KENOS INBOX

[erbe]

COMMUNION

Reaching out to Rin is like stepping into a moonlit parlor. Everything is quiet, muted, and neatly tucked away. Almost like a "lobby," of sorts to keep visitors away from the rest of what goes on in her head... and her heart. This space is cool, and placid. Much like the surface of a lake in winter as it reflects the pale glow of the celestial bodies hanging above it in the sky.

A reflection of serenity rather the true thing. A mask of elegance to hide anything that may be unsightly. Anything that may betray her.

✧ Specifics

✦ Unable to block out: Harbinger
✦ Compatible with: Iconoclast | Advocate
✦ Discord Accrual: Exalt

(CODE)

Comments

in love bites, post iconoclast oracle event 🫀

[helloween]

Riiiiiiin.

[ While lazing about the castle one day... ]

[erbe]

[So many things happened in the wake of the Blight. Over-extending herself, watching Sieglinde suffer as she relived the binding of her feet, the ritual of the Iconoclast itself and what happened within. People murdering each other for their ideals, and Dimitri almost killing her.

It increased her Discord quite a bit. With that came apathy, insomnia, cooler body temps... and the darkening of her sclera. Bright white dulling into grey that is black at the edges. Encroaching in a way that is stabilized for now, but would worsen with future conflict.]

What are you crying about today?

[She heard him from her green room. Rin's hands are washed up, but her gardening apron is dirtied with soil.]

[helloween]

Clean my ears.

[ Rolling over onto his back, Dark has his belly up to the ceiling like a harmless puppy. He's not noticed Rin's cosmetic Discord differences just yet— too self-absorbed and far away from her at the moment. ]

I made this whole castle for us and now I want to be spoiled.

[ He is whining. ]

[erbe]

[Tohsaka heaves an exasperated sigh, but she seems to be compliant. She walks up to where he is sprawled out and brushes the hair from his face. Soft fingers trace his brow and cheekbones.]

Hmm, "Schneider" is a western name. You probably don't have the same type of wax... You'll probably need a fresh shower and to bring me some cotton swabs.

[helloween]

Heh, good try. I'm from what's left of Japan, the New World! We have yen, ramen, and everything. You wouldn't know this, but the shape of the continents and land was changed by the first cataclysm, and all mankind fucked like crazy afterward to repopulate the Earth. Race is dead, earwax is earwax! Riiiiin, clean my eaaaaars...

[ He rolls on his side now and obnoxiously reaches to hug her legs while trying to be cute. ]

[erbe]

[Tohsaka tilts her head as she reaches down to pinch his cheek. Hard.]

If you're mixed that's even more suspect.

[A mutt in every way...]

[helloween]

Do you like my fac-- ow!

[ For a brief moment, he'd tried putting on a huskier, sexier voice but it's cut short by a yelp. He doesn't like having his face pinched at all. ]

Stop!

[ The complaint is emphasized by inflection, but Dark notices Rin's discord symptoms at the same time. ]

Whoa, what happened to you? Did you make a demon pact or something?

[erbe]

No. I know too much about demons to accept such a thing. I simply woke up like this after the Iconoclast's ritual.

[She feels stressed. She wants to drink. Fatigue eats away at her very being, and yet the Discord doesn't allow her to sleep much.]

[helloween]

[ 🙁 ]

That sucks. Probably all the killing and drama that went on in the main chamber.

[ Dark finds the Aspect tattoo on Rin's thigh and pokes it with his index finger. ]

What's this one mean? Advocate or Exalt?

[erbe]

[One hand grabs the fabric of her skirt. She lifts it only as much as needed so that the hem doesn't obscure the Aspect mark as much.]

Harbinger, I believe. Sounds a bit ominous.

[Suits her, she thinks. Rin is of the opinion she doesn't deserve anything cute or gallant sounding.]

[helloween]

Ah. I only memorized Advocate and Exalt because they'll help me out of a discord situation. You're probably compatible with two other aspects then.

[ Dark watches the skirt lift higher. He considers being nasty but remains strangely well-behaved and domesticated despite himself. ]

I could give you more mana if you want. After you clean my ears.

[ He keeps poking and squishing Rin's upper thigh fat with his finger. ]

[erbe]

[Normally she'd bat him away like a disgruntled cat, but the apathy from her Discord runs deeper than his taunting for the moment. Though she does drop her skirt to let it hang normally.]

Mana won't fix the Discord, and I wasn't able to use magic during the ritual.

[So that's a "no thank you," as she pushes away his hair to get a look in his ear.]

[helloween]

Can't say I didn't try.

[ As Dark's hair is combed behind the shell of his ear, he readily sinks himself back down into the couch like a large, loafing animal. He's content to have Rin's attention on him, afflicted with discord or not. ]

Don't look so sad, okay? We'll get you all fixed up. I don't really remember what all happened during that ritual, but I won't let you stay feeling bad.

[erbe]

I'm not sad... nor am I happy.

[She's just kind of... existing, maybe? Hrm. Her thumb gently tugs on his ear just to pull the skin back to get a better look and see what type of wax she may be working with. Though considering his stupidly high affinity for magic she's surprised he doesn't just deal with it that way.

If he has no wax she'll insist on just brushing his hair.]

[helloween]

Hnnn?

[ Well, all right then. Dark's eyes move to watch her, and his lips curl up with contentment when his ear is touched. More than needing it to be cleaned, he just likes the sensation of having it stroked and played with. Perfectly normal, reasonable male behavior when it comes to mimikaki...

He shuts his eyes pleasantly. ]

Rin. ♡

[erbe]

[Tohsaka sighs.]

Your ears are already fine, but I'll brush your hair. You have a lot of it.

[Like grooming a dog.]

[helloween]

No mimikaki? But my ears are lonely too.

[ His eyes open suddenly, glistening with all the hope and anticipation he'd had. Funnily enough, Dark is not objecting to having his hair brushed either, it just now becomes about having BOTH. He is greedy. ]

I'll even make the ear pick...!

[erbe]

There isn't anything to pick at, doofus.

[Tohsaka pinches his cheek once more.]

If you are a bad boy I don't do either of those things for you.

[helloween]

If you really need some, I can make earwax too!

[ Gross. But technically yes, he can. ]

Riiin.

[ Enduring the physical abuse, Dark latches onto her legs again and clings to them in desperation. ]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin.

[erbe]

[Good god he really is a toddler. Tohsaka lets go of his face to instead use both hands to tussle his hair.]

Get me a brush. I want to do your hair.

[helloween]

[ Aw, yeah! Hair brushing time!

At Rin's request, a strong gust of air twirls about them, a hair brush materializing from thin air and floating at shoulder level there beside her. Dark loosens his hug around her legs, turning his chin up and resting it on her when he looks up. ]

Just tell me where to move. You want to sit down?

[ He's far too eager for this, as if he's depraved his entire life of it. ]

[erbe]

[Oh! It worked. Rin accepts the brush and looks about the couch he was lounging on.]

If you sit on the floor and I sit on the couch I think that'll be perfect, height-wise. Do you agree?

[Tohsaka pets him gently. He seems to respond positively to physical stimuli (like a dog) so maybe she can start getting in the habit of training him (LIKE A DOG).]

[helloween]

[ Dark Schneider obeys (LIKE A DOG). Sinking lower, he slides down the length of Rin's legs. He slips down onto the perfect, polished wood floor, legs folding and white hair pooling around his butt. ]

Sure do.

[ His expression becomes mischievous, looking back up. ]

You know what else being down here's perfect for~?

[ Sing-song, Dark teases her out of habit even if her discord symptoms seem to make her fussy. ]

[erbe]

[She's actually less fussy than normal because of the apathy, so there's that. Tohsaka gathers up his hair and drapes his long locks across her lap so that she may start brushing at his ends.]

Keep your head facing forward so I can brush you right.

[Hopefully this will bar him from trying anything ridiculously lewd while she works on him.]

[helloween]

[ Dark straightens his back some, complying with the request. His hair now instead spills across Rin's lap both thick and strangely untangled. He peers back her way, curiously. ]

So...

[ Does she like the castle? Dark tries to fish for praise, but it's perhaps hard to guess as much since he's not facing her at the moment. ]