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it's fucking decembo
you know what to do. whether it's magic compulsion (feat. magical attraction or not), that you're trapped until you kiss, or just tradition and social pressure, you've been caught under the mistletoe and that means you have to kiss.
platonic is ok too. feel free to leave your own comment or reply to one of mine with a blank if you want me to write a starter!
cinnabar
greasily slides in here
Vangeance marvels over this line of thought as he aimlessly follows the trail of decorations through the woods, wondering if there really is no end to it, and when he finds himself on a familiar stretch of coast, well -- it's only natural to look around to see if he can find its usual inhabitant, right?
Maybe Cinnabar has seen a stretch of land not plagued by decorations.
(Too bad he hasn't been paying attention overhead, where mistletoe is dotted here and there. Also it's like, magical mistletoe you can't move away from without kissing. Because otherwise these two will never smooch.) ]
van-chan 🥺!!!
Sleepy, but not enough to actually sleep through the night, as usual. Vangeance's search will be fruitful, even if the lights and shiny things dotting the landscape actually provide Cinnabar with a bit of camouflage they don't usually have. They're sitting up in some beachy scrub, beneath a line of spindly trees, which, unfortunately for both of them, are absolutely still plagued by decorations. They appear a little drowsy, but the holiday lights provide a bit of energy, enough for them to notice his approach. ]
You... You came out here again. [ it's more resignation than actual annoyance, voice lacking its typical venom. At this point, they're accustomed (relatively) to his nighttime wanderings. Truth be told, he's not a terrible conversation partner. (They're still skittish about the word friend.) With a small sigh, they get to their feet, dusting off their shorts. ] I heard humans get sick if they don't sleep...
i missed these two losers 😳
Good evening to you too, Cinnabar.
[ Maybe for someone else, he would have taken that brusque statement as an indirect demand to be left alone, an understandable request for some private time. But he's spent just enough time around Cinnabar that he thinks he can tell when a statement is just blunt, not meant to be barbed. So Vangeance quietly wanders a few steps closer, pulling his cloak closer about himself to ward off the winter chill as he continues mildly. ]
I've actually been sleeping too much since arriving here. I had quite the busy job back in my homeland, so this place has left me with too much idle time. An evening walk now and then will be good for me.
[ His footsteps slow, then stop a short distance away from where Cinnabar's standing. Ostensibly because he's paused to admire the decorations hanging overhead, but mostly because he's cottoned onto Cinnabar not liking when he draws too close. ]
The decorations have been placed all the way here, I see ... [ Vangeance smiles to himself before pointing up at the various bits and baubles hanging from the tree branches above him. ] Impressive, aren't they? I haven't found any place free of them so far.
me too uwehhh
[ to their credit, they don't start backing up when he gets closer the way they used to. They do still look mildly uneasy about it, at least in their body language - they hold an arm against their waist as if trying to make themself smaller, and the particles of mercury in the air around them shrink in towards them, if only a little bit - but they stay put, though they look away shyly after a moment or two. His pointing at the lights provides a convenient excuse, at least, and Cinnabar follows his line of sight.
Impressive? Sort of. Certainly, they've never seen anything like it. As with many of the human festivals here, though, the decorations mostly make Cinnabar feel out of place. Everything is so alien, and they are not the right gem to try and understand it all. Someone like Jade should be doing this, not them. ]
The lights aren't bad. [ they're a different flavor that Cinnabar doesn't hate. ] ... Is this normal? All these decorations. I can't imagine having a party when it's so dark and cold.
no subject
[ That said, he gives a small hum, reaching out to touch a hand against a nearby string of lights. The glass feels smooth to the touch but cold, flecked with snow. ]
I'm afraid I'm actually unaccustomed to these lights -- nothing like them exists in my homeland. But some of the other decorations are more familiar. For example --
[ Snow crunches underfoot when he takes a half-step closer, turning so he can direct Cinnabar's gaze towards a nearby cluster of decorations. ]
Holly, with its prickly leaves, is thought to ward off evil spirits. Similarly, these trees, evergreens. Because they remain enduring and healthy throughout the winter, they're considered symbols of health and renewal and are often hung indoors. Some also believe their strength encourages the sun's return in the spring. [ A pause before he gives a soft laugh. ] It's a rather silly superstition, I suppose. But it's good to have hope during cold and dreary winters.
rises from the goop and grabs miru's ankles
[ they don't offer more of a comment than that. If the gems tried to have a party during the winter, Cinnabar suspects they'd just fall asleep halfway through setting it up. It's not something they usually have the luxury to even consider, with the Lunarian attacks, but maybe now...
No, it doesn't matter. They're not home. With a soft shake of their head, they look back to Vangeance, then the decorations he's pointing at. Perhaps surprisingly, the topic seems to actually hold some interest to them - the hard dismissive line of their brow relaxes slightly, giving way to curiosity. ]
So this plant is called holly. [ the evergreen trees, they know, but not that one. ] Superstitions are all silly.
[ another pause. ]
... But I understand admiring its strength. A plant like that.