 t's very, very cold. It's cold enough that you'll see your breath fog in the air before you, that goosebumps appear on your arms and legs and a chill goes up your spine. You're inside, in a huge palace with sweeping arches and rooms, but it's no real shelter from the cold -- it's just as cold inside as out.
There's a throne room, a kitchen, various rooms and even a dungeon to be explored -- and outside, a frigid, frozen garden, a lake that's naturally frozen over, and miles, and miles of snow as far as the eye can see.
But be careful while you explore. The snowflake soldiers are naturally dangerous, but even more dangerous than that...there's that creeping sensation of numbness going up your arm, a pang through your chest, and the slow, slow freezing from the inside out.
Try not to leave any of your friends behind, okay? Even if they might look a bit too uncannily like some of the statues hanging around for decoration when they're frozen over.
Welcome to Awash's fourteenth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs for this event, but please keep in mind the lack of laptop function during this event when it comes to forum posts!
If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you! |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Then, they frown. ]
You're not fine.
[ It's almost like both of them need to hear it. ]
I don't think you can wait any longer. We don't know if she'll come, after all. [ A heavy pause. ] It isn't the queen who reverses things in the story, anyway...
[ No, it's the dearly loved friend of the afflicted character. They guess they fit that description, right? Sort of. They'd wanted the queen to appear for answers, for solid evidence, but they're learning here (and through the continuation of their partnership) that sometimes, they have to throw caution to the wind. ]
no subject
When that gratitude isn't stuck under a thick layer of ice, Phos will remember to express it. For now, they can barely manage to look at Cairngorm when even moving their eyes feels like dragging impossibly heavy weights. ]
You.
[ That's a question, even without the right tone. But if it's permission Cairngorm needs, Phos can't- wouldn't- say no to reversing this curse. ]
no subject
With their hand that's still gloved, they steady a hand on Phos's cheek, turning them a little more towards them. ]
Don't freak out or move. You'll get chipped if you do.
[ Their voice is quiet and firm, despite how they seem to be hovering in an unsure way over how to go about this. Sure, they've seen it in books and read about it, but this is a wholly human thing, and an extremely emotional thing at that. Even if gems don't do it, it's sort of obvious just in the nature of it. Then again, anything to save Phos, right? Right.
Gently, so gently, they lean over so they can brush their lips against Phos's, the sound not too far off from the clink of champagne glasses. They're keeping a hand on the side of their partner's face mostly to keep them steady, but also so they'll be able to feel it the moment there's any change - they're not sure when they're supposed to pull away, so they intend to stay pressed there until at least something happens. But they're also keeping perfectly still; the last thing they want is to cause more damages... ]
no subject
Unable to move even if they wanted to, they can only watch as Cairngorm hovers over them, hand on their cheek. They don't know what they're expecting when they lean in closer still, right up until the brittle collision of their lips clears up the fog of doubt.
Frozen, Phos considers what they do and don't understand a kiss to be. It feels like a mimicry of affection they've seen on the moon, and even that's probably an echo to the behavior of humans. It's foreign, but the longer they stay like this, the thawing of their thoughts allows them to think they don't entirely dislike the strangeness of it- until finally their mouth parts slightly, a mock of an inhale. As the cold recedes, their alloy begins to withdraw back into shape while Phos' thawing embarrassment spills over instead. ]
I..I think we can stop now.
no subject
There's no way they'll let Phos know that, though. So they'll be as distant as they need to be to keep things smooth between them.
There's a little bit of gold-flecked blue shining through where their lips had met, and Cairngorm is nice enough to smooth out the powder over it again with their gloved thumb, covering the tiny break they'd caused before retracting away fully. Can't have Phos walking around with proof of this happening on their face, after all. ]
Feeling better?
[ Their tone is expectant, and they don't meet Phos's eyes. ]
no subject
It feels like an ocean of difference between the versions of Cairngorm that Phos recognizes, and the one that's in front of them now. The hardness that always follows any kindness they show feels like it's lacking, and Phos doesn't quite know what to make of that. Sitting up more, they lean back on their hands and give an awkward laugh. ]
It's thanks to you. You're always saving me.
no subject
If you weren't so reckless, I wouldn't have to save you all the time.
[ If it's criticism Phos wants after Cairngorm shows them kindness, then they can have it. Relieved as they are that Phos is better, their condition improving means that they don't have to show their secret tender side anymore. Even though that kind of already got revealed by how Phos saw that memory of them while they were asleep for those 102 years... ]
You're lucky that worked. I would have turned you to dust if you "died" or whatever over something so stupid...
no subject
[ The sentimentality of their voice wanes to be more defense and less self-pitying; there's plenty to be said about the alloy lashing out irrationally when Phos can't handle what's in front of them, but it's not as if they had any idea that they'd be frozen to.. what, death? ]
Is that what would have happened? [ Death is, technically, not possible for either of them— but Phos knows that there's something similar to it, even if they haven't been able to tell Cairngorm just yet. They're waiting for the right time. ]
Dust? [ A wry, surprised smile- when is the right time, even? ] You'd spend the next hundred years apologizing and putting me back together if you did that.. I think you just like saving me.
no subject
Well, anyway. All that can wait. ]
I do not. [ Of course, they are defiant. In fact, they're just gonna start getting up, frowning. ] Do you think this is fun for me?
[ Okay, so, maybe the part about putting them back together is true, but still. It doesn't mean they enjoy doing this!! Phos is so self-centered; that tender sadness they'd felt for them a moment ago seems to have all but evaporated, replaced by the typical aggravation they feel towards them.
Still. They tie the end of their glove that contains the bits that had broken off of Phos, tossing it their way as they stand to their full height. ]
You can put yourself back together.
no subject
[ It's a shallow attempt at a tease because, again, they don't want to tread too far into the depths of Cairngorm's feelings. Poking and prodding right at the edges of them to get an idea is always enough, especially in moments when Phos doesn't deserve to be in the hands of someone so careful.
Watching Cairngorm rise, Phos' eyes widen a little as the glove of their shards falls into their lap. They scramble into sitting up more, held in place by messy pillars of gold. ]
You're just going to make me do it myself, after all that? Cairngooorm..