, yes. That is also good to know, that you can see those things. It'll likely help with teleporting, since that sounds close to the elemental paths."

"I really don't know what. We went from agreeing to work together for the sake of saving our people and somehow the Noodle Boy decided he wanted to befriend me despite us barely interacting for the plan, and the Dragon Girl was very aggressive in her distrust to also joining the aggressive friendship attempt even though nothing that dramatic happened while we stole a magic peach. As far as I can tell, she decided my reluctant help was somehow proof of heroics even though she knew I was just there for my father. Though I suppose she may have felt the magic connection, so maybe there is some explanation, but the Noodle Boy is a complete mystery," he said with a very loud sigh. "You? You make sense. I haven't done anything bad to you and I'm very attractive."

Insecurities of his tendency to drive people away aside. He could at least understand the logic.

Oh.

There is another fwoosh again and a definite blush. "....well, as long as we have candles. A-after all, that doesn't necessarily discourage fire..."

Anything to make teleporting easier.

Night Sky was tempted to say that maybe they just liked him; saw that deep down he wasn't as bad a guy as he was playing himself off to be. Maybe they had a different definition of heroics. Or maybe they were just dumb. Dumb people tended to befriend and trust people the easiest - and it usually worked in their favor. A certain hero from Valsheria came to mind.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I bought like twenty of them when I went out earlier." She beamed. "So if you do want a little distraction, I have them ready for us." A sultry wink and shift of the vines twined around her, accenting the curves of her hips and chest with a few subtle curls. "You know, if that break comes anytime soon, too."

Edited 2023-09-18 22:17 (UTC)

It was definitely a lot of seeing through Red Son's bullshit, but also opportune timing. MK had no hope, and Red Son came crashing in with a plan. Mei saw a moment of Red Son's true motivations and saw similarities. And then both decided they were going to drag those good things out of him kicking and screaming if they had to.

"You what?!" Red Son squawked and there is definitely more fwoosh, face snapping towards her, very much bright red at that level of preparation.

Good to know her distraction game was, in fact, on point. Night Sky bit back a laugh, her smile widening, hands on her hips. Gods he was adorable, getting flustered like that.

"I bought like twenty candles earlier." She repeated, as casually as he spoke of almost destroying the universe twice. "I didn't know how many we might need, so I figured I'd make sure we were prepared." A beat. How bright could she get him -- "Want me to go get some?"

"I have a forge here, and its not that big of a concern!" Red Son shouted, face getting redder and hair still crackling away his his face snaps back to the ventilation, grabbing screw to quickly work in.

There is a pause.

"More is usually b-better. I have a lot just because they help me meditate s-so I know it works," he said, voice lower and quick.

She should really stop teasing him before he exploded or something, but he made it so easy.

"Oh?" Well, well, well. "Always good to have backups." A beat. "So is that a no, or...?"

"Its a no," he said, even as he keeps blushing and hair keeps burning. "I still expect a little more wining and dining, but also I am covered in so much dust and grime installing everything."

SIGH. But she respects a no so respect it she shall. "Have you seen me on a regular basis?" She is covered in leaves and twigs and smatterings of dirt. He was lucky she cleaned up a little before meeting for their first date. "I mean... a trip to a nice big bath could also be a nice date idea." She said, tapping her finger to her lips. "Sorry, I'll stop. The blushing and fire flares are so cute I can't help but want to tease you more."

Edited 2023-09-18 22:58 (UTC)

"Its not the most pleasant feeling when I'm caked in it and there is still the whole..." He waves a hand in the air. "Touch thing that feels weird, but not necessarily bad, I guess."

The touch starved buzzing he's getting used to. "Rather deal with one then both."

He huffs. "Protip. Heavy water based date is not the one to suggest to the fire demon. Water doesn't hurt me, but I don't really get any enjoyment from it. Its utility only."

He rolls his eyes. "You share that in common with those two then."

"Not even really hot water like a hot spring? I guess you probably wouldn't notice much difference." It would mostly be an excuse to get him naked and/or to play with his hair or something anyway let's all be honest. "Rules out swimming. Good thing that wasn't my first idea." The lounging in her room and getting high was, but she had to wait forever for that now.

She chuckled. "You could always try and fluster me! I think you managed it once so far."

"I would not, no. Any hot water I notice is causing burns to someone else," he said. The trick is to get him after he bathes. Then its like playing with a hot towel as his hair self dries.

"Ah, well, that is...not as easy as it seems," Red Son said. He can be clever. He's observant. He just also kind of panics a little bit because he's an inexperienced virgin trying to pretend he's not panicking from nerves.

"Noted." Filed away for later. Maybe she'd learn that fun fact eventually.

Night Sky's expression softened slightly. "It's a lot easier than you think, actually." She admitted. Flirting was easy, being blatant about her sexual desires was easier. A genuine compliment, especially on her appearance, however, would make her blush and nearly die from the butterflies in her stomach. Being desired in any way made her weak.

He called her pretty during their date and she almost had a fucking heart attack.

"But no rush."

"Is it?" Red Son asked. "How so?"

Because hey, if its easy, it should be easy to explain, right? Nothing too bad in asking. He thinks.

"I'm not going to be rushed faster than I accept," he said, glancing her way and then back to his work. The fire is going down. The blush isn't. "I'm not one to be pushed into something I truly don't want."

"I wouldn't dream of pushing you. I know I'm kind of salacious, but if you ever genuinely feel like I'm pushing you, tell me. I'm-" it all kind of flowed together, her insistence that she understood and respected however fast or slow he wanted to go, if he wanted any of it from her at all. He... seemed to, at least.

"I'm used to casual sex, no string attached if they're not wanted. Being told I'm sexy or that people want to sleep with me is surprising, sometimes, but less so than the times I hear that I'm beautiful. That people enjoy my company, that I'm wanted." She was flustering herself now, laughing nervously and shifting awkwardly in the middle of the room. "You called me pretty the other day, and since I know you weren't doing it just to get me to bed, it felt... different. I just want to be loved, and of course I'm not asking for that right away, or at all if you don't feel it, but it's... simple. It's so simple to make me happy."

She was rambling now, mostly because she didn't know how to stop. "I used to be alone for so long, and even when I came back to life I was alone with these fae that lost who they were the longer they stayed in the forest. I never want to forget who I am - and I just want someone to care enough to remember for me, if I forget. To remind me." She sniffled, turned away with her palm against her eye. "Shit. Sorry."

Oh.

That's why it was easy. It wasn't that flirting was necessarily easy. She was just emotionally starved.

...admittedly, that did make some things a lot easier. The talk of remembrance, however, is particularly painful. It isn't the same situation, but forgetting, being forgotten, they are painful things.

He slowly lowers his hands. Sets down the screw driver. Stares at the wall for several moments.

Then he turns to Night Sky and moves over to her. "Let me see your hand for a moment?"

Night Sky hurriedly wiped at her eyes and turned toward him, head tilting and her hand extending in his direction. "O-Okay?"

Edited 2023-09-19 00:45 (UTC)

He takes her hand and wraps his fingers around his wrist. He hums after a moment, nods to himself, and let's go, turning to the workshop. He grabs a metal pot and homemade sandpaper to line the inside, and grabbing the carnelian. Tossing it inside the pot and then grabbing a lid. Pitching the top to the body until he makes two spot welding marks.

Fire encases the pot then and it starts to spin in the air, moved by the fire gripping it.

Then he digs through the metal they've been collecting, looking through it until he finds some pieces of cobalt. He gathers a large handful, cupping his hands over it, and then blowing into it, fire erupting over his hands for bout half a minute until he straightens up and starts stretching and twisting the metal.

He's certainly doing

Something.

Night Sky looked down at her wrist, up to Red Son, and when he made absolutely no comment about what he just did, she stared at him expectantly. What was that? What was he doing? Explain!

"What are you--" not the carnelian! She got that especially for him! Tempted as she was to object, it was clear he was in the zone of whatever he was doing, and she truly didn't even know what to say or if she should interrupt. So she stood there, dumbfounded and awed because, while alarming, it was all very impressive.

"Give me a few minutes," he said, sketching out the metal and pulling it apart in two clumps. He sticks his index fingers through the middle of each one and starts spinning his fingers, like its twirling hoops on them as the metal stretches out into actual hoops.

He tosses one into a nearby bucket of water. Twirling the other a few moments later. Then he will retrieve the hoops again. Still glowing a faint red, but far cooler.

He grabs a few more pieces of cobalt. He heats them up much the same before depositing the molten metal in a crucible and setting it on the table.

Then he moved to the wall of tools, grabbing a hammer and chisel. Letting the pot drop to the table as he approaches it. Fingers covered in fire as they dig into the pot lid and pops it off. Then he pulls out the carnelian, now polished to something smoother.

He carefully looks it over and nods before setting it on the table. Picking up the chisel and cutting the stone in half.

Then grabbing some of the molten metal, shaping it into an oval, and setting one of the stone halves into the metal, in a way where the split could be seen. Then grabbing one of the hoops, and heating up a section, before fusing the oval shape to the hoop.

Its tossed into the water again, as he repeats the process with the second hoop.

He moves over to the bucket, watching at the water bubbles, and motions for her to come over.

Taking that as a 'don't bother me while I'm doing this' suggestion, Night Sky bit her lip and remained well out of his way. It was, if nothing else, impressive and entertaining to watch, even if it was done with a not insignificant amount of confusion on her end. The skilled used of his flames was incredible, precise, and beautiful in the way so many dangerous things are.

She had never seen anyone make something like that before, obviously, and she still looked a little confused as he called her over. But she went, peering down at the bucket like it might tell her something important.

Edited 2023-09-19 01:42 (UTC)

Red Son waits until the bubbles fade away. Studies the metal at the bottom longer, before nodding and reaching up and pulling out the hoops.

And.

They're bracelets.

Simple, with the dark silver like shine of cobalt metal, given a shock of color with the carnelian pieces. Next to each other, its clear to see they're two halves of a whole.

He slips the bigger band around his wrist, and then he holds out the second to her. "Proof of a connection, no matter the state of your mind."

No.

No fucking way.

Night Sky stared down at the bracelets like they weren't even real, like she was having some fever dream and imagining them. She watched him slide one onto his wrist, offer her the second, and speak - the words registering seconds after they were spoken. Her hand extended absently; unconsciously offering the hand opposite his so if they were beside one another the connection would be even more clear. He didn't have to put it on her, but she was clearly in shock so it would probably save him some time.

"I don't--" it was by far one of the sweetest gestures she had ever received, from a man who owed her nothing and could have easily told her to get over herself. "Thank you, Red Son. It's beautiful."

He will take her hand as she holds it out and slips the bracelet, a comfortable fit around her wrist. The metal was still warm to the touch.

"Well, of course. Even for something spontaneous and simple, I'm not going to make something that looks bad," he said, a bit of the preening peacock returning.

"And...it helps. To have physical reminders of a connection. That's why father and I cook together," he said. "It was something we shared before and after."

He did say he understood wanting to get back someone who was out of reach, after all. That probably says who it was.

"This way, you'll know someone knew you."

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