I get a little warm in my heart [mingle log]

[hellawrath]

Who: anyone looking for some wintery fun!
What: admiring mysterious icy artwork, warming up by campfires, making a fool of yourself while ice skating, snowball fights?? it's a snow party!
When: Jan 14 and on
Where: Enso, in and around the temple ruins
Warnings: snow-based violence

When you've had to deal with a literal apocalypse every single year for a hundred years, a little battle for the sun isn't really gonna grind your gears that much. Sure, the elf twins are still nobly doing their part every day. Lup is keeping several small campfires going inside the temple ruins, as well as periodically blasting two large stone slabs in the main chamber with a Fireball - those babies radiate heat for hours afterwards. And Taako is graciously handing out truly delicious soup from a huge bowl to anyone who asks nicely. Island Walmart is still a thing too, the large scrawled sign declaring this month's name to be The Hot Spot. Looks like it was Lup's turn on the naming.

But they're also just kinda bored of the whole thing? Like, everyone's so focused on preparing, on gathering and planning and training. There's a place for that, and Lup is pretty psyched for the actual fighting, but this pall of doom and purpose that's fallen over the islands as heavily as the snow? Neither of them is here for that.

So anyone who makes their way up to the temple will not only find the usual warm respite from the freezing temperatures, but also - a ten foot tall ice sculpture of a majestic as fuck unicorn rearing on its hind legs. And a smaller one of a figure with long ears hiding its face in the crook of its elbow, arms pointing upwards do we have a single modern day character who knows what dabbing is. Off to the side in a clearing, there's a twenty foot circle of clear ice that's just begging to be skated on. Just don't admire the artwork for too long, or you're gonna get noscoped with a snowball by a pair of horrible winter goblins.

Comments

[hellawrath]

You know what else is a treasured gift? This fucking child. What the hell did she do to deserve this. Or maybe the problem here is that they're both the worst, actually. Epic memes indeed.

She absolutely bursts into laughter at this point, horrible and high-pitched. "Okay okay, I surrender! You-- you're really somethin', ya dork, you know that?" She wipes the tears from her eyes and lets her hand drop to just like, close to their shoulder, just a suggestion. "C'mon, I got something to show you back at the store."

[achievementhunter]

And to the victor goes the spoils. They let their smile overtake their expression, huffing out a small sound of genuine amusement at the affectionate slight guffawed their way. Really, is it any surprise that she's got a terrible sense of humor?

"Sure." As lax of a response as one could expect from them, shoulder brushing against her fingers as they step away- unbothered by the contact. Today is... today is a good day. Too good a day to worry about it. "But if you've been experimenting with macaroni and freeze, you can find a different fool to taste test."

[hellawrath]

Hey fuck you, she already surrendered? That's a low blow, buddy. Her ears are vibrating helplessly even as she presses her lips into a thin line in a valiant attempt at disapproval.

"Terrible. Fuckin' disgraceful. Whoever got you talking like that? Should be dunked into the ocean immediately."

It's only a few steps back into the temple and she ducks behind the counter quickly, digging into her knapsack for something she's been carrying around for quite a bit, just hasn't found a good time to hand it over. When she pulls the knife out of her bag, there's a moment of almost anxious excitement. It's kinda, it's pretty morbid, but then that's both of them and their friendship in a nutshell if you think about it, so really this is perfect actually. But she also knows getting gifts isn't really, Chara's thing.

All the more reason to make it a thing.

Lup rises from behind the counter like the Jaws theme should be playing, ears first, mischievous smile second, and finally her outstretched hands with a knife shaped entirely of black glass resting in them. The hilt is wrapped in leather for a better grip. On the blade, a word is engraved in curvy script: Scherzo.

She suspects they'll know what it's made of, and her almost uncharacteristically unsure smile might speak volumes. But just in case, she adds, "It's yours."

[achievementhunter]

They don't have the heart to tell her the very first person to do so is probably dead. The sun is shining, the birds are singing- and even they deserve to be shown some MERCY, now and again.

"Well, off you go- get dunked on. I hear self-dunks are a rare and precious commodity." They could be saying anything, at this point- as soon as she's close enough, Lup's darting off and disappearing out of sight. They can hear her rummaging around, holding their curiosity at bay until she's ready to appear, looking for all the world like-

Like Also sprach Zarathustra would be the perfect background music.

Blinking rapidly, Chara misses the moment the knife is lifted above the counter-- but their eyes fixate quick enough. It's... beautiful, in a way that they can appreciate; all sharp edges in black glass, potentially fragile, yet, they're absolutely certain it's not.

And it's theirs.

Immediately, their eyes flick towards her face, searching briefly for- a joke. A lie. A catch of some kind, even though part of them knows before they even try that they won't find one. This is- this is the kind of person who gives a child and their sibling presents before she's known them more than 24 hours, the type of person who lets Chara trade herbs and roots for various items, but near always gives them more than what she's getting in turn.

It is still- hard to accept, in its own way. Hard but not unacceptable, not completely out of tune with what Chara has learned, what they understand. That understanding allows them to reach out.

Instinct forces them to hesitate, just shy of touching the hilt.

"I-" A pause. They don't quite know what to say that- she probably doesn't already know. "...You're sure?"

[hellawrath]

They got so far, before they hesitate. But that's fine, she's gonna hold the knife right here until they're ready. She knows it's-- a bit of a leap, for them, to accept something that's almost a tangible connection to somebody, given without expecting anything in return.

She'd tried to make it beautiful, and useful, but it's still black. Still carved out of the circle in the sand where indescribable grief had brought them closer. It's, in some ways? Another little piece of her.

She hopes they want it.

"Real sure," she says softly. "I made it for you." To protect themself with, and to remind themself that she's got their back, no matter what.

"'Course, I could probably get a lotta coconuts for it, if it's not your style." It's not a joke played straight, she hasn't moved the knife an inch and the warmth hasn't left her expression. Just a lil nudge is all.

[achievementhunter]

When bad things happen, good doesn't come out of it. They've learned that the hard way- hit rock bottom (quite literally) and slowly- allowed themself to be fooled into thinking that, perhaps, things had. That they'd somehow achieved a level of penance for their existence that finally meant they could--

It hadn't lasted.

Good things, Chara thought, could not come from bad. Good things couldn't come for them, peroid- how could they, when Chara was so awful, they weren't even really human?



Why were people always so intent on proving them wrong?

It's the false threat that she'll take it back which finally spurs them into closing the gap- with more care than they may have usually approached a situation involving physical contact. And just like that, it's-

Theirs.

It's easier to look at the blade than meet that gaze- that-- patience, willingness to wait for them. They know her well enough to understand her warmth isn't fake; she wouldn't bother when wearing her emotions on her sleeve works out so well for her.

It's terrifying. It's...

"...It's nice." More than nice; all deadly curves and foreboding glass, but for once, Chara finds it impossible to articulate their appreciation. Or, to be more honest- "I'll take care of it."

Trying to voice their appreciation is terrifying, too.