[so... luca probably closed up recently. it's so late in the night that it's almost morning. he might have juuust gotten to sleep when there's a heavy-handed, rhythmic banging on the front door of the bar. a few seconds of that, and a particularly grumpy-sounding kiera calls up toward his window.]
Open the beasts-damned door!
[if he does choose to come down... he'll notice, in the darkness before the dawn comes, that kiera's cheeks shimmer at certain angles, just like they did when she became a vampire a few months ago. he probably also recognizes the particular expression on her face as not so much angry as it is her trying to mask pain.]
[There is a moment where, as Luca looks down through his window, he hesitates. It isn't Kiera per se, but this damn Forest and its constant illusions. In the end, though, love for his sibling will always win out. It his greatest weakness, and he's sure the Forest knows it.
All that is to say, he does rush down the stairs, taking them two, even three, at a time. The door is thrown open, and he grabs her by the shirt and practically pulls her in. Best case scenario, the Forest is fucking with her again, and the last thing she needs is to be caught out in the sun.
The door is, of course, promptly slammed and locked, before he turns on her.]
[kiera would like to think that, were it not for the persistent feeling of their head about to burst, they would be slightly more tactful. unfortunately, they'll never know, so they end up snarling anyway.]
Your Emissary. The Butterfly -- [there's a particularly agonizing pulse in their skull, and they hiss, digging their fingers into their hair.]
[Luca is mildly taken aback by that. Nevertheless, he feels his heart leap into his throat (out of fear or a thrill, he can't say). His eyes shoot to a nearby window, as if expecting a finned face to be leering in at him. Maybe he's a little disappointed when he doesn't see it.
But, right. Back to reality. He shakes the fog of desire from his mind and focuses on Kiera.]
[there's no sound from kiera but the grinding of teeth and a wounded growl for a good, long moment. when their head finally ebbs into more bearable pain, they trudge over to a table and sit down roughly into a chair before glancing up at luca through tousled hair.]
Not here. Home. For longer than you, it would seem. [their lips pull into a pained, sharp smile.] Unless you thought it'd be funny to keep it a secret from me that we got to wipe my mother off the face of the planet.
Home - [It's a statement. He knows what happened the second they say that. It was certainly enough to send fear coiling into his chest. If River had been there — and had been there for the death of the Phoenix.
What the hell was happening back home?
But before he could actually parse that question for himself, the second half of their statement hit him. The Empress... was gone? His eyes sweep over Kiera, trying to figure out if they were lying, or somehow warped by the Grove to simply believe. But like with him all those months ago, the physical changes were evidence otherwise.
They wouldn't be this if the Grove had toyed with them.
He swallows hard and pulls away from Kiera.]
Sit. And talk. [He ducks behind the bar, finding a bottle for them before returning. He pushes it to their side. They need the whole damn thing.]
[kiera looks at the bottle woefully. here in the grove, they'd done their best to avoid drinking, following nearly drowning in it at that stupid siren resort. but with a body that just came from home... they're only in for withdrawal symptoms if they go cold turkey again. and maybe it'll help with their head. fine, they uncork it and take a swig. or three.
gods, it tastes awful now. a result of the trauma, or their changed physiology?]
Everything you said happened, happened. And after... [their eyes squeeze shut. they really don't want to talk right now. their own voice echoes in their skull like a gong. but luca needs to know.]
... The Butterfly spoke to me. Called me back. Said it was my duty to kill her, and if I did, it would remove my Blessing. [there's a lot they skim over, here. people who helped them. people kiera hurt.] ... We did. And when I went to have the Beast release me, Alazon came out of nowhere and attacked it. [a shiver runs up their spine, causing them to shudder and grimace.] Now, instead of setting me free, the Butterfly took refuge in my body.
[It hadn't been lost on Luca, that Kiera hadn't been a patron of the bar as much lately. Maybe he was relieved by it — always worrying over her, he is. And maybe it makes his heart sink, to see her reach for it so readily again.
But the last thing she needs is his nagging. Not right now, at least. Right now, he grapples with the way his heart swoops on knowing that the Empress was finally dead, only to plummet immediately after upon learning Kiera's curse. Now that he knows, he can feel that the power there, though familiar and easily ignored at first, runs deep.
And River — Alazon. He doesn't understand his actions, but a nagging voice at the back of his head can't help but wonder if their budding romance had all been a ruse. A method of getting under his skin and exposing his weakness. Had he been after the Beasts the entire time? But if that had been the case, why let Luca take that power?
... All questions that would have to wait, he realizes. Right now, Kiera and her grief are so much more important.]
I'm sorry, Kiera. That - [He shakes his head.] I'm sorry. I know that is the last thing you could have ever wanted.
[she watches luca's face intently, observing all the emotions that run across it. kiera has always had their own suspicions about alazon, as biased as they probably are, but being the one to bring them up to luca has only ever resulted in arguments. let him come to the conclusion, himself.
a hollow chuckle leaves their throat as they swirl the bottle on the table, not taking another drink for now.]
... It's an odd thing. For as scared of it as I've always been, it was almost... compassionate. It seemed less angry that she impersonated it, and more that she used its image to hurt the Castillan people.
I should have known. My mother was nothing if not a manipulative liar.
[It's not a conclusion he wants to come to, thank you. He's had to deal with enough drama in his love life. To say nothing of the residual grief churned up by their experiences last month.
He'll deal with the doubt and shame later though. Right now... Right now he needs to focus on his sibling.]
It seems our understanding of any Beast is drastically misrepresented. [Who knows! Maybe the Leviathan wasn't a vicious destroyer after all. Then again, given what's happened with their "favorite" emissary, that legend is probably true.]
[a humorless laugh escapes her, juxtaposed to the scowl on her face.]
I never thought I would see the day I despised the Phoenix and appreciated the Butterfly.
[luca's curse brings a smile back to her face, finally. she lifts the bottle in cheers and takes a shorter drink from it. when she lowers it again, she works through the pain in her head to give her brother a genuine, fond smile.]
I would have died without you there, Luc. Even if you don't remember it yet... thank you.
Maybe I should have stayed gone. Me coming back seemed to fuck everything up, didn't it?
[He says it... mostly lightheartedly at least? He hasn't once regretted coming back. If anything, this is just another sign that he's made the right call. He was able to be there for them when they needed it. What more could he ask for as their brother?]
I know I went back on my word for some time there but... I will always be there for you. No matter where you go.
[he's so earnest... so much more open than he was even a year ago. kiera could mention that luca did, in fact, chase after alazon rather than stay in the castillan capital with kiera, but decides against it. there's no point in making him feel bad about something he hasn't even done yet. and really, if anyone could stop alazon or get what he's up to out of him, it will be luca.]
[One day that should... probably be brought up. Probably. For now, Luca can well and truly believe that he's put his past habit of abandoning Kiera when they need it most behind him. It's probably for the best, boy is upset enough right now.]
You have done plenty fine so far. [He reaches for their hand. Give him contact, pls.] I am still here because of you. I was able to bring down the Phoenix because of you.
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timeasmymeasure
before the event
Date: 2025-09-05 02:35 pm (UTC)Open the beasts-damned door!
[if he does choose to come down... he'll notice, in the darkness before the dawn comes, that kiera's cheeks shimmer at certain angles, just like they did when she became a vampire a few months ago. he probably also recognizes the particular expression on her face as not so much angry as it is her trying to mask pain.]
no subject
Date: 2025-09-06 02:12 am (UTC)All that is to say, he does rush down the stairs, taking them two, even three, at a time. The door is thrown open, and he grabs her by the shirt and practically pulls her in. Best case scenario, the Forest is fucking with her again, and the last thing she needs is to be caught out in the sun.
The door is, of course, promptly slammed and locked, before he turns on her.]
What happened? Who did it?
no subject
Date: 2025-09-11 01:47 pm (UTC)Your Emissary. The Butterfly -- [there's a particularly agonizing pulse in their skull, and they hiss, digging their fingers into their hair.]
no subject
Date: 2025-09-12 08:42 pm (UTC)But, right. Back to reality. He shakes the fog of desire from his mind and focuses on Kiera.]
River - Alazon isn't here, Kiera. How could he -
no subject
Date: 2025-09-12 10:14 pm (UTC)Not here. Home. For longer than you, it would seem. [their lips pull into a pained, sharp smile.] Unless you thought it'd be funny to keep it a secret from me that we got to wipe my mother off the face of the planet.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-14 05:34 pm (UTC)What the hell was happening back home?
But before he could actually parse that question for himself, the second half of their statement hit him. The Empress... was gone? His eyes sweep over Kiera, trying to figure out if they were lying, or somehow warped by the Grove to simply believe. But like with him all those months ago, the physical changes were evidence otherwise.
They wouldn't be this if the Grove had toyed with them.
He swallows hard and pulls away from Kiera.]
Sit. And talk. [He ducks behind the bar, finding a bottle for them before returning. He pushes it to their side. They need the whole damn thing.]
cw alcoholism
Date: 2025-09-17 03:21 pm (UTC)gods, it tastes awful now. a result of the trauma, or their changed physiology?]
Everything you said happened, happened. And after... [their eyes squeeze shut. they really don't want to talk right now. their own voice echoes in their skull like a gong. but luca needs to know.]
... The Butterfly spoke to me. Called me back. Said it was my duty to kill her, and if I did, it would remove my Blessing. [there's a lot they skim over, here. people who helped them. people kiera hurt.] ... We did. And when I went to have the Beast release me, Alazon came out of nowhere and attacked it. [a shiver runs up their spine, causing them to shudder and grimace.] Now, instead of setting me free, the Butterfly took refuge in my body.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-17 04:09 pm (UTC)But the last thing she needs is his nagging. Not right now, at least. Right now, he grapples with the way his heart swoops on knowing that the Empress was finally dead, only to plummet immediately after upon learning Kiera's curse. Now that he knows, he can feel that the power there, though familiar and easily ignored at first, runs deep.
And River — Alazon. He doesn't understand his actions, but a nagging voice at the back of his head can't help but wonder if their budding romance had all been a ruse. A method of getting under his skin and exposing his weakness. Had he been after the Beasts the entire time? But if that had been the case, why let Luca take that power?
... All questions that would have to wait, he realizes. Right now, Kiera and her grief are so much more important.]
I'm sorry, Kiera. That - [He shakes his head.] I'm sorry. I know that is the last thing you could have ever wanted.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-17 06:51 pm (UTC)a hollow chuckle leaves their throat as they swirl the bottle on the table, not taking another drink for now.]
... It's an odd thing. For as scared of it as I've always been, it was almost... compassionate. It seemed less angry that she impersonated it, and more that she used its image to hurt the Castillan people.
I should have known. My mother was nothing if not a manipulative liar.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-17 10:07 pm (UTC)He'll deal with the doubt and shame later though. Right now... Right now he needs to focus on his sibling.]
It seems our understanding of any Beast is drastically misrepresented. [Who knows! Maybe the Leviathan wasn't a vicious destroyer after all. Then again, given what's happened with their "favorite" emissary, that legend is probably true.]
Well. May she burn in hell, where she belongs.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-17 10:37 pm (UTC)I never thought I would see the day I despised the Phoenix and appreciated the Butterfly.
[luca's curse brings a smile back to her face, finally. she lifts the bottle in cheers and takes a shorter drink from it. when she lowers it again, she works through the pain in her head to give her brother a genuine, fond smile.]
I would have died without you there, Luc. Even if you don't remember it yet... thank you.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-18 01:37 am (UTC)[He says it... mostly lightheartedly at least? He hasn't once regretted coming back. If anything, this is just another sign that he's made the right call. He was able to be there for them when they needed it. What more could he ask for as their brother?]
I know I went back on my word for some time there but... I will always be there for you. No matter where you go.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-18 03:49 am (UTC)I know. I hope I can do the same.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-18 03:55 am (UTC)You have done plenty fine so far. [He reaches for their hand. Give him contact, pls.] I am still here because of you. I was able to bring down the Phoenix because of you.