Senecio adn Tide II

[Mirach]

"That's good to know," Senecio murmured. "I don't know what exactly I've expected. Not from you, at least. It's about the power imbalance, behaving according to expectations, punishment for disobedience. It’s kind of fun to play with it, but for some people it's not a game. It's just how they are, and you just have to play the gane all the time if you want to have it at all. It's just nice to be able to say that I don't want to play now, that's all..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I see... In that case, I would like to take back the words I said carelessly before. You... are not petty, for only offering me one kiss as a reward if I do well. I just thought we were playing the game, and for me, demanding such rewards is only fun if it is but something said for the sake of the game, " Tide's feelings reflected caution, as he seemed to try to talk around the subject so he would not remind actor on some unpleasant memory. " Seine... I am an ancient creature of horror that has the innate nature to devour things... so won't you let me eat this ugly pattern of thought? Thinking that you have to reward me when I do something nice for you... Let me eat it away, so we can put it off the table forever, " he teased softly, but there was sadness behind his voice and in the way his shoulders were slouched against the actor's back. " For Tide, Senecio's boyfriend, getting a kiss bought with a nice act is not thrilling at all. How about we play another, more fun game? " he suggested gently, observing carefully to try to figure out the actor's feelings. " Let us abstain from kissing fully. Let's just have fun, watching whales, eating nice food, and talking about the things we enjoy. Hold back from kissing me for as long as you can. In this humble boyfriend's opinion, an impulsive pent-up kiss is much more fun, anyway, and... " he shared timidly. " Since you seem conditioned to reward when provided for, won't it be an interesting thought experiment? Let's remove your ability to reward me and see where it takes us. Would you like to play this game with me? I invite you to have fun and watch the whales with me, here, in a brand new world where no rewards or punishments exist...  "

[Mirach]

"Oh, devious..." Senecio smiled. "I don't know if I have much willpower left today, so when it gets harder I may not last long, but I can give it a try."

[VisAnastasis]

" It is fine if it is not a long game... I just think playing it will be good for us. Thinking more of it, I must admit I am a little worried my hunger is putting pressure on you... I am afraid of being misunderstood. While my lust is coloured with hunger, my love is such, too. But it is not merely hunger for your body... I hunger for your heart, Seine, always so... " Tide explained, his voice full of vulnerable longing as he watched the whales in the distance, as if keeping his gaze busy helped him deal with the embarrassment of sharing something personal. " But the heart is an elusive prey, you see, and it is always on the move. With you, your heart is often buried feverishly within your skin, so I long to tear it up till I can find it, with teeth or a whip, it matters not to me, as long as I can find it. If your heart is not there at the moment, though, why should I labour searching within it? Rather if it is upon your lips, I want to taste it there. If your heart is in your hand, I want to hold it close. If your heart is heavy, stuck in your throat, I want to listen to your words until it is light anew. If your heart is in your eyes, I want to fill your gaze with lovely sights, if it is in your hair, I want to brush my hand through it, if it is in your hurt soul, I want to touch it and caress it until it is soothed... The more I adore you, the more my hunger for your heart grows, and more ardently I wish to have more of it, " it seemed he couldn't help himself from pinching Senecio's cheek but lightly, as if having to find some way to express his fondness. " Do you understand better now, where my cravings for you lie? And if you do... won't you tell me where your heart is right now, my Seine? I have a sweet tooth and I can't help it, I want more the more I have it... So where is it? "

[Mirach]

"I wish I knew..." Senecio smiled tiredly. "But hair sounds nice."

[VisAnastasis]

" If you figure it out, don't forget to tell me. With such elusive prey, it seems like I will need all the help I can get till I catch it, " Tide teased softly, sounding rather pleased, though, clearly feeling brighter and more hopeful that they understood each other better. " Until you tell me otherwise, may I search your hair for it? There is quite a lot of it, surely there will be a lot of hiding spots... " he whispered, and as if really looking for something, as they watched whales, he shyly began running his fingers through the actor's hair and combing through it, using the pretence search as an excuse to pat his head, caress it and play with his locks. After a while, he began to hum some nice soothing tune that overlapped with light purring sounds coming from his chest. His feelings reflected a rather indulgent, yet peaceful feeling, and with time some pent-up restlessness he had was slowly dissipating, exchanged with satisfaction - it was clear the demon had missed him quite a bit, not seeing him for the night and most of the day, and was thriving with the chance to do something he perceived as a romantic gesture for him.

[Mirach]

Senecio sighed and leant onto the touch. He followed the calm movements of the whales idly, taking some time to rest in their little bubble, away from everyone's feelings except from Tide's, but those were not disturbing to him, just like the moves and sounds of a trusted person don't rouse one from sleep. After a while, he smirked. "You know what's funny?" he asked. "I think everyone on that ship thinks we're fucking right now."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide was indulging in the moment and was probably occupied
with daydreaming, so when Senecio made such an unexpected comment he couldn't help but laugh, which sounded quite funny and high piched as he began chuckling in the middle of purring.
" Hahah...  H-ow incredibly bold to assume that... when that shipis packed full with Being and Listeners! Well, all Beings and Listeners have different level of perception, so I don't know about the others, but if it's for consolation, at least Erdel and Hans can definitely tell. For others I can not guarantee. Hm, Svarik was on the run for ten years and his observational skills of the fabric had to be very high to survive, so perhaps he knows too. Why do you ask? Are you self conscious?" Creature asked as it steadied its voice, trying to steady his shoulders from previous laugh too and not shake Senecio." You really don't have to be. Did I not tell you? Right now, we are all alone in the world where no rewards or punishments exist. There is none in the world but us, and no pesky expectations, but if it pressures you still, do we have to make this a world without concept of fucking, too? "he said with the widest grin and heart full of bemusement and curiousity." In such a world, what would bring you pleasure? Would you like me to sing you a song? Or to recite you a poem? Or anything else. To be honest, I am too full of bubbly thoughts  and plans about our future that I feel like I would do just about anything you  ask except fucking, so won't you demand more from me, my violet? Merely not falling under weight of other's expectations is just too easy, I'll grow frustrated if you don't demand more. "

[Mirach]

Senecio chuckled. "No, I'm not self-conscious. Just feeling a bit smug when people expect I do something based on my reputation and I do something else because I'm actually soooo unpredictable. But no, thank you, I don’t want a world without fucking. And I find it too distant to think about plans for future right now when all of my focus is on getting throught this week and the next play."

[VisAnastasis]

" I see... It is understandable. I guess that after everything and the talk about hunger and all... I just... Feel pretty hopeful about our relationship. So it is hard to not look forward to the future," Tide explained himself shyly and brightly, but his gaze grew more thoughtful then. " If you have trouble looking past the next play, how about making plans how to get through the play easier? Or if not plan... Would giving you a gift that can distract you a bit help? " He asked, just a little more hesitantly, sounding flustered as he explained." To be honest, there was something I was thinking of how to bring up... You know that I am a Being, and have all that is tied to it? I don't have grand ones like Alpha or Eros, since I am not a  High Being, but since I used to be Many I have many little small blessings, so... So I was wondering, would you perhaps like to pick from my nlessings the one you like the most?" He asked shyly, his voice embarrassed, but hopeful and warm." I think you  will do better when you have something to distract you, but to be honest, this was something I was pondering about how to offer you since last night... As a sign of affection, you see. To be honest, what we have is amazing, but it is out of order from anything I ever had. When getting to know each other and learning more about me, it would never pass too long before my partners would ask for a blessing from me. There never was a time when I would move in to live with someone, sleep with someone, have a talk about Hunger, and show so many forms to someone, before we ever had a talk about blessings. It is not like there is a rush, since it is a very new experience, but blessings are a way to mark our favourite humans and show our affection for them, you see. So in last time I was growing a little restless not offering at least. I do not want you to think I care for you less than my previous partners. I was only hesitant to offer the same to you because I didn't want to put pressure on you. But I felt if I don't tell you right now you probably won't ask for quite a while or know it is on the table. " He chuckled a little shyly as he explained." Most of your "getting to know me" questions were about how apparently monstrously hot I can get, not about blessings or abilities, heh... "

[Mirach]

"So it's kind of like a mark, meaning that the other Beimgs know whom you blessed?" Senecio asked. "Hell yeah, I want that. I want the mark, some kind of blessing is just a bonus. So what options are there?"

[VisAnastasis]

A bright glimmer of joy coloured Tide's feelings with the actor's reply, sparkling like fireworks. Even without it though, it was clear by the creature's expression that it was excited about this.
" Ahem... It is not like I can only give you one single blessing, but it is usually harder for people to get used to suddenly having multiple blessings at once, especially if they are active blessings, not passive ones, so people find it easier to be given the smaller number of blessings at a time. So it is not like it has to be only a blessing from me.... but I would like the first one to be special. I fear my situation is a bit unique compared to most Beings. For example, take Solstice - his blessings can be extremely strong since he is powerful, for example, he can but flick his fingers and ever make an infertile man fertile as if it is nothing, or give you the ability to create fireballs and burn down cities at a time even if you were but common human. Or Riversong, tied to life, who can give immortality nearly like it is nothing. They are so strong and his favours are strong. My situation is different... Since I used to be many Beings, all those Beings affect my blessing ability - that is to say, my blessing pool is extremely varied and large, but most of those blessings are weak. I can affect a lot of things but in very subtle ways. That is why when I give blessings to my partners, I usually weave a custom blessing made of a combination of smaller ones they like best. It is usually a gesture of affection that I try to weave and make as personal as possible by giving my lovers a pleasant surprise, but, "he coughed shyly. "Because you are so content just being with me, it is hard for me to figure out what would be most romantic in our situation. You have seen me give blessings in the capital, right? For Lord Nameless, for example, as you have seen where we were there to meet Death, it was quite easy to come up with a simple blessing of goodwill - when we were there, I gave him the little blessing that makes it so that whenever he feels cold, when rain or frost weights him down, if he calls my name upon the wind or thinks of me, his cloak will dry up, and his skin would feel warmer. It is a very little and simple one, but I wove it to express my good wishes and friendliness. But this... between us... is not a matter of friendliness, but love... "he spoke with flushed checks and a hoarse little choked-up voice. "I, I want it to be special, but I am not that smart, and it is hard to choose what would be good enough... "

[Mirach]

"It's really hard to decide... It might be cool to see in the dark, but no, with this perceiving feelings situation, I think asking for improving some sense jusk asks for a new sensory overload. But you have a connection with water, so something with that would feel nice and personal. I don't know what options there are, os something like breathing underwater or walking on water too much?"

[VisAnastasis]

"My powers over water mostly come from enlightenment, like with Sage. It is a realization, not a blessing. So, while I could give you seeing in the dark, the best I could do with a water-type blessing is the ability to see clearly under the surface or hold your breath comfortably while swimming below for twenty minutes... it is not as great as water breathing, right? I would be too overpowered if I were able to give such big things so easily, "Tide whispered, seeming shy as he bared his insecurities. " That is why I say it is hard to decide... There are a couple of ideas I had... but none seem good enough, you see. My first idea was to give you the ability to be able to make your hands mildly hot without burning them because I thought you would enjoy being able to warm your tea or bake potatoes in your hands even when no fireplace is available. After all, baked potatoes are your favourite cheer-me-up food. But since it is practical it is a blessing I gave rather often to my partners, so I am not sure if it is special enough. The second idea I had is the ability to create tiny specs of dust around you that shine with iridescent light and swirl around you according to your will. I thought, since you love dramatic flair, in plays or otherwise, that you would enjoy making tiny luminescent sparkles around you either to have fun or to cheer yourself up. But besides being pretty and cheerful when they glow and offering some more light in a dark room, they have no other practical benefit. The third idea I had is actually something I gained last week when I ate a big chunk of Cernunnos's soul, as he is a very powerful nature Demon. I only figured it out this morning when I was watering your violets... When I think of very happy thoughts while watering or caressing plants, I can make them grow a little bit or get renewed if they are withering. Since you love the violets I gave you but are anxious about them drying away, I thought you would find it nice, to have the blessing to make flowers grow when thinking happy thoughts and watering them, so you could extend their lifespan by a lot. They would not grow as instantly as one little Svarik or lady Melody could grow, but you would still need to use your own body's energy when making them grow, so I actually thought it would be a double benefit. You said once that you like eating snacks but hate exercising, and using blessings on supernatural things spends your own energy, so if you grow some nice plans at the theatre when you are idle you could eat more snacks without gaining weight and have a lot of nice little flowers around you to cheer you up and distract you when you are down. The con is that you would probably need some time to master it since you are not the best at thinking happy thoughts, though, but I thought it would be more romantic than the ability to cook, to, um... have a new blessing I have never given to anyone else yet, "he whispered sheepishly, sounding rather embarrassed for his childish thoughts. "It, it does not have to be any of those, either, if you are not into them. I am just telling you so we can think it through together. This is how my blessing pool is - it does not have a few grand things, but a whole lot of very random tiny things... Like, instead of one large impressive tulip, you have a big bush of forget-me-nots.... "

[Mirach]

"I must say I like the idea of making sparkles. I just enjoy glittery things, and also things that are pretty but useless. I think I could have fun with those," Senecio said.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's furrowed brow cleared up with unbothered confidence in Senecio's voice, and his feelings previously clouded with timidness brightened up with a spark of relief and joy. He could not help but smile.

"It is nice... that enjoying glittery things is something we have in common, " he said softly. He shyly caressed the actor's hair one more time, before lowering it to gesture to the man's palm. "If you are sure... if you are truly really sure it is something you will like and would not rather have something else... may you give me your hand? May I hold it, and may I kiss it to seal the blessing? If the ability itself is small and impractical, let us make up for it by making a blessing ceremony properly romantic. I shall give you a blessing while giving you a proper demonstration of how pretty creating glowing sparkles is when viewed here where light is scarcer... Let me make this air bubble properly shiny and sparkly, for my pretty and cool boyfriend that likes pretty things... "

[Mirach]

Senecio smiled and offered his hand to Tide. "Here. I'm sure."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide took Senecio's hand in his, and as he did, iridescent shining sparks began to appear, glowing as they formed, illuminating dark waters around them more and more as their number grew. They glowed and floated in the air bubble idly, like fireflies, fractions of light created with their movements. While it would have been even prettier in the complete darkness of the night, it still looked rather beautiful deeper under the surface where they were, and Tide was grinning with the result. Only then, when the atmosphere was properly set, did he look back on the actor, and begin to speak. Apparently, as long as it is with proper weight, Beings could choose what words to use to give blessings, and Tide seemed to have since they met read at least a part of Flinding and Gwendelyn play, the one they talked about the night of their meeting, as it seemed he took one particular quote he loved from it, and changed a few words to fit his intentions. He spoke cheerfully, brightly, with so much joy stuck in his throat that it seemed to the actor as if the demon was choking on it. There were no dramatic brakes or intonations, only raw excitement and delight. While it was by no means refined reading, somehow, it felt fitting for Tide to pair his blessing with a poem.

" My lovely Seine, who with the years has grown
More beautiful than hopes or dreams could make you,
Receive my first blessing, which your own
Loveliness decrees, to consecrate you.
Of all the wonders of this great creation
On you alone my heart and mind were set,
As nothing else were fit for adoration,
As nothing else could meet where eyes were met..."

Tide finished the verses with bathed breath and affection dripping with hunger, and he lowered his head lightly and kissed the back of Senecio's hand. As he did so, the number of luminescent sparks grew, and the actor felt a little bit of something stir and change within him, with a little wave of Tide's essence and magic, washing over him with brief familiar scents of salty waters and pomegranate flowers - and from that moment on, the man carried the demon's blessing with him.

[Mirach]

"But think, although my love might bring you glory
And honour, as candles strive with night,
One life is but the ending of one story,
And we ourselves must bring from darkness light.
Therefore give all to love, and loose its wings;
The bird that has its freedom more often sings."

Senecio finished the verses together with Tide and at the end sebt a few sparks into the air. There wasn’t much of them on the first try, so he did it again and manged more of them. He smiled at Tide. "It's not as dramatic, but I think I'm getting the hang of this."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's heart skipped a beat with Senecio's first sparkles, and a soft sentimental feeling washed over him like a wave.
"Would... would you think of me as shallow, if I said this blessing, with all its lack of practicality, suits you? In all my memories, your smile is full of sparkles, so it is nice that my memories and reality match at last. I... I should be more considerate, and share your worries about the heaviness of returning to the stage, but... I can't help it. I am just too happy to be properly worried, "Demon chuckled shyly, and as if he genuinely could not help it, he kissed Senecio's hand that he blessed before anew. "Please, forgive this shallow creature... I should be more considerate and offer more comfort for your troubled mind... But all I can think about is how fortunate I am to have you. Thank you, for growing into such a glittery man with such adorable love for glittery things, "he purred loudly. " Instead of sympathy, my head is full of clouds and hopes and sparkles and cotton candy, and daydreams of all the dramatic shenanigans you will get in when you grow into your blessing. Am I being inconsiderate, with my brightness and good mood? Am I getting ahead of myself, daydreaming about the future with you so ardently when we only know each other for a short while? Do my feelings put pressure on you? " he whispered shyly and softly, with a guilty expression that did not look too sorry, though. " I... I am trying to act and feel with proper measures but just can not help it... It's been such a long time since I have had so much hope...  "

[Mirach]

"No, it's nice. It's distracting me from worrying too much, too. And now that I can make sparkles, I'm too busy thinking about where I can use them in the play, too. It’s... oh, look!" Senecio smiled when he noticed that one of the whales got curious about the sparkles and was swimming closer to them and the closer it got, the more huge it looked.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's expression was tender and bright as he watched his reaction. Instead of dwelling on insecurities, it seemed he was overtaken by the yearning to share his joy of the moment with Senecio, and he spoke, bubbly with that feeling.
" I've known that little rascal since she was a tiny calf... They have names for each other on their own tongue, but I love to nickname them too. I call this little thing Creampuff, and the other three are called Cookie, Cake and Pancake," he shared, indeed, it fitting quite well that Tide would name pets by food " This particular one likes shiny things. Sometimes when me and Sage visit them, I come and make them some nice sparkle trails in water to chase to have fun. My range is larger than yours for now, but at worst, your starting range in creating sparkles should be around 50 meters. Would you like to give it a little chase around us, so you can see it better? I can cover further, amd you can cover closer range..." He offered shyly, and he began to create a little bit sparkles around, showing Senecio how to group them in a way that creates a glittery trail within the water, seeming excited with a chance to teach him.

[Mirach]

"So I can make the sparks appear in a distance from me? That’s cool, how..." he didn't finish the question as he tried to figure it out himself and made a binch of sparks in the water a few meters away from them.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide was overflowing with bubbly proud feelings as he watched the actor.
" It truly suits you... When blessing suits the giver's nature or temperament, it comes more innately to them, and they are likely to grow stronger or evolve in ways unique to them with practice. It is the same as, for example, little Svarik receiving blessings tied to sunlight or healing would be ridiculously stronger when given to him compared to other people or giving a blessing tied to stars or strength would be much stronger when given to someone like Sir Falcon than to common folk. This one looks so right for you... You picked well. Sparkly things really do go best with sparkly, cute, adorable people like my Seine is... " Demon showered him with shy little praises, as he observed him figure things out, while adding little sparkles of his own in front of the curious whale, showing Senecio by example what combinations of spark's position and movement created glittery trails that he thought looked best.

---
In the meantime, once Svarik got tired from playing with whales and went back to the boat to rest, Erdel used the change while the actor was absent to quietly inform him about their talk with Janus, and the deal for the bag borrowing in exchange for law about adoption than demon wanted for Senecio's sake. He also more timidly informed him that he asked Janus if there were ways to help expand Sil Simbel's movement range, and that demon seemed to be having some thoughts about it, but also doubts about how much he should help a potential demon hunter given Simbels's past, so he gave Svarik heads up that Janus will likely consult with him about the matter, too.

[Mirach]

Senecio tried to lure the whale closer with sparks, to get a better look at it, abd simultaneously was figuring out what he can do with them abd how to change their shape and color.

---

Svarik nodded. "Thank you. So do I get it right that Hans wants to adopt Senecio, but not as a son? Who would have thought when we first met him, right? And I've heard you're going to have a role in his play, aren't you? What is the role, if I may ask?"