tabtabtabtabtab▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ ღ ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ The October air was soothing and relaxing, it was about time she calmed her senses by the beach. Normally she was able to meditate in her apartment but today she had the urge to get fresh air and wished to meditate with the lull of waves lapping against the sand. She adorned a long deep green dress and a woven hat with a simple blue ribbon. She ventured from the Doux Housing District over to Lune Beach, humming a tune that had been stuck in her head. Upon arriving at the beach, she noticed a crowd pointing in a certain direction, chattering about how crafty someone was.
Peering in the direction they had pointed, she noticed two men talking together. One was carving wood while the other sat on a piece of driftwood. From her distance, she couldn’t quite make out what the man was carving and out of curiosity she wanted to sneak a peek. However, she decided against it, instead she walked in the opposite direction, finding her own isolated part of the beach to meditate. She gently placed her colorful purse on the sand then seated herself with legs criss-cross. The palm of her hands lay over her knees as she closed her eyes.
Five seconds deeply breathing, ten seconds slowly breathing out. She allowed herself to listen to the waves, feel the breeze of the October air kiss her skin, clear her mind of stress- - - " s h * t!", she exclaimed in shock. A gust of wind tossed her hat into the air just out of reach.
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◤OUTFIT: ♡◥tab◤PROFILE: ♡◥ ◤OOC: yay Zara's first post in this guild uwu◥
Rhun Tolihzeh
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:42 pm
OoC: -
GENERAL STATS ❅❅❅❅☆═━┈┈━═☆ ⊹⊱⋛⋋ Zayid Amir ☬ 1417 Doux Occupation: Pet Handler at Cat's Meow Where: Lune Beach Dating: In a relationship with Abu Ayuba, the love of his life. Status: Healthy, beach mode Thoughts: What is this? ⋌⋚⊰⊹ ❅❅❅❅☆═━┈┈━═☆
CURRENT EQUIPMENT:
MH: - Armor: -
100/100 HP
❂ It was a nice and calm day for October. At least Zayid thought so. Granted it wasn't as warm as before and it would seem that the temperature would drop by the time winter came around. The young man would miss the warmth of the sun which reminded him of Egypt where he originally came from. In Cairo, he still remembered, it had always been warm. It was a good thing that his boyfriend shared that sentiment, being from Egypt as well. Sadly for this moment they were not hanging out together. It happened at times that their schedules wouldn't sync up, but more often than not they were together. A soft smile played over the male's lips as he remembered waking up next to them so often. It still felt like he was given more than he deserved, but he would definitely not complain. His train of thought was interrupted when he felt the warm sand touch his feet and he looked ahead of him, shaking himself out of that dreamworld. Since he had planned to go to the beach already, Zayid hadn't bothered with to much clothes. He was shirtless and was wearing Dark blue beach shorts under which he had put on his sandals for now. On his shoulder hang the bag with his towel, some snacks, drinks and his wallet in case he decided to go to the Smoothie Palace or so.
❂ Zayid smiled and walked further onto the beach. The change of surface he walked on changed abruptly, but the Arabian loved it. After a few steps into the soft sand he stopped and while balancing on one leg, he undid the sandals one by one and took them off after which he carried them in his left hand to his side. Once done he continued to walk towards the shoreline, with the intention to find a seat nearby the water so he could swim. Swimming was one of his favorite pastimes and he did it often after training at the gym. In fact he had been training earlier today. For now he would just enjoy a leisurely swim. He preferred to sit somewhere where he could easily keep an eye on his stuff. After a while of wandering on the sand which got warmer further in, the young man passed a young lady sitting in the sand. They seemed to be busy meditating though. Zayid had seen it a few times around the gym. Though he never tried it himself, he did hear about how beneficial it could be. Not that he really understood how it worked. Lately he had taken to smoking the hookah a few times with his beloved and their brothers. That was also completely relaxing, though perhaps a little less healthy. Zayid passed the female and walked on a bit further, it seemed they shared the wish for peace today, until he came to a spot not far from her that was conveniently situated between the open sea, the open beach as well as not far from the Smoothie Palace.
❂ Deciding this was a good a place as any, Zayid allowed the bag to slip from his shoulder and come to rest in the sand before he sat down on the sand himself, stretched and first lay himself down in the sand. With his arms behind his head he stared up at the sky and at the clouds that were drifting in it. For a moment the Arabic closed his eyes and listened to the surroundings as he did at times with Abu by his side. Though that often never took long as they preferred to cuddle up together. The sound of the sea against the rocks, the seagulls flying over and the gentle background bustle of the beach goers were relaxing. Soon after though he opened his eyes when he felt something brush passed him. The young man blinked a bit and looked around just in time to see the hat fly a bit further. With his trained reflexes, Zayid got up and quickly caught it before it blew into the ocean. Not that he made it a habit to 'rescue' hats, but he knew how fond some females were about their accessories. This one looked familiar though. Zayid looked around and sure enough the lady he just passed seemed to be looking at him and the hat. He had thought so. Zayid smiled friendly and walked to the young woman who was now alert anyway. "Here you go, I believe this is yours." he said, his voice calm as he stopped nearby and held out the hat to the pink haired female. He was close by enough for her to easily grab her hat, yet on a fitting distance one would give a total stranger. For all he knew she would want to resume her activity right away.
tabtabtabtabtab▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ ღ ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ Her green dress fluttered around her frame as the wind billowed and whipped her pink hair in her face. She spat out the pink strands and jumped for the hat but missed. Using a hair-tie that was wrapped around her wrist, she fastened it over her pink hair, molding it into a messy bun. No more distractions. It wind seemingly played with her hat, a game of monkey in the middle as the blue ribbon barely clung on.
Thankfully, a kind stranger was able to catch it before it had a chance of meeting the ocean. By her estimates, he was an inch or so taller than her, tall enough to have a better reach than her for the hat. She clasped her hands together gratefully and smiled at the stranger, ” Thank you so much for your help! ” She gently took the hat from his grip then shoved it into her bag. Its rights revoked from being on top of her head.
”This was my mom’s old hat, I would’ve been kicking myself for losing it to the ocean,” she briefly explained, shaking her head at the thought. Being the only child, most of her mothers belongings ended up getting passed down to Zara post-passing. Some of her mother's trinkets were gifted to distant relatives and close friends. But Zara managed to keep what mattered most, items that were associated to fond memories with her mother.
”It’s good to know there are helpful people in Soleil... My name is Zara!” She had only moved into Soleil City within the past several months. So far the city had a mix of different kinds of individuals but none that showed animosity to her, at least not to her experience so far.
Zara reached her hand out to shake his in greeting. ”I have a bunch of sliced fruits in my bag if you’d like some, a token of gratitude. Or if you want to meditate with me...But I know that’s not for everyone. It can get boring,” she laughed, thinking about the comments people have given her about how strange or odd they thought meditation was. She understood it, it really wasn't for everyone.
GENERAL STATS ❅❅❅❅☆═━┈┈━═☆ ⊹⊱⋛⋋ Zayid Amir ☬ 1417 Doux Occupation: Pet Handler at Cat's Meow Where: Lune Beach Dating: In a relationship with Abu Ayuba, the love of his life. Status: Healthy, relaxed Thoughts: I hope to be with Abu soon again today ⋌⋚⊰⊹ ❅❅❅❅☆═━┈┈━═☆
CURRENT EQUIPMENT:
MH: - Armor: -
100/100 HP
❂ Zayid had just been lucky really. He was on a good spot to catch the hat and he could perhaps reach slightly better. What mattered though was that the hat was reunited with it's owner the moment he noticed the lady he had walked passed moments earlier. He had smiled as they approached and he gave the hat back. "You're welcome. I was just at the right place on the right time." he said calmly. For now Zayid agreed that the best spot for that hat right now would be in the bag. There was a gentle breeze playing up at times. When she spoke of where the hat came from, his guess that the accessory was important became validated. Albeit in a different way than he suspected. All the more reason to have stopped it from falling in the ocean. Not that he really had any experience to compare it too by now. He had fallen out with his parents so completely the moment they had moved him away from his home and friends as a teen. Truthfully, Zayid wasn't sure what to say about that. But the awkward moment was soon dispersed when the other spoke once more and introduced herself. Sparing the Arabian having to come up with something.
❂"My name is Zayid, nice to meet you too. Welcome to Soleil." he replied and shook her hand for the official introduction. Of course he hadn't been in Soleil himself that long, but his visit had already been an emotional whirlwind. Meeting Abu anew in the club by chance. The night together had still been so clear in his mind he had blushed the moment he lay eyes on Abu again that evening. Since then they had been spending time together and had quite soon made their one night stand into a steady relationship. Though he had only been in Soleil for a month or so, it felt like he had been here for ages, in a good way. He completely believed in those words of Abu's brother now: Soleil, the City of Love. The thought made him smile a bit but he soon focused back on the current time as Zara offered him fruit or meditating together out of gratitude. It was kind but Zayid shook his head a bit, chuckling slightly. "Don't worry about it, I'm glad I could avoid you losing such an important token of memory. Seeing you smile is more than enough." he replied. His voice showed gratitude to her offers, but he was alright for now. The young man just got here after all and he had drank and ate just moments ago. Perhaps he would go for a swim soon.
❂ He still hadn't lost all his old ways from back on the streets with the gang. Though of course he meant nothing extra with saying her smile was enough. It was plainly a fact, he was tired of making people sad or angry with his actions. "Maybe someday I'll join in a meditation, but right now I just want to enjoy the beach." he said with a light chuckle. "Do you meditate often?" Zayid asked. There was nothing wrong with meeting new friends after all. But if she would prefer to calmly return to her meditation, Zayid would leave her be. The Arabian sat down near his bag which hadn't been that far from where the other sat. The young man was open for conversation if he had a willing participant. It would also help him distract his thoughts a little from missing his boyfriend by his side. It truly felt like he just wasn't whole when not near Abu, and the last tour where they had been separated showed that was mutual. The other had been so glad to see Zayid again, even after sitting through a super tiring flight.
Ramón listened to the other and chuckled a little bit at the others confession and preceding comment"Well how about you judge my work when I'm finished?"adequate and OK were usually words that he used to describe anything he worked on, maybe he'd throw in an amateurish if it was a painting he was working on as painting was his weakest area. But he had been told that his sculptures were good by others but honestly he just didn't see it. Maybe he was too humble with his work but Ramón just couldn't help but consider himself only OK when compared to other artists who did this for a living rather than as a hobby like he did. Once Ramón extended his offer for the other man to be his model for this sculpture he smiled a bit when the other took a seat next to him with the offer. With that Ramón wasted no time in beginning to carve out the basic shape of where the upper body and head would be, whittling away while glancing up at the other man to make sure the proportions were right. However he'd pause for a second in his whittling before nodding his head with a small smile"I'm Ramón, a pleasure to meet you Caspian"he introduced himself before listening to the other man as he worked, thinking about the pose he wanted the carving to have. He'd let out a soft chuckle and nodded his head when the other admitted that he'd only arrived a little while ago"I understand the feeling, my Brother and I moved here only a month or so ago. Moving to a new town can always be a bit...jarring"he would then finally put the larger pocket knife away before fishing out for a smaller Swiss army knife and flipped the finer, smaller blade out as he slowly began to carve out the detail work but paused for a second as he turned his gaze back up towards Caspian. Ramón's dark gaze would would look the man up and down as he examined every single detail before finally coming to a conclusion"Would you be comfortable taking your shirt off? If not I can just take a guess on the body but it probably won't be completely accurate"Ramón of course had no issue being bold enough to ask that question, he usually had to say that kind of thing to Raphael during photo shoots and other things that the other took part in.
• • •➸☾He's one of those strong silent types. Caspian told himself, smiling and tilting his head as he watched Ramón work. Definitely the type to deflect compliments, despite being both skilled and handsome. He wondered if he'd be the type to get flustered if someone told him he was attractive or if he would just divert the conversation. Either could be fun.
When he mentioned being new to town as well, Caspian nodded along. "Agreed. I do detest the work that comes along with moving. I almost never take anything with me if I must move. I find it simpler to sell everything and tend to just get what I need once I move."
Ramón seemed to be making some headway with the sculpture and it was taking everything in his power for Cas not to lean forward to see how he was detailing it. Restraint was... well, he was working on it and it was somewhere in his nature. Instead, he sat comfortably, occasionally switching his gaze between the craftsman and his work. He'd been focusing on the wood for a moment or so when he felt Ramón's eyes on him.
Chucking lightly at the other man's request, he reached his hands up to unbutton the Prussian blue shirt covering his chest. "Ah, say no more. I need to work on my tan, anyway."
Nimbly plucking the buttons, he folded the shirt - it was $200, of course he couldn't just toss it aside - he stretched into a better position to show off his toned body. Caspian had never considered himself shy, per se - perhaps not so skilled in conversation as he could be, but he got by well enough. He was proud of his appearance and wasn't afraid of a little peacocking now and again.
"You live with your brother, then?" He asked, smiling. "I take it you and he must be close."
Having been an only child in a bit of an unusual household, Cas had never understood what it was like to have a sibling. He didn't even have cousins so far as he was aware. He'd been fairly isolated in terms of family. He did understand it was kind of a big deal to people with bigger families. From what he'd observed, siblings either loved each other fiercely or wanted nothing to do with each other.
Ramón would let out a small chuckle when Caspian explained how he hated the work that went along with moving and how he sold everything and just bought everything he'd need all over again. This caused the Spaniard to smile a bit and shake his head"You'd get along well with my Brother, he's the exact same way. Always bitching about having to do more work than was needed, if I didn't get on his case about it when we moved he'd have probably just given everything away to goodwill or something.."the entire thought was both amusing and annoying, he'd had to nag Raphael in order for him to not get rid of their furniture. Ramón would nod his head in thanks once Caspian accepted his request and undid his button up shirt to take it off, this would help make sure his sculpture was as accurate as possible. Ramón's gaze wasted no time in lingering on the other man's athletic body and the tattoos that spread from his chest, arms, and back and took in every detail, even motioning for the man to turn around for a moment so he could get a glance at his back as well. Finally once he was done Ramon wasted no time in beginning to whittle the wood once more"I like your tattoos"he would offhandedly compliment the guy as he focused on his work, constantly looking up to try and replicate the finer detail work of the tattoos as best he could although for right now he was getting the body down first. Ramón would momentarily look up and nodded his head at the question"Yes I do"his follow up comment made Ramón chuckle a little bit"You have no idea..."was his reply when the other commented about how close they were. Ramón hadn't said anything else past that for a moment as he went back to work on whittling the wood. It was taking shape nicely, the body was mostly done thanks to his well practiced hands and now he was focusing on getting the tattoos done as best as he could. Obviously anything with superfine detail was impossible to do but he could get the basic shape of it done and some detail"Would it be inappropriate for me to ask about your scars?"taking a close look at the others body like he had obviously revealed the scars dotting the mans arms and chest. If it was a touchy subject Ramón would just drop it of course, he was only a bit curious.
• • •➸☾Caspian laughed lightly when Ramón talked about how he was similar to his brother. He could appreciate another practical personality. It was so much easier to just do things instead of wasting time thinking about it or - gods forbid - getting attached to material things. The one thing he felt an emotional attachment to was his car, but other than that he could move on from anything he buys.
"Ha, your brother sounds like quite the pragmatist! I can appreciate that."
After doing a turn around for Ramón, he eased back into his comfortable position as he watched the other man work.
At the mention of his tattoos, his eyes flicked down to the black curling lines that wound up his arms to his chest and around his back. He chuckled blithely. "Ah, yes. A foray into my unique heritage. They were quite difficult to earn, but they're mine."
He sometimes forgot that for many, tattoos were simple body modification - a form of expression. He certainly appreciated it on others, but he never thought about it for himself. His were deeply tied to his ancestral magic, so they were more like badges or tools. Luckily they appeared to be aesthetically pleasing to most.
Quirking a brow at Ramón's brief replies concerning his brother, he hummed thoughtfully at the question about his scars. Stretching and rolling his shoulders, he could feel some of the thicker scar tissue on his chest tighten with the motions.
"Oh, these old things?" Cas laughed. "Little scraps. Nothing serious, really. I did a bit of traveling some years ago, pursuing knowledge. I had many experiences and some left a scar or two."
It wasn't that he was uncomfortable speaking about it. He just never knew when his history and stories would be too much for people. Not everyone had fought literal monsters in primal trials of old. They were mostly trivialities, but sometimes... sometimes things lingered, whether he wanted them to or not.
"We've all had one or two youthful forays into the unknown, right? Sometimes the unknown has a bit of a bite to it."He smiled pleasantly. "What about you? Have you traveled much?"
【OOC】Hey, just letting you know I'll be out of town this weekend and will have limited internet. So we may want to do a couple placeholder posts just in case I don't have time to reply before the next day change.
By Bi Blitz
Between Angels and Gods
Offline
By Bi Blitz
Distinct Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2020 11:20 pm
Ramón Fuentes
(OOC: No worries!)
Ramón smiled and shook his head just a bit when the other called Raphael a pragmatist"For him I call it laziness but I suppose people have different viewpoints"he chuckled slightly as he turned the wooden carving over to work on the back of it. It wasn't like they couldn't afford new furniture, in fact that could have easily bought a whole new set. But to do so just came across as wasteful to the somewhat practical man, personally he didn't mind doing a bit of heavy lifting if it meant they could save several thousand dollars on new furniture. Of course he and Raphael butted head a bit but they ended up with a compromise to take some of the easy to lift furniture while leaving the stuff that was too heavy behind for the next tenant to have. Once Ramón took note of the others tattoo's and complimented them listened to the other chuckle and explain how they were linked to his heritage and how they were difficult to earn"You had to earn them? Interesting"he'd never met someone who had 'earned' their tattoos and it admittingly made him a bit curious about the others heritage. However he didn't know Caspian well enough yet to ask, maybe if they chose to meet up again sometime in the future and got to know each other better then maybe he'd inquire. However he simply couldn't resist asking about the scars he had on his body, they looked to be scars from battle of some kind.
As the other spoke and brushed them off as nothing he listened to the other explain how some of his experiences left a scar or two"Ah"Ramón let out a small affirming sound as the other continued on speaking and nodded his head a bit, pausing in his whittling momentarily as the unpleasant memory of his and his Brothers past came up. He would quickly nod his head in agreement with Cas"It certainly does"he stated, shaking off the memory and instead moving onto the head now as he had gotten all the detail work he could onto the torso and back. The tattoos on wooden figure were surprisingly accurate to the real life thing, just slightly less detailed than they otherwise would be. But now came the hardest part for Ramón, the face and head. If he didn't do a good job on the head it would be completely thrown off and ruin the look of the rest of the figure. Ramon however paused for a moment at the others question and nodded his head"We...we have.."the Spaniard stated as he got around to carefully carving the hair and face to try and get it as accurate as possible"When my Brother and I were still very young our parents moved us here to the States...we..."how would he word this?"Then my Brother and I...left our parents home, we moved to a small town in Georgia, then we moved to New York City for several years, and well...now we're here"Ramón would then chuckle a little bit and shook his head"Honestly though I don't think I'd want to move again, this place is a slice of paradise if you ask me..."he spoke with a soft smile on his face as he carefully began working on the eyes after finishing the hair and ears"What brought you here though? Just looking to get away from it all?"he would inquire as he took a moment to make sure the eyes were properly spaced apart before he began carving out the nose as well. Not much longer and he would be done!
• • •➸☾When Ramón called his brother 'lazy,' Cas could help the amused chuckle that slipped from his lips. "Ah, well perhaps it's a bit of that on my end, as well." The delight in his tone shifted slightly towards chagrin. "Perhaps not one of my better characteristics. Something I've been attempting to work on."
Yes, he'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The term 'spoiled rotten' might even apply. Not that he didn't have to work for his achievements. He certainly did. After all, if his parents had simply handed him his future, what would be the point of it all? He wouldn't have learned anything and would have been unworthy as an heir if he wasn't capable. So while he did have to work hard academically, he still had life on a silver platter for the most part.
Until he didn't.
Come what may, all bad fortune is to be conquered by endurance. Wise words from a poet and something to live by. While his fortunes may have changed for the worse, Caspian was not without his wit and will.
"You had to earn them? Interesting" Ramón's smooth voice commented, eliciting a bit of a satisfied smile from Caspian.
He could see the fine detail the artist had put into the merman emerging from his wooden block. Attention had been paid to the striking tattoos that covered the model's flesh and said model appreciated the effort.
"Ah, yes. I'm sure you're familiar with certain, ah... old world cultures having unusual customs concerning coming of age, rank, and protection, yes?" Samoan, Japanese, Idian, and many more cultures used tattooing for various representations, after all. It was not very publicly accepted in modern days, unfortunately. While he was fairly comfortable with educating others, he didn't generally expect them to be genuinely interested. There was a lot of talk of magic concerning it and he'd learned that it was not commonly understood or appreciated. "Mine are of similar significance. They are not simply granted to just anyone and there's a special process and purpose."
When it came down to Ramón talking about traveling, he seemed to be a bit sketchy on the details. Cas could understand. Clearly it was something he was uncomfortable with discussing. It could be for any reason - good or bad - but as curious as he was, Cas knew better than to push or judge. Everyone had secrets, after all.
He didn't question the other man's dodgy answer and instead focused on the new query. "Mm, I do agree. It's quite lovely here. I can see the appeal in settling down in such a place. He pondered the question for a moment more. "I suppose that could be it. I really didn't... I didn't have anything better in mind, perhaps. I traveled in response to questions that needed answering. Upon receiving such, I guess I simply didn't' know what to do with myself. I'd heard of Soleil City when I came back to the states. I ah... I enjoy the ocean. The Pacific is incredibly lovely and for a time I just skimmed along the shore, visiting town after town." It wasn't embarrassing to admit his love of the sea, but it always seemed strange for him to admit. "Eventually I decided to look into the rumors I'd heard. So now I'm here."
What had he wanted to get away from? Honestly, he didn't rightly know. There was so much he hadn't known... now knowing it wasn't any easier. He tried to reflect on it, to think about where his mind was.
"I suppose I simply don't know what it is a desire at his point." He admitted, more to himself than his companion. "Perhaps that is what I wish to find here. A purpose. Something to long for or desire." Whether that would simply be a goal or something else, he could not say.
【OOC】Cool, cool. If you want to get a reserve post or two in, I'll get my reply in here tonight. smile Edit: Done!
By Bi Blitz
Between Angels and Gods
Offline
By Bi Blitz
Distinct Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 8:52 pm
Ramón Fuentes
Ramón smirked and chuckled a little bit when Caspian admitted that laziness was probably also one of his own traits as well. As the Spaniard continued to listen to the other speak he shook his head lightly when the others tone turned a bit embarrassed"We all have negative traits to work on, for instance my Brother is a complete narcissist sometimes who thinks he has no flaws"his tone was light and had no venom behind it, obviously he was just poking fun at his sibling of course. Well mostly. Once taking note of the other males tattoo's he'd listen to the other speak and would actually pause for a moment in his whittling in order to give his full attention to the other male. Ramón would nod his head at the others question as he began to clue in about what the other male's culture was like. How fascinating to know, Ramón had never met anyone from such a place before and the fact that Caspian's tattoo's held such significance was a point of intrigue for him"What is the purpose of these tattoo's? You must have been special if these tattoo's were not given to just anyone"Ramón spoke with a tone that showed genuine interest and curiosity in the meaning behind the markings on his flesh. They must have had very special significance if they were so exclusive that not everyone got them.
Of course once Ramón began speaking about his own history with traveling he often kept things vague because he didn't like talking about the whole truth of his past. And of course his history wasn't just his own, it was also Raphael's and the other had a right to that kind of privacy as well. And so the Brothers were very tight lipped about such details and pretty much nobody else knew the finer details of his and his Twin's home life. They of course weren't averse to sharing their past but it was something that they'd only be willing to share with someone they both trusted. Ramón would then proceed to listen to Caspian as he spoke while continuing to put on the final touches of his whittling before he nodded his head a bit. Seeking answers was always a very obvious reason for moving around and when he heard the other say that he didn't know what to do with himself Ramón gave a small smile. That sounded painfully familiar. When he and Raphael first escaped their community the two teenagers hadn't known what to do with themselves and were completely directionless in life. Then hearing the others reason for being here caused him to nod his head"Ahh I see, having the ocean practically right at your front door really is something else"he then chuckled a little bit"I heard rumors that people are drawn to Soleil for a purpose or by some kind of force, I don't know how much stock I put into stuff like that but it makes for a great story I suppose..."he of course knew about the romantic belief this town held and Raphael more than discredited the concept of love this place believed in. Ramón? He was never hurt like Raphael was so he couldn't understand the thought process but he knew he spoke from a with a wounded heart that can't take more pain"Well if you believe the stories of Soleil then maybe you'll find that purpose somewhere"he spoke before he used the tip of the knife to finish up the others ears and smiled a bit at the mostly completed figure. Ramón would then put his Swiss army knife away before grabbing a sheet of sandpaper from his backpack as he gently sanded down all the rough bits to be much smoother and improve the overall appearance and quality.
Once finished the carving had the scaly merman tail while the other half looked very strongly of Caspian, obviously due to him being the model. It wasn't something utterly flawless, there were rough spots that Ramón struggled with, particularly the tattoo's were a tad off looking but he clearly tried his best at recreating the tattoo's with respect to their origin. The face, hair, and ears though were clearly something that Ramón took pride in as the details were very on point, getting Caspian's facial structure down quite nicely. Ramón would then hand the carving to Caspian and smiled a bit at the other man"What do you think? I'd say this is probably one of my better pieces"now Ramón would let the other critique his work since it was now a finished product instead of just a rough carving.
• • •➸☾Caspian found himself chuckling lightly at Ramón's playful jab at his brother. It was clear to him that the two of them must be very close from the way he spoke about him. The tongue-in-cheek nature of poking fun at a loved one was very unique to those with close bonds, as they trusted each other not to be harsh with their taunts.
"Ah, he must be quite charming then!" He responded jovially.
Cas had always wanted to have that sort of closeness with someone, but if he wasn't being held at an arm's length, he was the one keeping people away. There was too much vulnerability in being that close to someone. The fear didn't quite drive away the desire, however.
He was only slightly surprised when Ramón showed more interest in the tattoos.
Ah, did I sound too mysterious? Cas wondered with a small smile forming.
Well, he didn't mind talking about them so long as there was interest. "Well, let's see. How best to explain it?" He asked himself aloud. After all, he didn't want to bore him with unnecessary details. "I have unusual ancestry. Elven. That left me with a penchant for magic, a long lifespan, and a few more neat tricks. I learned magic from a human mage, but after a time I learned it wasn't as... synergistic as it should be."
That was a light way to put it. While his human father had taught him the magic of his bloodline, it wasn't quite in tune with his elven heritage. After a few decades, it had started taking its toll on him. He wasn't sure if he had a soul or if anything like that could be damaged, but it had done... something. Broken something. He'd become so cruel.
Brushing the chill in his bones away with a carefree smile, he continued after letting his intro sink in. "Anyway. Years later, I decided to look into my family tree. My father, who could have told me everything, had passed away years before I'd learned any magic. I didn't know much of anything about his family - hence why I've traveled so much. While I couldn't find his bloodline, I did come across others. I learned of the ancient ceremonies that would allow me to use magic without consequence - or rather, with less consequence."
Cas traced the lines of ink along one of his forearms. "I fulfilled trials and quests to prove that I was both strong enough to endure and wise enough to hold back. The prize was the brands you see." While the bold, dark swirls adorned him from the waist up, there were lighter, similar whorls that twisted and wove across his skin from the waist down. They were almost indecipherable from his regular skin tone, but if one new what to look for they could see them.
"Not many who begin the trials complete them." Yes, the tinge of pride was in his voice at that. He didn't say that they died, of course... but he had survived and that meant something. Despite his disadvantages - in spite of his weak, human blood - he had done what many pure bloods had failed to achieve.
"The tattoos act as both battery and conduit, I suppose would be the simplest explanation. Instead of channeling the magic through myself, using my own essence to provide the power, I use these instead." While he may be inherently magical, that didn't mean he was an endless font of magical energy. Everything had a limit and magic had to come from somewhere. When he'd constantly been pulling at his own energy, allowed the dark magic to come from within, he'd damaged himself - almost irreparably. "Admittedly not all of the magic I perform requires the aid of these markings. However, the more potent stuff does. These allow me to use such power safely."
He aimed a sheepish grin at Ramón. "A bit of a long story, I'm afraid. That was my attempt at shortening it, if you can believe it."
Caspian watched as Ramón began with the finishing touches on the carving. Listening to the other speak of Soleil and its appealing nature, he nodded along in agreement. "I do quite enjoy the view, so yes." The compliment could have been aimed at Ramón or he ocean. He didn't quite mind which. Both were very appealing in their own way. "Ah, you speak of the stories involving so-called 'soul mates,' yes? I don't believe in such fancies, enchanting as they may be. I'm afraid I'm just too much of a realist."
That's what he told himself, over and over, at least. Better than calling himself a 'pessimist' at least. 'Realist' had a more respectable sound to it. He'd seen what pain true love had wrought. He never wanted to experience that himself - or cause someone else to experience it. Better to cage his heart, to guard it against the potential for pain. He could play all he wanted without letting it get so much as scratched.
It was so much easier....
The sandpaper swiped across the wood, smoothing features and bringing smell details to light. With a little more inspection Ramón offered the figure to Caspian. He accepted it, looking it over when the other asked his opinion.
Turning it over in his hands, he let his violet eyes take in every element, critiquing it against his own idea of himself, but allowing room for style. The curve of the tail, arch of the back, attention to the waves in his hair... "I stand by what I said before: you have a clear skill. The composition is nice - taking in the pose, the sweeping gesture of the tail - it looks very natural." He started speaking his thoughts aloud, as he observed the piece in his hand. "You've packed the standout characteristics into the face without sacrificing any detail - difficult at this scale. Ah, you really captured my cheekbones. Fantastic, aren't they? Well done." His fingers rubbed over the scaling on the tail and he nodded emphatically. "Even here. Was this a design you crafted yourself or based on some specific sea creature? Either way, it's nicely deliberate - not just a simple, vague 'fishy' tail like so many others default to."
【OOC】Eyy looks like we got an extension! I feel bad that I wasn't attentive this week - I helped a friend move and it was just very exhausting, so I didn't go online much. Sorry about that.
By Bi Blitz
Between Angels and Gods
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By Bi Blitz
Distinct Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 4:09 am
Ramón Fuentes
Ramón couldn't help but laugh at the other man before shaking his head a little bit when the other stated that the Spaniard's brother must be charming. He would slowly shake his head as his laughter rumbled out of his chest"I'm sure he'd agree with you"he grinned a bit, finding that Raphael would probably take a liking to Caspian since their sense of humor seemed quite similar. Once Ramón expressed interest in the story behind Caspian's tattoo's he'd begin to slow down a bit on his whittling in order to give the other his full attention. He'd listen to the other explain his heritage and penchant for magic which had the Spaniard nodding his head"Oh? How so?"Ramón would inquire with a look of genuine interest and so he was delighted when the other continued on with the story of his heritage and the origins of the tattoo's. Once the other mentioned ancient ceremonies and what they could do he began to see the whole picture. However Ramón remained quiet as to let the other tell him in his own words and the Spaniard young man would nod his head as the other explained that not everyone completed these trials and how he had though"Impressive"he'd compliment the other when there was a pause in the story. Ramón's dark gaze would then travel back down to the tattoo's as the other explained that they acted as both a battery and a conduit instead of using his body as those things. The artist would shake his head"Thank you for sharing, that was honestly very interesting to listen to"Ramón wasn't one for extended conversation with people unless he liked them or found them interesting and so far Caspian was working towards getting that first box checked off while the Spaniard did find him quite fascinating.
Once the topic shifted over to talking about Soleil itself the possible compliment had ended up going over Ramón's head as he simply assumed he was talking about the ocean beside them"It is quite a nice view, isn't it?"he said while taking a moment to look out at the vast ocean right beside them, it really was the best sight to have right outside your front door. Then as he begun sanding the figure he would listen to the others take on the tales of Soleil and the concept of soul mates. A small grin appeared on his face as he carefully sanded the face of the figure, taking care to not sand away the fine details he worked to put into it"You really would get along well with my Brother, the two of you have very similar views on such things"he chuckled a little bit before shaking his head"Although you word things much nicer than he does"Raphael had openly mocked the concept and beliefs that the town had, saying soul mates didn't exist and that the towns beliefs were a joke. Of course he said that in private to Ramón but still he couldn't help but find it amusing that even people such as Caspian and Raphael would end up in such a town"Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion"as for Ramón himself? He still believed in romance and while the idea of a town dedicated to finding a soul mate sounded silly to him there had to be some grain of truth for a legend like this to persist for as long as it did.
Finally once Ramón finished with sanding the figure he'd hand it off to Caspian to properly inspect now and hearing the others words caused a small smile to appear on his face once the other gave his critique"Well thank you, I suppose this is one of my better pieces that I've worked on"now that it was a finished product Ramón was much more open to accepting such praise, even if he knew he could still do better. However hearing the other compliment the overall composition did give him a small confidence boost he will admit although he did chuckle a little bit when the other complimented his own cheek bones"They're just breathtaking"he chuckled out before hearing the others question which caused him to think for but a moment"I was aiming for something akin to the flowing look of a koi fish, something regal looking that suited your appearance"at first before meeting Caspian he had just the basic outline of a fish's tail but once the other agreed to be his model Ramón had a set look in his mind"You can keep it if you'd like, a thank you of sorts for taking time out of your day and being such a good model"it was the most Ramón could offer Caspian right now as he'd forgotten to bring his wallet out with him as he'd only wanted to do some whittling on the beach and not much else"Actually would you mind exchanging numbers? I'd like to have you model for me again sometime if that's alright?"Ramón would inquire, reaching into his pocket to possibly get out his cell phone if the other would agree.
Between Angels and Gods
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 8:23 am
tabtabtabtabtab▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ ღ ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃ She felt truly appreciative of this stranger’s kind gesture and nodded as he stated he was in the right place on the right time. Well, luckily for her their paths collided. He introduced himself as Zayid, a unique sounding name. She wondered what his heritage was from. It was always interesting to meet people from different cultural backgrounds!
”Thank you, Soleil is so big. I haven’t had time to explore all of it yet. Any recommendations on places to eat or have fun at night?” She felt it best to ask someone in person rather than read reviews online, people tended to be extremely critical when it came to online reviews of restaurants or clubs. She was interested in partying and seeing what Soleil's night life had to offer.
He declined the meditation and fruit which Zara didn’t mind. She smiled with gratitude at his response, truly feeling a sense of relief that her mother’s hat wasn’t lost.
”Hahaha well if we ever see each other again and you’re interested in meditating with me then don’t be afraid to ask. Hahaha yup! My goal is to meditate at least once every day, it really clears my head and prepares me for the day. I know that sounds really weird,” She rubbed the back of her head and grinned sheepishly. Zara flopped down by her bag as Zayid also took a seat on the sand. It was great meeting new people and she still felt like she was adjusting to this city.
”What brings you to the beach today, Zayid? I hope I'm not interrupting your plans for your beach day!” Zara shifted her legs so that her dress could be neatly tucked, not shamelessly flying all about.
• • •➸☾As he'd woven his mysterious tale of magic and ancient trials, he'd watched how Ramón had responded to the details and flourishes. He'd shown clear interest, positing him with prompts to continue whenever he lingered on a thought or two. It was enough of an ego boost that he may have said more than he'd intended - he did so enjoy impressing people, after all. Not to mention he was simply dreadful at summarizing.
Or perhaps I simply enjoy praising my accomplishments. That was a thought.
It was obvious that his subtle compliment had gone unnoticed, so he simply laughed politely in response to Ramón's agreement.
When he expressed his less than optimistic views on the legends surrounding the beautiful city, he was surprised to see a small smile light up the other man's face.
"You really would get along well with my Brother, the two of you have very similar views on such things." He said it with a laugh and a gentle shake of his head. "Although you word things much nicer than he does."
Caspian rubbed his chin thoughtfully, tilting his head to look out at the crashing waves. "Ah, I can only imagine. I may have dished out my fair share of negative conations. However, I am aware that others have different views, as you say. I see no sense in bringing them down when I hardly suffer from their opinions."
No, that was something he'd had to work on. Too many times he'd sneered at his colleagues for their softheartedness - or on the rare occasion, their cruelty that had exceeded his own. Now he knew better. He knew there was value in other opinions whether they proved to be wrong or not. Or rather, he knew better than to burn bridges by scoffing at someone else's viewpoint.
Upon laying out his critique and compliments of the finished art piece, Cas was pleased to see the artist preening just a bit under the praise. Good. Such things should be encouraged and when one has done well, they should bask in the compliments their work wrought. After all, was that not a part of the reward?
When Ramón commented on the carving being one of his better pieces, Caspian turned it over to look at it again, wondering what else the sculptor had done before this. "In that case, I should like to see some of your other work. I'm quite curious now."
At his own self-praising comment, he was rewarded with agreement from Ramón. He responded with a pleased grin, content to have that small acknowledgement.
Ah, a koi fish. He rather liked that. The fish may be humble, but they were quite glamorous despite that. At the offer to keep it, he could help the shocked look that sprang into his eyes.
"Truly?" Of course he knew the offer was genuine, but he so rarely had someone just offer something to him without ulterior motive. "If that is your wish, I would be glad to accept. I've never been given a gift like this before."
Outside of his parents, he'd never been given any gifts at all. Everything had always come with a price. Not that he'd begrudged it, exactly. After all, had he not done the same to others? He'd had no true friends, no paramours he'd allowed into his heart. Everything had been a business transaction or a societal fee. No one - not even he - had been kind for the sake of being kind.
Stunned as he was, he almost missed Ramón asking to exchange numbers. He blinked, sat up straighter, and smiled. There it is."I would be honored. And perhaps it would be a chance to see your other work? I would very much like that."
And he would. It was networking in a way, but he hoped perhaps...Did he dare to hope for something to frivolous as friendship? Genuine connection, kindness without motive? Or even...
He dug the cell out of his back pocket and handed it to Ramón with the intent of the other adding his number directly. "By all means."
He took the moment to look out to see again, seeing how low the sun had sunk. He loved sunsets far more than sunrises. That was just another bonus point in favour of the west coast. Sunsets were the prelude to the night and seeing the glittering light of the star on the ocean's surface was just... perfect. Only the ethereal vision of the moon could outshine the sun, bringing Luna's borrowed light back into the realm of mortals.
I think I'll take dinner on the terrace. Caspian could feel that it would be a wonderful night.
