what if we kissed while being chased by the ski-free yeti 😳

[beleos]

CEREMONIES OF HARMONIZATION (MERIDIAN)

Early in the month, a brief Communion message is sent out by Cetina and Kathova to their respective factions (if you’re unharmonized, sorry, you get both!) to inform them that Harmonization Ceremonies will be taking place on December 8th. While not required, it’s strongly encouraged that you at least make an appearance at the respective ceremony. This is a time for the factions to honor and celebrate you for making your choice and to symbolically represent that commitment. If you haven’t made your choice yet, you’re welcome to attend either ceremony. In fact, it would be a great honor to choose to Harmonize at the ceremony itself.

When you arrive to Heliopolis for the ceremony, the first thing you’ll be asked to do is… change? A wide variety of Greek and Roman-styled outfits are provided, all in light shades ranging from pure whites to soft pastels. But once you’re changed, you’re led deep into Heliopolis to a great courtyard where the tree is rooted. Along the edges, large tables full of appetizing food and drink are being set up, but first, you have the Ceremony to attend.

Once most people have arrived, Cyrus takes a place at the base of the tree and speaks to those assembled. He gives a warm, charismatic speech welcoming all to the celebration. This is a time to celebrate those who have Meridian’s light within them and to welcome them. He hopes that you’ll find peace and happiness here in Kenos, and just as much, he hopes the worlds you see in your Sunbeams return. One day, you’ll part ways, but for now, he hopes you find new friends and family here among the Meri.

After his brief speech, you’ll be given opportunity to approach the tree and touch your Shard to it in a ritualistic way. When you do, you’ll get the experience of briefly visiting a happy, peaceful time in another world as if the tree itself is Communing with you. You’re more likely to see the worlds of those in attendance at the ceremony, but it can also be random. Regardless, it fills you with a sense of belonging and resolve as if reminding you that this is what you’re helping someone return to and your own home is also waiting. From there, you’ll be directed to the sides of the courtyard where craftspeople are waiting. If you give them your Iliachtida, they’ll happily craft it into a piece of jewelry or other token of your choosing so that you can always carry it with you.

After this, it’s of course time to feast and to party!

You’ll find music, dancing, food, and drink, which the Tribune himself seems to be indulging in! Eventually, an interesting drinking game will begin… You’ll see Meri lounging in a circle and drinking wine, but once their cup is empty, they offer a toast, and then flick the remaining sediment towards a bowl in the center. This is Kottabos! Ask a yes or no question, and its outcome is decided by whether the remainder of the wine-lees lands in the target. Alternately, it’s a traditional gambling game as well. Make a wager with another player: candy and cakes, money, or maybe even kisses in the spirit of the season. All things work as currency in Kottabos!

CEREMONIES OF HARMONIZATION (ZENITH)

As Kathova informed you, Zenith’s ceremony is a formal affair, and you’re expected to dress as such. Don’t worry if some of the finer clothing is out of your budget—this ceremony is important, so you’ll be able to commission whatever you’d like from a local tailor, and Lady Yima will foot the bill. The ceremony itself takes place in the Courtyard of Yima’s Manor, and the twin moons shine brightly overhead in her garden. There are multiple large tables set up with enough seats to accommodate everyone in attendance and at the front of this setup is a smaller table with seats for Yima and Kathova.

However, while everyone is arriving, she’s standing at the foot of the tree. She’ll greet everyone who comes, and once everyone is settled, will give a brief speech of welcome: spreading her hands, she invites all gathered to be at peace among their kindred - as all are family among the Zenith. Each soul is connected, holding a crucial piece that will be carried into the new world to come. She understands there are struggles to come, that the road ahead may not be an easy one - but each of them lest but look around them. Do they see the faces of those at their sides...? These are safe hands to entrust themselves in, and she welcomes you as they will welcome you - with open arms. After this, she asks that each of you come to her with your Shard in hand.

When you do, Yima won’t take your Shard from you, but instead just hold her hands over yours. She speaks a Zenite blessing, and then leans down to kiss your Shard. The feeling ripples through you, but it’s not unpleasant. In fact, a sense of peace comes of you that will last the entirety of the night. With a smile, she tells you to enjoy your evening in the moonlight. If you received a Shard from her, she’ll direct you to one of the craftspeople to the side of the courtyard that will fashion a “home” for that Shard. An elegant piece of jewelry, a box, whatever you prefer, and while inside it, it’ll be magically protected. If you didn’t, then she’ll instead direct you to others who will make you a “token”. Much like the barista near the Tomes, give them your Shard, and they’ll create you a custom piece of jewelry or the like that represents your soul. The appearance, of course, is up to the player.

After this, the banquet begins. Gentle music plays in the background, but the focus here is to get to know your fellow Zenite Shard-Bearers. You’ll find a variety of food on the menu, but it’s all quite special, you know at a glance. Whatever your favorite food is, it’s offered at the banquet with your name next to it in parenthesis. This is a bit of a cultural exchange, but there’s also just a little bit of Yima’s more mischievous magic at play. While you eat, the effect is subtle, but you’ll be more open to those you talk with. It’s not so much that you’ll be revealing your secrets or anything of the sort, but just a gentle way to lower those barriers between you.

QIASU (HIGHSTORM)

On December 9th, the marker of the latter half of Takiltu, Kenos comes together to celebrate unity and togetherness, to come together with friends and family, to be kind to others and share in one’s wealth - whether that comes in the form of knowledge, monetary gains, or the exchange of gifts and one’s time. This celebration is an amalgamation of many worlds’ winter festivals, and as such, is known in the two cities as the Year’s End Festival, or Qiasu as Highstorm calls it.

This part of Takiltu is when Highstorm truly starts to hit winter. Snow is a frequent occurrence, but it’s one that the city welcomes, since with the snow comes a few of the most beloved traditions of the city. By far the most popular is heading to Greenwood Yards. The gardens themselves may be either dormant or showing their simpler winter gardens, but you may have noticed an area by the bathhouses left in surprising amount of disrepair… This is because during the winter months, this area fills up with a natural outdoor hot spring! Take a swim under the moonlight, and even explore some of those ruined old manors, now with their first floors warmly flooded. It’s a tradition to bring in your favorite drinks and spend an evening sipping it in a parlor with friends, and to make new ones by sharing your drinks. Of course, do watch out for the ghosts. They’re mischievous more than malicious, but this is their favorite time of the year too!

You can also head to the Great Tree, which is decorated for the season with glittering glass orbs and is the current roost for the pale Moonbugs of Highstorm. Write a wish on a slip of paper and hold out your hands, and one of the Moonbugs will come sit within them. Whisper the wish to the Moonbug and it’ll take the paper and fly away to find someone to fulfill it. Of course, this also means that a Moonbug is likely to come find you! Besides it being good karma to fulfill the wish, you’ll be given a brief vision of the person whose wish you fulfilled and be blessed by the tree for the duration of the month depending upon your Aspect:

• Advocate: People are more likely to buy you meals/rounds and every recipe you make turns out perfectly.
• Exalt: Animals seem to think more kindly of you, and you'll find them much easier to befriend.
• Harbinger: You're given a more silver tongue as your arguments seem to be better at persuading people.
• Iconoclast: You won't be effected by cold weather in any way.
• Savant: You heal much more rapidly from any injury and are generally the very picture of health.
• Stargazer: Your indulgences (whatever they may be) are both easier to find and are of higher quality.

And of course, there’s one more well-known practice in Highstorm, though it’s more of a tradition of Kowloon’s… The Gävle family is a well-known family who has lived in Highstorm for a long time, and they brought a tradition of building a festive Yule goat made straw in the square outside of their businesses. However, it also happens to be outside of Yura Szczepanski’s home. He’ll never do it himself, of course, but if you manage to burn it down? He’ll reward you, obviously. It doesn’t make it any more legal, so those that try generally spend some time in a Highstorm jail, but it’s an enshrined enough practice at this point that not only has it burned down more often than it’s survived, but there’s even a betting pool in Kowloon for whether it survives or not.

Of course, if these traditions aren’t quite your vibe, you’ll also find the city just generally set up for a metropolitan winter. The Antiques & Baubles Market is rearranged to make room for a large ice-skating rink, Tasseography (the coffeeshop by the Tomes) has a seasonal special for a hot chocolate that will fortify you from the cold for a few hours (and make you fire resistant? Weird,), and the city also hosts a full-size gingerbread house that you can indeed take a bite from, to name a few things. Generally speaking, if it’s something you could do in a snowy city at home, you’ll probably find an equivalent somewhere in the city of moonlight.

YEAR'S END FESTIVAL (SPRINGSTAR)

Springstar will never turn down a chance to celebrate, but eternally Highstorm’s opposite, this is the warmest time of year. With the sun always shining, some days can get near sweltering, but that just means you have a different set of traditions to have fun with it!

The ivy-like vines that decorated the city in the beginning of the month (November) are now in full bloom, and you’re now likely to learn why the Meri consider them sacred. Wherever the flowers bloom, they encourage feelings of warmth and slightly higher inclination for physical contact within those that encounter their magical pollen*. Holding hands with someone by the flowers will give you feelings of liveliness and happiness, and for a few hours, the positive traits of the person you’re holding hands with become more prominent in you and vice versa. These effects do linger a bit longer, since for a month, you’ll also find that being around this person also gives you both a little boost in energy. It’s very sweet! This also comes with a bit of a further game, if you’re at all a frequenter of Psychagogía...

Madame Dee’s hosts a very popular competition simply called Kiss Bingo. Approach the booth set-up outside the brothel and touch your Shard to a special card, and names will appear upon it. From there, the rules are simple. Just give that person a kiss! It can be on their hand, their lips, their [redacted], all of it counts, and once you do, a little kiss mark will mark their name out. Get a bingo, and you can pick from a variety of prizes such as a ticket for a week’s worth of visits at a local buffet, a shopping spree at a nearby store, or a box seat for a day at the Coliseum. Of course, if you’re really an overachiever, fill out the whole card to get multiple prizes. Madame Dee might just give you a job!

With the promise of home that the Meri deeply believe in, they have their own gifting tradition. The Shard-Bearers know best that it’s possible to receive gifts from the Timestream, and for Year’s End, it’s tradition for the Tribune to pull out all the stops. For a week of the Festival, the Tribune works just outside of Heliopolis, and with the help of priests from the Church of Helios, reaches into the Timestream to produce a gift for anyone that comes to ask. However, this is a tradition taken with great humor. For one, the Tribune wears a particular costume for the duration, said to be a figure from the first Tribune’s world, but with some tweaks for the hotter climate. And two, this was a tradition started when the city was much smaller. Now that it's such a bustling city, pulling good gifts out of the Timestream gets more difficult. It may not be what you asked for, but Cyrus will still hand over a gift just for you with a laugh and a smile, wishing you a Meri year of prosperity to come. There’s no time to stay and chat, however, since the line is quite long!

On rainy days (or simply the unbearably hot ones), you can also go to Starlight Park, which offers a reprieve from the weather. Inside the dome, you’ll find a idyllic, snowy valley where you can partake in all the natural joys of winter. There’s (highly) competitive snowball fights, sledding, and skiing to partake in, though you might be cautioned away from one slope. Head down that course and about halfway down, you’ll be chased by… a yeti? Luckily it doesn’t seem to be able to harm you, but it’s still shockingly fast and will catch you no matter how quickly you ski. You can also spend a bit of money to rent a yurt along the river for a relaxing and exceptionally cozy glamping experience. Some Yurts are even adorned with the sacred vines. You know, for no reason.

You’ll also find the Meri heading away from the city of Springstar a bit to head down to some of the beaches that surround Springstar. Being an island within an Island (capital ‘I’ meaning the Kenos kind of island), Takiltu is the traditional start of Springstar’s summer season and all the fun that comes with that. The beaches are bustling, but the cool and crystal-clear waters of the ocean surrounding the city make it worthwhile. Surfing, diving, and sailing are popular activities, but just make sure to stay within sight of the shore. It doesn’t take too long to hit the end of the Island and sailing outside the magical barrier that keeps Springstar floating in Kenos’s starscape generally isn’t survivable.

NOTES

Weather summary for the second 30 days of Takiltu (NOV & DEC):

• Highstorm is out of fall and into winter. While there are some milder days, snow (and heavy snow at that!) is getting more common.
• Springstar is hot and humid, and it's not uncommon for brief thunderstorms to roll through in the afternoon.

Notable city changes:

• A new bar has opened in Springstar by the name of Punch Drunk! Located in Psychagogia, it's already seeing good business and Meri seem to especially enjoy people watching on the balcony.

Faction updates:

• Rumors have started to circulate that A Zenite Shard is being held hostage by the Meridian. There's a slight increased tension between Meri and Zenites as a result, but it's still understated. This is a matter that's expected to be negotiated, after all.

CODING

Comments

ᴀᴍᴏs.

[subsist]

[ Perhaps it's better to remain blissfully unaware of everything that's going on right now.

The tail-end of the previous month hasn't exactly been kind to Kaeya, and even though both Rosaria and Childe made sure it wasn't going to get much worse than it did, the exhaustion that remains is almost bone-deep. He does his best to ignore it and focuses on recovering his energy as much as possible, because time never waits for anyone.

And it's not like he's the type to remain idle for too long.

The Ceremony of Harmonization is supposed to happen sometime later today, but that doesn't mean that everyone has prepared properly for it. Such is what Kaeya assumes when he makes his way over to Amos' quarters with his retainer following directly behind him. They're both armed with a decent amount of clothes, and none of them are meant for Kaeya.

When he knocks on Amos' door, he waits until the man opens it before greeting him with an amused smile. ]

Amos. Are you busy?

[ If he isn't, he's about to be busy real soon. ]

[baltimores]

[ Kaeya's instincts regarding him are spot on.

Amos has his own exhaustion plaguing him, though his was entirely self-inflicted, by choice. A week ago he'd died; two days ago he'd woken up, sore all over with stinging phantom pains and wanting nothing more than to eat more than his weight in food and then crash. He's been sparse since returning from the Tree of Life, mostly keeping to his room to ride out the worst of it.

The knock wakes him up. Groaning, Amos instinctually buries his face back into the pillows — five more minutes — before sighing and pushing himself up and out of bed, leaving it in disarray. He trundles slowly over to the door, and blinks blearily when he opens it, hair and beard unkempt and looking a little paler than normal, the very picture of someone who's just been woken up from a much-needed nap.

And then it registers that it's Kaeya — and uh, someone else he doesn't know behind him — and that Kaeya's just said something to him, and Amos blinks again before Kaeya's presence here sinks in. He'd had to tell Kathova to let Gen in some days ago, because Gen wasn't welcome here, but Kaeya is—

Without thinking, operating purely on instinct, Amos steps forward, and Kaeya might find himself temporarily lifted off the ground in a hug of appropriate intensity. Was he carrying something? Who cares; he's just happy his friend is here with him.

... Right, and he'd asked him something. It takes a couple more seconds yet for those words to actually permeate his brain, and then he's setting Kaeya back down, none worse for the wear, and carrying on like that didn't just happen. ]

Nope. [ His voice is still a little sleep addled, but he's starting to wake up now. ] What's up?

[subsist]

[ Cue: Kaeya.exe bluescreening and crashing almost immediately.

Amos is strong. Sometimes surprisingly so. This is something Kaeya is made intimately aware of when there are suddenly arms wrapping around him, lifting him just a tiny bit off the floor. If his retainer is surprised by the action, he doesn't say anything, merely an annoyed twitch of feline ears that's followed by a flick of his tail.

Kaeya sputters incoherently, words such as Amos, what— or hang on a second and thereabouts scrambling together. It takes a moment for his brain to catch up and process what just happened. Once it does, he's patting the other man on the shoulder while his feet finally touch the floor. ]

... I missed you too, I think.

[ It occurs to Kaeya that it's been weeks since they last saw each other, so maybe that's why he got such a greeting? Who knows. ]

In any case, I brought some clothes with me. Lady Yima encouraged us to dress our best so I have a few things that might suit you.

[ He's hoping what he'd been holding onto aren't wrinkled too badly, but that's why he brought extras. Most of the good ones are in his retainer's hands, anyway, and he's thanking his past self for that decision. Anyway. ]

May we come in?

[ Once given permission, he'll lead his retainer inside the room. They'll set the clothes down on the unmade bed and a nearby chair. His retainer excuses himself when that's all done, leaving Kaeya alone with Amos. ]

Were you still asleep before I arrived—?

[baltimores]

[ Kaeya gets a sort of dopey smile in return at the sentiment of them missing each other. Sure, that can be a part of it. Amos had been wrapped up in enough of his own bullshit that he hasn't really seen Kaeya a whole lot since they planted that seedling — maybe they should check on it one of these days — that it occurs to him belatedly that it has been a while; what's most important is that over those ensuing weeks, Kaeya made the right choice in coming to Zenith.

So, he's just plain ol' regular happy, enough that he can ride the high of that combined with the lingering fuzziness of sleep into being a little more outwardly affectionate than normal. He gives Kaeya a friendly little pat on the shoulder before extending his arm into the room — be my guest — and turning so that they can get past him. Amos watches as they set everything down, brain still turning over what Kaeya had just said about clothes, and is awake enough and caught up to speed by the time they're done that.

He shuts the door behind Kaeya's retainer as he leaves, running a hand through his hair, leaving it to stick up a little worse than it had been before. ]

Yeah. Been a little tired lately. [ He shrugs, it's no big thing. At least he looks more alert now as he makes his way over to the bed where just about everything is. ] I was gonna shower before the whole thing tonight.

[ See? He knows he can't just roll out of bed and show up to something with Lady Yima. Style points, please.

He looks down at the clothes on the bed, idly picking up the sleeve of something that's a deep purple, a sort of muted surprise crossing his face at how nice the fabric feels between his fingertips. He looks back up at Kaeya. ]

This shit's really nice. [ Like, really nice. ] You sure about this? I was just gonna throw on...

[ Some version of what he always wears? His voice trails off, as if he's realizing in real time that if it's between his usual wardrobe and things like what Kaeya wears — things like what Kaeya has brought him — his original plan would have been woefully inadequate. And normally he wouldn't care, but for Yima...

Whoops. ]

[subsist]

[ Kaeya turns to face Amos, studying him from head to toe. This is more so he can keep in mind what he has to work with, but it's not like Amos isn't good-looking so he doesn't think he has a whole lot of work to do. When the man's hair sticks up in weird little ways, he reaches out to smoothen it down. He's sure the shower will fix the rest of it later. ]

Tired, hm? Have you been overworking yourself?

[ This is the perfect time to catch up. He's lost track of time since the Dryad managed to snatch him but it's not like that is common knowledge to everyone else.

He looks down at the shirt Amos has taken interest in. He pulls it out from the pile and lets the other man see in its entirety, a deep purple shade that has hints of blue mixed in. The hues might seem darker or lighter depending on how the light hits the fabric. ]

While your usual style isn't bad, I'd say we need to liven it up a little for the upcoming party.

[ He holds out the shirt to Amos. ]

Would you like to try this one on?

[baltimores]

[ He doesn't really notice the way Kaeya looks at him, eyes only moving to follow Kaeya's hand as he reaches up. Flattens his hair back down, and Amos blinks as he looks back down at him. Huh.

He resists the temptation to run a hand through his hair again — not like it needs it, not like Kaeya didn't just rectify things there — keeping his hands at his sides to get a proper look at the shirt. And oh, wow. Yeah, that's definitely nicer than anything he's worn in his life. ]

Yeah, sure thing. [ He's skipping right over any reason why he might be enamoured with the shirt, the whole reason about him having never worn anything like that pushed to the back of his mind — growing up poor, growing up broken, so things like nice clothes just always seemed so trivial, they just would've gotten dirty or destroyed anyway — and is instead going right to stripping the shirt he'd been sleeping in, a plain black with a couple of small holes by the neck and one of the sleeves he really should get around to fixing one of these days. Amos pulls it over his heard, exposing the bare expanse of his stomach, chest, shard, and then it's off, lightly thrown over to the head of the bed, away from all of the nicer stuff occupying the rest of it.

He takes the new shirt, starting to shrug it on and — shit, has he ever worn anything with buttons before? Kind of a weird realization to come to. ]

But yeah, you could say I've been overworking myself. Just revived a couple of days ago, but it still feels like I got run over by something. Everything's still kinda sore. [ He's looking down as he starts doing up the buttons, one by one. Just making casual conversation. ] Doesn't feel as bad as it did yesterday, so I figure I should be good to go in a couple more days.

[ It's like he's just getting over a cold, is all. Amos does up the last button, stretches his arms out. Huh. Feels a little loose, but maybe it's supposed to? He angles his body to get a better look in the nearby mirror, atop his dresser. ]

How's it look?

[subsist]

[ kaeya gets to see shirtless amos and he can't appreciate it again smh

Kaeya is more preoccupied with seeing how the shirt is going to fit right before Amos begins to explain himself. As soon as he hears the words just revived a couple days ago, however, his focus shifts entirely onto that, starry eye narrowing at the implications.

He doesn't have anything to say at first, busy processing the information just revealed. Amos' indifference towards his own death is nothing new, but it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. ]

You were dissipated? [ He would have said dead, but there's a finality to it that brings him discomfort so he avoids it. ] How? Why?

[ By who, he wants to ask, but he figures he's asked the more important questions.

He keeps himself busy while he waits for Amos to answer, fingers reaching out to smooth out the wrinkles on the shirt, studying the other man closely. Amos doesn't need an emphatic bond to know that Kaeya is tenser than he ought to be — as if he's barely managing to hold something back. ]

[baltimores]

[ one day he'll get there

With no bond between them anymore and Amos' focus elsewhere at first, Kaeya's silence doesn't really register. He's still looking in the mirror, twisting his body a little, experimentally stretching his arms out. It does feel nice, it maybe looks nice, he doesn't really have an eye for this sort of thing—

Kaeya speaks up, and Amos feels a sort of cold creeping over him. Did he fuck up— No, he couldn't have, or at least not that badly; not when Kaeya is close to him again, near-tailoring him. Amos lets him, body relaxing in sharp contrast.

He does notice the tenseness then, and there's a moment's hesitation. ]

I went into Ryad. [ The uncertainty is there as he tries to look Kaeya in the eye; whether he's successful or whether Kaeya focuses more on busying about him, well, he'll continue. His voice picks up a steadiness, a blankness. ] To see if I could get a grip on my whole... murderous rage thing. It's safe there; I'm not gonna be hurting anyone I don't want to. [ You, among others. ] I didn't get a grip on it. I got taken out. Thought it was gonna happen, even though I was kinda hoping it wouldn't, but.

[ He'd shrug if that wouldn't mess with what they're trying out with this shirt. As it is, he remains perfectly still. ]

I'm gonna have to try again at some point. Not anytime soon, because I'm still wiped, and I gotta figure out a different approach. But at some point.

[ He does have the grace to offer a hint of an apology in his voice, at least. ]

[subsist]

[ The tension practically melts away from Kaeya. He finds himself exhaling a slow breath.

Amos' explanation, while it's something he can't completely accept, because he'll never be alright with anyone being reckless with their own life regardless of their privilege as a Shard-bearer, seems to be enough for him to accept it. He isn't happy by any means, but at least he can understand where the other man is coming from.

It's true that Amos can't go on unable to control his rage. Kaeya understands that. Still, maybe Amos can see that with his acceptance comes a tiny shred of reluctance too. ]

... You could have told someone. [ It didn't even have to be Kaeya. ] Didn't I say you didn't have to deal with that on your own?

[ He sighs, opting to continue fixing how the shirt fits Amos until he's satisfied. He takes a step back to let the man see how it looks on him. ]

Do the others know?

[ Or more like, do Gen and Misa know, because he's sure those two would have something to say about it too. ]

[baltimores]

[ He lets out a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. Amos remains malleable to Kaeya's touch, letting him do whatever with the shirt as he pleases, and... stepping back means it looks good, right?

Except Kaeya doesn't say anything about that. He keeps going back to the original line of questioning, and maybe, just maybe, Amos is kind of being a bad friend right now.

He would look in the mirror at Kaeya's finished job; instead, he's left looking at the man himself. ]

They don't. Since I woke up all I've really done is eat and sleep. I was hoping to feel better for tonight, but I dunno how much that's gonna take.

[ While he remains indifferent to his own condition — his only real concern had been feeling okay for Yima's ceremony, and that's gonna be a fine line he'll be walking — there is an apology in his voice. Even if Kaeya isn't tense anymore, he can hear the gentle chastising in his words, and maybe he even deserves it.

He worries at his lip for a second; his bodily exhaustion really is secondary to the knowledge that he might have found a way to hurt people he does care about, after all. Not physically, not by putting them in any danger, but there are other ways to hurt people, aren't there? ]

Silco knew. I asked him to inject me with that drug he has, speed up the whole process. Like he did that time on Horos. He's the one who got my shard back for me.

[ A beat so awkward it permeates the air, before Amos continues, his voice low and quiet. ]

That's not what you mean about me not dealing with it on my own though, is it.

[ Amos' eyes flick to the floor between them before back up to Kaeya. He's not even gonna ask how he looks, that's... that's not the issue at all anymore, is it. ]

Pretty sure I fucked up here. I'm sorry.

[subsist]

[ Kaeya is being a bad friend too.

It's not like Amos has done anything wrong here. Just as he explained, his actions were purely motivated by the need to make sure that he doesn't lose control of himself again— so that what happened in Achamoth between him and the others wouldn't have a chance of repeating itself. Whatever lecture that started to formulate itself in his head is gone by the time the other man apologizes to him.

He reaches out to place a hand on Amos' shoulder, shaking his head slowly. It's as much of a reassurance to the other as it is for himself. ]

You don't have to apologize for anything. This was what you considered to be the best course of action for yourself, so I... I can't really tell you whether or not this was the right thing to do.

[ Only Amos can decide that for himself. Kaeya doesn't think he gets a say in that matter, really. ]

If it's alright with you, however, could you let any of us know if you were to attempt something like this again? Of course, I can't speak for Minegishi and Misa, but I'm sure they'd feel similarly to how I do.

[ Perhaps more strongly than he does, too.

He lets his hand drop back to his side, gesturing at the mirror. ]

It looks good on you, by the way. What do you think? I have a few jackets we could try to complement it with, if you'd like.

[baltimores]

[ Amos can't help but turn his head slightly to look at Kaeya's hand on him. Doesn't move again, just staring at it, until Kaeya asks him for that favour. That one small favour, and he's back to looking at Kaeya again proper, meeting his gaze with something akin to a reverence. Amos is pretty sure now he did have to apologize, actually, but the fact that he could hurt a friend in this way and be forgiven... Or at least, this seems like forgiveness... ]

Yeah. I'll let you guys know.

[ He carries that same tone as before, but there's a promise in it. It's such a small thing to ask. And he... really hadn't been thinking, when he'd gone up to Silco the last time. He'd be in, he'd be out, he could handle the consequences he was about to inflict on himself, and that was all there was, right?

Wrong. But he knows that now — he knows that. They may no longer share an empathic bond, but even the way Kaeya defers to him speaks to a sort of resignation, a sign that Amos still fucked up, even if it's the fixable sort of fuckup. And he doesn't want to make him feel that way again, so he won't. He hopefully won't.

He means every word he says.

Amos feels his hand's absence once it's gone, but it seems they've... got this sorted out? Since Kaeya is gesturing to the mirror, so Amos turns to look into it proper, staring back at his own reflection. It looks... odd. He's never worn something like this before. Never seen his body draped in something so vibrant, so obviously fanciful. It takes him a long moment of looking at himself — really looking at himself, at the position he finds himself in in this world — before he thinks he can see what Kaeya sees. ]

Yeah, it's good. Different, but good. [ There's good humour creeping back into his voice — different, but good, which is what he's had to aim for for most of his life. Why not in fashion, too?

He turns back to Kaeya. ] Probably do need something to complement it though, yeah. I dunno if I can pull something like this off on its own. [ He is, after all, still a pretty basic guy. ] What else've you got?

[ He's ready. Whatever this is gonna look like — outfit, friendship going forward, whatever — he's ready. ]

[subsist]

[ Amos could betray Kaeya and he'd still be willing to forgive him. It's just the way he is. Weak of heart despite how often he tries to keep others at arm's length. Amos has managed to worm his way in and now he'll come to realize that when it comes to people who matter to him, Kaeya tends to give them too much, never asking for anything in return.

So what he's granted is definitely forgiveness, one that will smooth over the rest of their interactions now that it's here. ]

Different, but good is still a good thing, right?

[ He'll take it as such.

As far as what he thinks would complement it well, he glances back at the pile on Amos' bed. It takes him a few moments to contemplate their options before he pulls a nice leather jacket that's quite muted in design, but at least this means it won't compete for attention with the shirt. He has another one that's more like a fancier-looking coat.

He holds them both up. ]

Which one would you like to try?

[baltimores]

Yeah. It's still good.

[ He offers him a small sort of smile, a small sort of reassurance for something ultimately small and insignificant now that they're past something that felt a whole lot bigger. It's rare that Amos has been burned, betrayed in some way by someone he thought was one of this people, but it has happened, and he knows how much it hurts.

This wasn't that, but he doesn't want to step towards that territory again.

(He might. Sometimes something captivates you, ends with you leaving everything — everyone — else by the wayside, and spending so much time in Kowloon renders that a possibility. But. He wouldn't be an Exalt at all if he didn't give a shit.)

While Kaeya is looking through the various articles he brought, Amos is still looking in the mirror, testing the way the shirt feels against his skin. When he moves his arms. Twists his torso a little. It's fancy; almost kind of growing on him, though more for the fact that a friend thought to bring it to him than any desire to meaningfully change up his wardrobe.

He looks back over when Kaeya speaks up, holding up two options for him. Amos' eyes go right to leather jacket, the way it actually looks pretty close to something he'd normally wear on his own... and then drift over to the fancier coat.

This is all for a ceremony Yima is holding for them, so, ] Should probably see if that one, [ he nods towards the fancier one, ] will work first. Supposed to look nice for this thing, right?

[ In hindsight, Kaeya is absolutely a lifesaver here. ]

[subsist]

[ There's a reason why Kaeya came to Amos with (more than) a few pieces of clothing in hand. He doesn't know if the man will like it very much if Yima ends up being disappointed if he showed up in his usual attire, even though Kaeya doubts that Yima will reprimand Amos too much. Or anyone, really.

He hands over the fancier coat to Amos first. The leather jacket stays with him while the man tries the other one on. ]

I wouldn't have added this as an option [ he gestures to the leather jacket ] if I didn't think it fits the aesthetic. I'm sure Yima will approve of it nonetheless.

[ Plus, better for Amos to look comfortable in what he'll end up wearing than picking at it endlessly throughout the night. ]

Let me know how you feel in that coat first, though.

[baltimores]

[ He wouldn't know what to do if he'd disappointed Yima, actually. Probably feel bad, but at least this is, in his view, ultimately something trivial. It isn't life or death; there aren't any stakes, no meaningful consequences for failing.

... Still, he'd rather do right by her than anything else, and looking nice is doing just that.

Amos takes the coat, moving to pull it on. It's definitely a heavier material, but it makes sense. It's a coat. ]

Yeah, but it's important to look nice, right? [ This is literally the first time in his life he's considering it. ] So I should probably go all out. Wouldn't mind keeping that jacket around for some other time, though.

[ At this rate half of his wardrobe is going to be a standard sort of black almost athletic leisurewear that can be found here and the other half is going to be everything nice that Kaeya brought him. Really doing wonders for the cause here, buddy.

He finishes pulling the coat on, lets its weight sit on his shoulders. It goes down to nearly his knees, which is a first, but it's supposed to do that, isn't it? Amos slowly, carefully goes for doing up the ornate buttons, making sure he doesn't miss one along the way and have to start over. ]

Feels nice, though. Warm. [ Once he finishes, he turns to get a look in the mirror again. ] What do you think? You're the expert.

[subsist]

[ One of these days, when Kaeya finds out that Amos kept the clothes he picked out for him, it's going to make him feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. It's the same feeling that creeps up on him while he watches the other man take this so seriously, admiring the heavy fabric of the coat. The intricate design on the buttons.

The silhouette on Amos does wonders for his overall build. It accentuates the parts that barely need any highlighting, but it makes them all the more attractive. He's sure that Amos will turn a few heads during the party and he's pretty proud of himself for picking a wonderful fit. ]

It's perfect. You look good in it, Amos.

[ It doesn't seem like the man is all that uncomfortable in it either so he's hoping that's a win. ]

And you're more than welcome to keep everything I got for you. They should all fit you quite nicely.

[ How does Kaeya know Amos' size? The world may never know. ]

Once you shower, I believe you can style your hair like normal. It should suit the outfit just fine.

[baltimores]

[ He inadvertently stands up that little bit straighter — that little more alert, that little more formal — as Kaeya delivers his assessment. Amos turns to look back at him, smile big. Genuine. ]

Yeah? I'll be good to go?

[ There's a greater air of pride to him now as he turns to look back towards the mirror, really looking himself over. He doesn't have the eye that Kaeya does, can't put to word everything he sees — he just knows that for as weird as this is, he does look good. He brings a hand up to run through his beard, smoothing it out some. Meets his own eyes in his reflection. ]

Never really dressed up like this before. Thanks, Blue. [ His words are understated; he really... couldn't put to words how he feels, beyond a deep appreciation for his friend, but that's pretty standard for him. He's never really had anything nice before. Never sought after it, either. To just have it now? It's definitely different.

But good. After a long while staring at his reflection, he looks back to Kaeya. ] Might as well keep it all since you took the time to bring it, right? Never know when it might come in handy.

[ So he isn't caught by surprise again, should he ever need to look nice — especially for Yima. But mostly because Kaeya had put all this thought into this, gone through all this effort, and he values that more than the sense of luxury and sign of status the clothes themselves offer — though he isn't arguing with that point, either. ]

[subsist]

[ It's difficult to explain the way Kaeya feels when Amos tells him that he's going to keep everything that was brought over. A warm, pleasant feeling overtakes the usual icy storm, almost like the sun peeking through the clouds after a blizzard. He didn't think he would be so happy to hear that, and yet there it is: a small smile blooms on his features.

(This is what it's like when you're beginning to see someone as your friend, right? He thought he'd never get to experience it again.) ]

You can always come to me if you need fashion advice. My door will always be open for you.

[ Maybe it's a good thing that they no longer share that empathic connection. He'll be too embarrassed to show his face in front of Amos for a while with how stupidly happy he feels right now.

Anyway. ]

I should let you shower. I have to get ready myself, so... I'll see you at the ceremony?

[ They can catch up properly there. ]

[baltimores]

[ Someone definitely would've been getting another hug if they'd retained an empathic connection, so maybe it is for the best.

Instead Amos just takes another look at himself in the mirror, like he needs to keep reaffirming that this is real. He'll definitely look better after he showers, after he actually grooms himself, but this really is... Kaeya's door will always be open to him; sure, Amos prides himself on being able to help his people, but having that favour returned...

It's just nice. ]

Yeah, sure thing. Think I should be able to take it from here. [ Fuck, the way his whole body is still sore, he might end up having to take a long shower, anyway. And he knows how to groom himself at least. It's everything else that's been harder to come by — except until now, maybe, when he's got so many more resources at his hands thanks to Kaeya.

He beams up at him. ] I'll see you.

[ But, before Kaeya can officially take his leave, whether he's already got one foot literally out the door or whatever — ]

Next time we got something we need to look nice for? I'm definitely coming to you. Gotta make sure I'm not underdressed. I know I'm in good hands with you.

[ For maybe just about anything, really. Fashion advice, giving him a little kick in the ass when he needs it when it comes to being a good friend, whatever. At least until he's got the hang of things, which isn't gonna be an overnight fix.

But what else are friends for? ]