kieratandanu:
“Okay.” Her eyes looked down at the blue tinted one once more, and when he posed his question, she realized that he was right. It was the one her aunt would probably never pick for herself, and therefore the perfect gift. “You’re right, she wouldn’t. That’s a great idea. I’ll take the blue one then. Do you possibly have a box it can fit in as well?”
Gentle head nods fell from the cubi as he pulled the mask towards himself. Silas was sure he had the right gift wrap for this particular style, getting out two sleek black boxes. One had a gold tint in the writing, embossed with the words ‘with love’ in the center. The other was similar with silver instead of the gold, but held no words and displayed an abstract geometric pattern. “Take your pick and I’ll hand wrap it for you,” warm words fell from his lips, happy that the mask was going to go into a wonderful home.
dianaxvidalis:
@silaskyun
Diana’s quest had been a success. That’s what her mother, Anastasia had told her, that’s what the coven celebrated. They did not count the lives that were lost, just the threat that had been subdued before it could ever reach the shores of Corinth Bay. A man who would have stood against the Delphi, quelled by the eldest heir of Vidalis. That was what the coven saw, not the brother that Diana had slain, he was a man she’d never known, yet had been somehow connected to him all her life. It was a surreal feeling to find herself back in Corinth Bay, two years had passed but Diana could scarcely consider herself the woman that she had been before she left.
Before Diana had left she’d attempted to help Silas track down his own sister, before Diana had boarded her vessel and took off in search of the brother of her own. Whatever forces obscured her magic were evident of someone who did not want to be found, but Diana had been able to tell Silas that his sister, Ri, was in Greece, at least. She’d told him then that supernaturals were drawn to Corinth Bay, and if he was patient, she was certain that the two of them would find each other again.
Diana stepped foot into his shop and was impressed with the life that Silas had established for himself, but she wasn’t here as a patron, more as an old friend. “Silas,” Diana greeted, a smile drew across her lips as her grey eyes met that of the incubus, she’d never had reason to fear them. Kasandra and Gabriel both were friends of the Delphi, and Diana knew well what it meant to merely be trying to survive this world. At least now she did. She wanted to embrace him, but it had been years now. “I thought maybe your sister would be here with you by now, I guess that red string is a long one.”
The work had been more than exhausting over all these years, but there wasn’t an inch in Silas that would say his sister wasn’t worth it. Many had tried and failed, depleting every option that they could which only lead him so far. At the time, the Japanese government was ruthless and tried to divert eyes away from their wicked intentions. But even throughout them trying to destroy all evidence of this, pieces still remained and stories got passed down. The main issue was tracing certain things back directly to Ri-na and even with the help of outside mystics, it was difficult to find exacts on where she was or ended up. While his heart continued to tell him that she was out there alive, somewhere as something, hope was difficult to keep attached to it when the traces of her seemed to keep running cold.
He pinned it on her ability to cover her tracks— permanent death was not an option in his mind. They had always been linked together and if he was still some form of alive, then she was too. He knew that deep down in his bones. That’s why he sought out Atlas Rose, why he asked for help from Diana Vidalis. Rumored to be some of the most powerful witches and part of an elite coven, all qualities that Silas couldn’t pass up when it came to requesting aid in his search. The Vidalis coven had more than delivered, able to guide him towards confirmation and information about her existence in Greece. Maybe that’s why he also had a calling for the bay during his travels throughout the European countries. Ri-na had to have felt the same calling without being aware of the reasons why.
Bell ringing lightly from the front of the shop, the incubus emerged from the back room to find the familiar face of Diana and gave her a homely expression. “Diana, it’s so good to see you again,” a truly genuine tone as he approached the counter, “Rumor is that she is in Corinth proper now, should be soon. It’s still a mystery what all she has been through and it’s really no wonder it took so long for me to even piece this much together.” Maybe he could get assistance on another tracking spell, a powerful one that could be localized, but Silas was still learning what all witches were actually capable of and felt a bit foolish asking.
giovannixrusso:
Humanity came with a variety of weaknesses that supernatural beings intended to exploit, but it also provided what might be considered the greatest weapon of all: being mistakenly underestimated. What he lacked in witchy voodoo powers, he made up in precise intelligence, meticulous plotting, and his own brand of charm. “It most certainly has been. Hope you weren’t avoiding me after our little chat.” He did like the other man, for what it was worth. Call it an indescribable magnetism which drew Giovanni in, but he also had a job to be done. “I’m actually still curious about something. Has anyone come to show or sell you a candle lately? It wouldn’t be a mundane thing; kind of old and ostentatious.”
“I’m too much a creature of habit to avoid anyone,” which was mostly true when in places that felt comfortable enough to not consistently be ready to run. That was a quality that Corinth had provided, even with the recent displays of unrest and painful occurrences, Silas had yet to think that he was time to move. On top of it all, he had worked diligently to get the brick and mortar operation functioning in the bay. “A candle—” eyebrows furrowing slightly. It wasn’t often that anyone actually sold him a candle on purpose. Typically they were found in old dresser drawers that hadn’t been cleaned up, locked wooden boxes that hadn’t been touched in years, and the incubus’s onyx irises locked onto Giovanni, “Got a little more detail than that? Maybe color, even what it could have been accompanied with?”
gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel huffed out a laugh, “No, no. We’re starting an all out tea war between the owners, Silas. Think big, babe.” He waved his hand in the direction of Tranquilitea. “These two shops have literally hated each other since Anxietea popped up. Don’t ask me why, or how, or what happened, but I live for this kind of petty shit. You can’t tell me you’re not excited.”
Silas had to admit, it would be an interesting time seeing the two shops in a panic while he sipped his tea from in front of his shop and acting as if he had no idea. “Alright, I’ll give you that much,” he hated to say when Gabriel was right about something, but the moment called for it, “But I’m ignoring your request, how did you find you hear about them having beef? There is no way you don't know a little.”
kieratandanu:
Kiera had learned earl on in life that food was a huge source of comfort. Maybe not for everyone, but for a lot of people. Whenever she had a bad day, her father’s food could cheer her up – or make a good day even better. Now she was happy to do the same for everyone in Corinth Bay who was willing to try her treats. And the expression on his face was pure gold, causing her to laugh. “I wish you could see yourself right now. Like a kid in a candy store,” she teased, as she picked up a piece of brownie to take a bite herself. Maybe one of the downfalls of running a booth at the festivities was that she was seemingly constantly eating herself. “I told you it’s a free taste test and I meant it. Let’s say it’s a thank you for your help with the mask – if you still remember. My aunt loved it.” Picking up a napkin that read love is love, she held it out to him. “You got a bit of frosting on your face. Not that it doesn’t look cute, but if you want to impress someone today, you better get rid of it.”
“How could I possibly forget,” which was a very true statement coming from the incubus. He had a habit of journaling the days to help him remember them, but placing the proper items with the right people never leaked from his memory bank. It also helped that he enjoyed Kiera’s company, even if most of the times they actually found a way to chat was when either of them was working. Delicate fingertips found their grip on the napkin that was offered, licking his lips to snag the reminisces of cupcake before pressing it against his mouth and cheeks. “I appreciate the kind gesture, as usual,” a gentle grin, charcoal irises still holding onto their childlike quality as he attempted to get all the frosting off his face, “Even if I’m not exactly looking to impress, still not sure I would want to walk around with food all over my face.” Though the color might match some of the displays he had seen as he meandered around the festival, Silas had always wanted to blend rather than stand out, “Been able to step away at all?”
beau-zale:
The thing about these “supernatural hub” towns was that they made for good shopping. Crystal shops, elaborate flower places, throw in some new age juice place covered in pagan imagery, throw in a vampire bar and one not so stereotypical shop amongst them and you have BINGO. The place he’d stepped into now was one of those, a free space kind of place. Local art tourist attraction kind of deal, it was an interesting take on the usual tshirt and shot glass place, he supposed. That kind of thing didn’t interest him so much as all of the secondhand stuff. Not quite a thrift store, but there were certainly antiques and if this gig was more long haul, maybe he’d be back for some of them. That wasn’t what he was there for today though, there were few particular things he picked up from these kinds of places. If only he could find them among all the various knick knacks. @silaskyun
Spring months always brought in more business to outside shops like his. After months of being locked inside, everyone was desperate to get out and do a little meandering the streets. It didn’t quite guarantee business, but this resurgence gave him the chance to actually get some fresh wears in the window and new artist work looked at. Not to mention all the lack of sleep between the nightmares and emerald scale that never left the cubi’s pocket, having plenty of time to get various objects moved. Dark, puffy circles hung from Silas’ eyes as he heard the chime of the store bell ring and a stranger wandered inside. Immediately he could sense the abundance of magic as he watched the man slink through the isles, eyes darting about as if he was looking for something specific. “Help you find something?” a tone as friendly as he could under the circumstances, exhaustion hanging onto him with a firm grip.
giovannixrusso:
“Would you believe me if I said that’s precisely what I wanted to hear today?” He plays coy with the true reason behind his visit for only a moment longer before settling into natural charm, slightly disconcerted that the other man held a vastly greater allure without actually trying. “White, medium sized, and in an ornate metal holder. The wax has an intricate carving on one side. Does any of that sound familiar?” Fingers brushed at the crux of his neck, an uncharacteristic turmoil overtaking in that moment. As much as Giovanni intended to use Silas for his own knowledge, there came something rather striking about the other man and almost… trustworthy. The sensation struck him as both odd and comforting in the same breath. “If someone wished to pawn it, I thought you might be their first stop.”
Of course it sounded familiar, though Silas was having a hard time actually allowing those words to come out of his mouth. He hadn’t had the chance to really look into it, seeing as it had only been a few days of it being in his possession, and the idea of simply handing it over to Giovanni without a second thought seemed foolish. The incubus knew better than that. Trust was something that came later, with time, and the man that stood before him hadn’t been granted that level as far as Silas was concerned. Stalling, however, wasn’t exactly possible at this moment. What did the cubi care anyway? He had already had his fill of dabbling with cursed objects and the goal had to be who was going to be his highest bidder, “Yeah I’ve got a couple that might fit that description in the back— hadn’t gotten around to placing them out on display yet. Just let me bring them up.”
antoinagrcgor:
Antonia was holding a collection of prints in her grasp. She heard the shop owner walk over by of his footsteps in the creak in the old cypress floors. She smiled + looked over her shoulder to meet his eye-line. “Actually, I found a few of your prints that I enjoyed.” Her German accent flowed from her red lips like honey. “Do you have anything printed from any local parks?”
There was nothing like seeing a familiar face when living nomadic for years, bringing a smile out of Silas that was more reserved for them. Antonia was one of those familiar faces and someone that he never regretted meeting. She had always amazed him with her spirit, conviction of always wanting to be the best she can for those around her, and hardly thought of herself before others. Those spirits could be rare not just in the human world, but the supernatural too. “I think I still have a few from my travels to Samariá Gorge, but that isn’t exactly local. Maybe something from Kolokotronis or Loutraki is more what you mean?”
🔪
🔪 …someone my muse hurt in the past.
“I don’t know his name, I just know that my hunger was so strong and ravenous that I couldn’t help myself in that moment. It was the first and last time I completely fed, now trying my best to never feed on the same creature.”
antoniagrcgor:
“I’d love to see your travels. To see the world from a friend’s eyes is a rare perspective to have ” Her eyebrows lifted with excitement. “To be frank, I’m looking for something to remind me of Lachenwald. I missed ValiFest this year.” Her small hamlet has a jubilee of Feast of Vali. An old Germanic tradition that blended from the ancient Greek Eros Feast day. In her small pack, it’s the day for renewals of love and sharing your hearth + food with anyone who knocks on your threshold: treating strangers like family with love + care.
It was the little things she misses about home, like pack gatherings; yet there are times she longs to see the world.
“Ah,” he exclaimed softly and moved to his desk to rummage through some of his own works. Traveling had meant many different sketches, many different paintings, but Silas had always managed to keep track. Each location had their own section within his journaling and most times they still had the name or date. He pulled down many different books and binders before finally settling on a pale green sketchbook with broken binding. “A few of the pages got some rain damage while I moved, but I think a lot of them are still in really good shape,” fingers quickly turning pages as he spoke, “I think even from the first fest you took me to.”