Summary:Varanim converses with Lucent's component pieces again.
XP:L1, V1
Tags:< ALL DEAD | Sol Invictus Logs | What's Left To Hope For >
Varanim has finished her work day early, so it's not even false dawn when she comes back to the Cascade... and after some hesitation, in through Lucent's slightly open garden door. It vaguely occurs to her that she made dinner plans with him the night before, then missed them.
Varanim After frowning at his sleeping face for a moment she sinks into a chair and pulls out a few old thaumaturgical supplies from back in the day. A few minutes later her dream-self is stepping sideways through a thread of smoke to touch his sleeping forehead lightly, knocking at the door of his dreams.
Lucent The door opens with a faceless Lucent clad as a sun-knight opens it. "Oh, it is YOU!"
Lucent "Welcome, welcome."
Varanim "Yes, let me in already. I don't want it to get around that I'm indulging in this shamanistic bullshit. Are Copper or Haze here?"
Lucent The faceless Lucent is now on his suit and tie, adjusting the tie before absent-mindedly waving to his left, "Oh, yes, Haze is that way. Copper has not been around for a little while, however. Ever since your talk in the South, if I am not mistaken. Refreshments?"
Varanim "Not hungry. Is he sulking?" She starts off toward the left.
Lucent "No. Not at all." She walks to the left, and what she sees... is GLORY! A great kingdom of tall golden spires in the middle of the desert, great aqueducts of colored glass going through its gardens... not it is ALL a garden, buildings of amber and oak, of autumn leaf and white rose together with the gold and the glass...
Lucent She saw Haze there, sat atop of a balcony watching it absent-minded while munching on a candied apple. He was watching intently a festival beneath, where men and dragons and gods danced in tandem with one another!
Varanim approaches Haze slowly, taking in the landscape with a slightly suspicious eye. She pauses back from the crowd to look up at him on the balcony, then picks up a pretty little pebble and flicks it at him to catch his attention.
Lucent Around the landscape there was the circle, Zahara presiding over things, the Fable above it all, Mr. Iggles-Lux dancing with them and Admiral Longwhiskers atop of Imrama's head like a piratical hat as he dances, Cerin smiling(?!?) and Spring planting flowers! Haze looks at her and smiles bright, leaping down to Varanim! "Hi!"
Varanim "Hey, kid," she says and reaches out to ruffle his hair. "How are things in here these days?"
Lucent Haze closes his eyes, happy as he leans into it. "Great! So full of... you know." He smiles as his eyes follow the festival, with Lucent and Varanim as his queen - smiling, dressed up with so many frills she seems to disappear under and crowned - walk in and begin to dance, ofuscating all others! Looking each other in love! "You made Copper blush!" He giggles.
Varanim "Did I, now," she says softly, watching the dream-Lucent and Varanim with narrowed eyes. She breaks off looking at them after a moment to raise her eyebrows at Haze. "He heard me mention him?"
Lucent "HmmmHmmm. It's no fun if some things are out in the open, he always says. He also stopped telling Lucent to sleep with other girls, which is good!" He nods as they keep dancing, the seasons changing. It is autumn and all leaves are falling. Lucent eyes Queen-Varanim with sad eyes, "Did you tell Zee I missed her? Though, we've had fun since that time... been missing her less, now!"
Varanim "I haven't told her," she admits. "I came in to... see how you were doing. Lucent will probably be angry with me again soon, so it seemed best to stop by now."
Lucent "Oh?" His eyes go wide, concerned. "Why?"
Varanim "Because he wants something he can't have, and I'm lousy at breaking things kindly." She frowns down at him. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not going to tell you. Having it out once is enough."
Lucent "C-can't... can't you just wait?" His eyes shine as if they had water in them as he turns... and Lucent begins to walk away, leaving the Queen Varanim crying. He walks into... something, something that quite pointedly Is Not There, and smiling one last time, disappears, his cape-of-night flapping in the wind and striking a pole, where it stays like a banner. "W-we won't be around m-much longer..."
Varanim folds her arms and looks at Haze very sharply, clearly waiting for an explanation.
Lucent "I-I don't KNOW!" He pouts, hands behind his back and looking at his feet, "W-we just won't."
Varanim "I see."
Varanim "It sounds like I'm not the only one who has something to talk about," she says grimly. "It was silly of me to put it off by coming here first."
Lucent "It... it is good to see you again, though." His speech normalized. "Really!"
Lucent "We have been meeting so much lately, but not... like this!"
Varanim sniffs. "He can't be bothered to clean his own room, of course he doesn't pay attention to the inside of his head." A little of the bleakness leaves her expression as she looks back at Haze, then pats his shoulder. "I should go get this over with. You'll be all right, kid."
Lucent "Did you like the plushies?" He asks, a little out of the blue.
Varanim "They're ridiculous," she snorts. "Also cute, but don't bother telling anyone I said that, they'll never believe you."
Lucent Haze looks all fulfilled, smiling. "I'll think of something less ridiculous next time!"
Varanim pulls Haze close in an abrupt hug, holding him tightly for several seconds before stepping back and patting his shoulder awkwardly. She lifts her hand in goodbye, turning away with a little smirk. "Tell Copper it was fun while it lasted."
Lucent nods, a little sad. "I will soon. I am about togo try to cheer him up." His lips curl into a sly grin, "He HATES it when I do that."
Varanim laughs. "Good." She pauses to think a moment, then pulls a bit of paper out of her bag, scribbles something filthy on it, and folds it up to toss to Haze. "Give him that, and don't read it--you're too young." Then she turns and sets out for the return door, whistling off-key.