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what if we kissed while being chased by the ski-free yeti đł
CEREMONIES OF HARMONIZATION (MERIDIAN)
Early in the month, a brief Communion message is sent out by Cetina and Kathova to their respective factions (if youâre unharmonized, sorry, you get both!) to inform them that Harmonization Ceremonies will be taking place on December 8th. While not required, itâs 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 havenât made your choice yet, youâre 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 youâll 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 youâre changed, youâre 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 Meridianâs light within them and to welcome them. He hopes that youâll find peace and happiness here in Kenos, and just as much, he hopes the worlds you see in your Sunbeams return. One day, youâll part ways, but for now, he hopes you find new friends and family here among the Meri.
After his brief speech, youâll be given opportunity to approach the tree and touch your Shard to it in a ritualistic way. When you do, youâll get the experience of briefly visiting a happy, peaceful time in another world as if the tree itself is Communing with you. Youâre 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 youâre helping someone return to and your own home is also waiting. From there, youâll be directed to the sides of the courtyard where craftspeople are waiting. If you give them your Iliachtida, theyâll 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, itâs of course time to feast and to party!
Youâll find music, dancing, food, and drink, which the Tribune himself seems to be indulging in! Eventually, an interesting drinking game will begin⌠Youâll 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, itâs 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!
When you arrive to Heliopolis for the ceremony, the first thing youâll 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 youâre changed, youâre 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 Meridianâs light within them and to welcome them. He hopes that youâll find peace and happiness here in Kenos, and just as much, he hopes the worlds you see in your Sunbeams return. One day, youâll part ways, but for now, he hopes you find new friends and family here among the Meri.
After his brief speech, youâll be given opportunity to approach the tree and touch your Shard to it in a ritualistic way. When you do, youâll get the experience of briefly visiting a happy, peaceful time in another world as if the tree itself is Communing with you. Youâre 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 youâre helping someone return to and your own home is also waiting. From there, youâll be directed to the sides of the courtyard where craftspeople are waiting. If you give them your Iliachtida, theyâll 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, itâs of course time to feast and to party!
Youâll find music, dancing, food, and drink, which the Tribune himself seems to be indulging in! Eventually, an interesting drinking game will begin⌠Youâll 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, itâs 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, Zenithâs ceremony is a formal affair, and youâre expected to dress as such. Donât worry if some of the finer clothing is out of your budget—this ceremony is important, so youâll be able to commission whatever youâd like from a local tailor, and Lady Yima will foot the bill. The ceremony itself takes place in the Courtyard of Yimaâs 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, sheâs standing at the foot of the tree. Sheâll 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 wonât 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 itâs 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, sheâll direct you to one of the craftspeople to the side of the courtyard that will fashion a âhomeâ for that Shard. An elegant piece of jewelry, a box, whatever you prefer, and while inside it, itâll be magically protected. If you didnât, then sheâll instead direct you to others who will make you a âtokenâ. Much like the barista near the Tomes, give them your Shard, and theyâll 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. Youâll find a variety of food on the menu, but itâs all quite special, you know at a glance. Whatever your favorite food is, itâs offered at the banquet with your name next to it in parenthesis. This is a bit of a cultural exchange, but thereâs also just a little bit of Yimaâs more mischievous magic at play. While you eat, the effect is subtle, but youâll be more open to those you talk with. Itâs not so much that youâll be revealing your secrets or anything of the sort, but just a gentle way to lower those barriers between you.
However, while everyone is arriving, sheâs standing at the foot of the tree. Sheâll 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 wonât 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 itâs 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, sheâll direct you to one of the craftspeople to the side of the courtyard that will fashion a âhomeâ for that Shard. An elegant piece of jewelry, a box, whatever you prefer, and while inside it, itâll be magically protected. If you didnât, then sheâll instead direct you to others who will make you a âtokenâ. Much like the barista near the Tomes, give them your Shard, and theyâll 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. Youâll find a variety of food on the menu, but itâs all quite special, you know at a glance. Whatever your favorite food is, itâs offered at the banquet with your name next to it in parenthesis. This is a bit of a cultural exchange, but thereâs also just a little bit of Yimaâs more mischievous magic at play. While you eat, the effect is subtle, but youâll be more open to those you talk with. Itâs not so much that youâll 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 oneâs wealth - whether that comes in the form of knowledge, monetary gains, or the exchange of gifts and oneâs time. This celebration is an amalgamation of many worldsâ winter festivals, and as such, is known in the two cities as the Yearâs 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 itâs 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. Itâs 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. Theyâre 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 itâll 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, youâll 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:
Of course, if these traditions arenât quite your vibe, youâll 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 itâs something you could do in a snowy city at home, youâll probably find an equivalent somewhere in the city of moonlight.
This part of Takiltu is when Highstorm truly starts to hit winter. Snow is a frequent occurrence, but itâs 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. Itâs 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. Theyâre 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 itâll 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, youâll 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.
Of course, if these traditions arenât quite your vibe, youâll 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 itâs something you could do in a snowy city at home, youâll 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 Highstormâs 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 youâre 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 youâre holding hands with become more prominent in you and vice versa. These effects do linger a bit longer, since for a month, youâll also find that being around this person also gives you both a little boost in energy. Itâs very sweet! This also comes with a bit of a further game, if youâre at all a frequenter of PsychagogĂa...
Madame Deeâs 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 weekâs 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 youâre 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 itâs possible to receive gifts from the Timestream, and for Yearâs End, itâs 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 Tribuneâs 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. Thereâs 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, youâll find a idyllic, snowy valley where you can partake in all the natural joys of winter. Thereâs (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, youâll be chased by⌠a yeti? Luckily it doesnât seem to be able to harm you, but itâs 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.
Youâll 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 âIâ meaning the Kenos kind of island), Takiltu is the traditional start of Springstarâs 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 doesnât take too long to hit the end of the Island and sailing outside the magical barrier that keeps Springstar floating in Kenosâs starscape generally isnât survivable.
The ivy-like vines that decorated the city in the beginning of the month (November) are now in full bloom, and youâre 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 youâre holding hands with become more prominent in you and vice versa. These effects do linger a bit longer, since for a month, youâll also find that being around this person also gives you both a little boost in energy. Itâs very sweet! This also comes with a bit of a further game, if youâre at all a frequenter of PsychagogĂa...
Madame Deeâs 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 weekâs 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 youâre 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 itâs possible to receive gifts from the Timestream, and for Yearâs End, itâs 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 Tribuneâs 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. Thereâs 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, youâll find a idyllic, snowy valley where you can partake in all the natural joys of winter. Thereâs (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, youâll be chased by⌠a yeti? Luckily it doesnât seem to be able to harm you, but itâs 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.
Youâll 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 âIâ meaning the Kenos kind of island), Takiltu is the traditional start of Springstarâs 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 doesnât take too long to hit the end of the Island and sailing outside the magical barrier that keeps Springstar floating in Kenosâs starscape generally isnât 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.
- 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.
- 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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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 â 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 â really looking at himself, at the position he finds himself in in this world â 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 â 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 â outfit, friendship going forward, whatever â he's ready. ]
no subject
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?
no subject
[ 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 â everyone â 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. ]
no subject
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.
no subject
... 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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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 â 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 â 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 â though he isn't arguing with that point, either. ]
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(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. ]
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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 â 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 â ]
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? ]