❪ event ❫ spirited away

[natha]

PRELUDE     I'll get straight to the point, Thesaens. Dranbu is in dire need of assistance. I have received confirmation that the disappearances we were investigating last month have... escalated. Be cautious as you make your way through Josa Forest. Ideally we could go straight through, but it seems the main entrance to Dranbu is overgrown with thorns and vines, and there's a bit of a glitch with the rail system - the train is having trouble recognizing the Dranbu station as a destination. I've uploaded a homing beacon to your devices with this message. Once enough of you have arrived in Dranbu proper, it should communicate with the train and register it as a stop. With any luck, that will make getting back and forth much easier for you all from now on. Best of luck. Entry to the forest is not only overgrown with vegetation, but seems to be growing at an increasingly alarming rate. Any attempts to clear the vines will be met with even larger ones growing in its place, and it only confirms Nurray's findings as true. The only way in is across the sound from Nadril, entering the forest from its snowy back yard. It doesn't stay cold for long; as one ventures further into the forest, the snow will disappear, as though it was completely out of place in the first place. The red sun's warmth will take its place soon after— and before long, you'll feel too warm for the clothes you came with. That's when you know you've entered the heart of Josa Forest. WITHIN THE FOREST     The forest seems to be thick with a profound presence that can’t be ascertained. While venturing through it, one will feel like there are being watched or followed. This feeling will only intensify as metallic-scented drops of rain begin to fall between the clearings in the trees. Unfortunately, what many don’t realize at this point is that this is how the forest itself eats. How it subsists and lives through the minds of those who eventually get lost in it. Wandering this far in is akin to walking into a lion’s jaw, or rather… straight to its stomach. But, the forest has a way of making one stay. While it swallows someone up, it shows them sinfully beautiful and picturesque sights. Even showing them people or things that are familiar to the lost. All of which will urge them to go in deeper and deeper. But, while the forest begins to prey on the mind of their victim— they will suddenly hear an elegant and alluring voice urging them back. This voice promises them comfort and safety. Promises to be kind and open. Promises she has a place for them where they will never feel displaced or unwanted, or lost. Before they can fully accept, they will find that they are whisked away in Barthala’s embrace. Some will be taken, wiped of all their previous memories and inserted new ones. Others will find they have no prior memories at all of themselves, only urged to go on with regular life. What is prevalent is the forest's desire to turn you. Metamorphosis is a phenomenon that occurs only to certain individuals, and there is no rhyme or reason to them. Some adventurers would find themselves changing by the minute, the hour, or the process may even take days and weeks. The forest toys with you, but it only wants to draw you closer to its core — as though there's a story there it wants you to see and understand. Will you go on anyway, knowing the forest has already has its claws on you? I. ALL ROADS LEAD TO — Exploring the forest is not a perilous experience - Barthala's blessing ensures that paths remain clear of any dangerous obstacles, and keeps anyone who enters the woods from losing their way. However, it will not always lead adventurers where they want to go. Stressed? Your path leads to a meadow, grass drifting gently in the breeze. Tired? You'll find your way to a tree with roots perfectly curved for a nap, the shade a peaceful retreat from the sunlight. The hungry will find streams full of fish or bushes laden with berries, and the curious will come upon elder trees, unique and beautiful. Only those who are truly satisfied with their circumstances, with themselves, can forge their own path, and venture to Barthala's Grotto. II. BARTHALA'S GROTTO — The deity's home is host to an abundance of life. Butterflies drift through the air, brilliantly colored and unbothered by any intruders. Foliage blooms in a rainbow of colors, many plants unique to this area alone. With trees arranged to provide a canopy over the path and small clearing, the scene is something out of a fantasy. Any plant life taken from this area will not survive long, though even in its dead, dried state, it retains a curious beauty. Explorers and creatures finding themselves in this area will suddenly find their clothing to be an unnecessary burden - what could be better than feeling the wonders of nature against bare skin? There is nothing unbecoming about such a natural state, any perverse inclinations are an aspect of personal preference. While the presence of Barthala can be felt here - a warm, comfortable sensation emanating from your core - she is nowhere to be found. Only one will have the opportunity to pass under a veil of willow branches and emerge to the cool air of a clear-as-glass spring. Another nearby grotto is home to a plant with intoxicating effects. Just smelling the leaves is enough to entice most animals, and consuming them has effects on both mind and body. More easily amused, with thoughts that weave deep and distant, along with increased sensory perception can bring the user on a pleasant trip lasting up to five hours. III. INFLUENCES — (18+) Every five days, a weed scattered in patches among the forest underbrush blooms. The flowers are small and white, unremarkable except for how clustered they grow. When their petals fall, after only hours of blossoming, pollen drifts through the air. It clings to clothing, to hair, in the throats of the sensitive animals dwelling in the forest. Even those unaltered by Barthala's magic can be affected. The locals of Dranbu claim the pollen enhances fertility, but in practice, it simply serves as a poignant aphrodisiac. Those affected won't differentiate between the warmth of another or their own, a simple need to experience sexual ecstasy overwhelmingly pervaded. The pollen loses its potency after about three hours, leaving behind only a sweet smell. YOUR NEW (NEW) LIFE    Adapting to an entirely new setting isn’t always so simple. People often say that assimilating oneself to the environment happens fluidly, and before you know it, you’re a part of it. In Dranbu, these words hold an uncanny sense of truth. When you awake, your day begins like it always has. Your daily routine meets largely unchanged, except a few tinier details. Perhaps, you’ve realized your true calling is an occupation within the villages itself. Maybe in farming up strange medical herbs, maybe in acting as a witch doctor for the people, or maybe you find yourself drawn to the arts and you really enjoy sculpting fellow villagers in the nude. Once you commit these tasks, you realize, it feels like what you’ve always done. As if it were natural, as if you’ve done them for years, and maybe you have? At least that’s what your gut is telling you, and slowly your memories will too. At the end of the day, when you return home, you realize you’re not alone. You have a partner who shares the same values and whom you love deeply. Or maybe a spouse whom you’re always arguing with. But, even that will feel as commonplace as the rest of your day. All you know is that the day that might have started off not being yours is entirely yours and yours alone. IV. THE HUNT — Those taken by the forest, animal features adorning their bodies, will find that their palates have changed as well. Carnivores crave raw meat, while herbivores don't mind snacking on a patch of grass or pulling leaves from branches. For most, there's no reason to cook a meal; once prey is captured, instinct says dig right in! It can be a gruesome sight, mangled bodies gorged upon leaving bloodstained faces, but it's natural. As is the hunt itself - any size of game can be found in the forest, and no one will go hungry for long. The magic that dwells here ensures a catch even for the clumsiest predator. Just take care not to stalk one of your own. For a hungry predator, there's no difference between a deer and a deer-like human. THE BOUNDARIES BEYOND     For some, placated is synonymous with bored. While there is a sense of wonder in the beauties of nature that adorn the woods, serene forest life isn't for everyone. Those seeking more adventure can explore the challenging slopes of Waco Mountain. Barthala's influence is weaker on those bluffs than in Josa Forest itself, so thrill chasers won't be disappointed. Lose the path, slip on loose rocks, fall into a stream and spend a night wet and cold, there are many perils that come with traveling a mountain-side. Scattered ruins offer some shelter, their walls carved with images resembling Barthala, a dragon, and three other stranger creatures. While the deity's pacification does not flow as deeply through this region, all are still save from mortal wounds, and the veil cast over their memories will not lessen. If you have made it this far, however, there is no reason to try to return to the main city of Dranbu. Accommodations are always available in the neighboring villages: Phares in the north, and Stroln in the south. These villages are in friendly competition with one another, and will tempt travelers with women and men of their kind in order to draw in business to their hotels. FINAL OOC NOTES     No REP is available for this log. REP will now be primarily available through achieving NPC quests, which will be available on the 19th! Please keep an eye out for that! Dranbu is entirely available for exploration! You may find that most of Wyver and Olympia Flora/Fauna may be found in the forest as well. For more information on your characters' (opt-in) Metamorphosis, please refer to the November Outline! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's guiding is gentle, but somehow commanding, as if he expects to be followed and heeded without putting a great deal of effort into it. Though he has no idea where he's going at this point, he doubts that's going to make much difference when the forest has been so keen to offer. Especially since it seems to be trying to instigate intimacy, and bathing isn't exactly not that.

Sure enough, they're welcomed with water soon enough, and Ren smiles slightly at the sight of the waterfall. This sort of thing is familiar enough to him that he has a bit more control over himself than Juno, but he's definitely not going to tease him too much for reacting like that when he comes from somewhere like Mars.

His fingers twitch a bit when Juno lets go of his hand, but he distracts the fidget soon enough, shedding his coat fully already and neatly folding it around some kind of lump inside. Juno might remember the inner pocket Ren kept his deck in from their first conversation.]

Haven't you ever bathed in a natural spring before, Juno-san? It's basically the same thing. They don't seem to be as common here as where I came from, but there's still a few like it, I think.

[That might explain the readiness with which he's unbuttoning his shirt (though leaving his black collar in place for now), revealing skin just as unmarked and smooth as the rest of it underneath. He may or may not be staring Juno right in the face as he does it, though, a slight and amused smile playing around his mouth.]

[stuns]

[ he definitely does take brief note of the lump in ren's jacket and makes the quick assumption that it's the box of cards he seems to never be without. the care taken to do so kind of affirms that. ]

No, never - they don't really exist unless they're man made in like. Some hotel or whatever.

[ there's a soft whisper somewhere against the nape of his neck, warm like summer on some arboreal planet, the rustling of the leaves on the tree branches bringing him to huff slightly and let his jacket drop into his hands. he doesn't fold it half as neatly, merely draping it over his arm and then draping it over that again to create a kind of lump, setting it down away from the water along with his gun and holster.

that works.

the fact that ren's looking at him now rather pointedly as he unbuttons his shirt brings him to stare back with a semi deer in the headlights look. he's not shy but he is

definitely not used to this. out in the open. so when his shirt comes off, it's pulled haphazardly over his head, sliding down his arms and revealing a vastly different landscape. juno's hands are scarred up, sure, and his forearms are sometimes privy for the view of some if he's dropped his jacket off, but the rest of his body is a veritable road map of where he's been - an errant knife, a laser burn. there's half a moment's worth of hesitation as the balmy air hits his skin before he gives the shirt a haphazard toss to the side to join his coat. ]

So what, you like do this all the time back home?

[ god he's hot and it's taking ever ounce of his nerve to not find some way to cover his face that feels like it's burning down his neck. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's jacket is set aside very well away from the water, though not far enough that he won't be able to keep an eye on it from wherever they end up.] Oh? That really is a shame, honestly...something like a natural hot spring is a pretty unique experience.

[He's not even just saying that out of personal amusement with Juno's general discomfort with these kinds of situations - it's definitely a very different beast to any manufactured version of it. That's just how nature is, to him.

He's distracted very quickly from that train of thought by Juno's reaction to the shirt unbuttoning, though, and Ren's smile twitches that little bit wider at the almost stunned look he gets in response. He hesitates a moment to watch Juno shed his own shirt, sliding his own off much more carefully and folding it up as well before he sets it down. He's not really paying much attention to it as he does, instead taking the opportunity to pick over Juno's scars with his gaze. The movement of his pupils pauses, briefly, every few moments, taking a disturbingly accurate catalogue of every sensitive point that's been wounded before. In comparison, Ren's chest is completely unmarked - it seems like he hasn't even been hiding anything in the way of scars - and his gaze travels up slowly from Juno's chest to his flushed face with visible amusement.]

Public bathing was kind of a thing in my culture, so I did it often enough-- [He stops, however, before he can explain further, eyes having flicked to one of Juno's arms. Speaking of back home...

Brow furrowed slightly in curiosity, he reaches out for the arm with the tattoo, drawing it out a little more to confirm his initial impression.] This is Benzaiten, isn't it...?

[He supposes some gods must have made it to Mars, considering Juno's name, but it's interesting to see one that's familiar to him...and particularly in this kind of context. That's a significant amount of skin to dedicate to the image of a god, even for someone devout, which he doesn't get the impression Juno is.]

Though you don't exactly seem like the religious type. [His head tilts slightly, a silent inquiry. Maybe it has some other significance.]

[stuns]

[ juno almost forgets about it some days. not enough that it doesn't matter, but just that it's been part of him for enough time, a weighty element to his body made of ink that reminds him of a time gone by and a crooked old house with a crooked woman inside of it. he pauses the moment that ren sets a hand on his arm, flinches only faintly when he draws out a few of the somewhat faded lines to indicate its age. he opens his mouth a moment, like there's some excuse he can come up with that isn't the truth.

but ben's too much to lie about when he's warmed over and flustered and emotions feel like strange beasts trying to claw their way out of his stomach. ]

Got me there. I'm not...

[ he's not the religious type. hell, he'd scoffed when nureyev had pointed out the relation of his own name to the goddess of ancient myth. it's funny, their names.

were it anyone else, juno might not even give an answer, just say it looked cool or whatever or it was a mistake from when he was younger. but it's not a mistake and ren isn't a total stranger. he's saved his ass a couple of times, weirdly stuck to him. he's familiar at this point. a friend? a friend. wow. ]

My brother, Benzaiten. [ he pulls his arm away. had a brother. he doesn't elaborate on that. ] Benten. Funny, right?

[thedarkbond]

[However faint the flinch, Ren notes it, notes the hesitation in the answer - like every other person here who's tried to lie to him before thinking better of it, which is a remarkably large amount - notes the age of the tattoo. He's begun to piece something together even before Juno decides to relent on answering, and his expression hardens somewhat at the way he seems to try and gloss over it even so.

Juno doesn't really need to elaborate on it, honestly. A tattoo that large would be a rarity to dedicate to a living relative, but in combination with the flinching, the hesitation and how soon Juno pulls his arm away, as if he wants to dodge the subject despite it already having been raised, there's very little else that would explain it. Condolences or sympathies seem unfitting for a loss that's obviously quite old, though, and especially one he doesn't know the details of, so after a moment, he simply hums some kind of affirmative to Juno's question, and follows it with the only thing that feels appropriate right now.] It's a beautiful memorial.

[Which Juno clearly doesn't want to talk about that much, and while Ren can be nosy, he does have a bit more respect for the legitimately wounding topics. Being careless about that can cause more harm to people he cares about than he'd like, so what he does instead is...tap the side of Juno's face as if calling him to attention before turning on the spot, making his half of a skirt twirl out to one side...and a good amount of his hair slap Juno in the face on the way through.]

But I guess I shouldn't distract you when you were so eager to strip yourself down for me, right?

[Okay, so it's not technically "for him", but he feels like that's more likely to be distractingly annoying to hear.]

[stuns]

[ there's a twitch in his brow, like he's half ready for a fight over having to explain more than he wants, but the hair suddenly clobbering him in the face takes precedence over any fighting words. ]

Hey!

[ juno waves at it sharply and shaking his head. ren's hair is still full of pollen and he shakes his head just a bit as he waves it away. there's a moment where juno's at a lack for words, a rarity, and he stares a moment at how utterly untouched ren looks. it'd maybe make sense, considering his occupation back home.

but that much unmarked skin is unusual in comparison to what juno stares at in the mirror. and it might take him a few slack-jawed moments between being smacked with hair (that he wishes he had a handful of in a brief flash of intrusive thoughts) and now to speak. ]

- Wait, what? For you? No?

[ (that's a question, not denial, juno.)

the hurry of it all and the flustering words are a pretty good distraction, and juno takes it, latches onto it because distractions mean he doesn't have to tell the whole truth, just some of it. the parts he's comfortable with. he leans against a tree and shakes his head, reaching down to undo the clasps on his boots.

there's a stiltedness to it as he starts to take one off, but briefly juno appreciates it (face full of hair aside). it's like his shoulders suddenly slacken a little more at the act, an excuse to drop it as he tosses one to the side and goes for the other boot.

it's nice. to just drop it. ]

Unless you actually like getting covered in weird... creepy flower pollen and having to strip down in the middle of the woods.

[ this wouldn't surprise him. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren watches Juno over his shoulder with a slight smile as he tries to find the words to react to that, posture shifting minutely to curve his spine and tilt his hips in an almost calculated manner to make the attention that much harder to break away.

The fact that Juno's denial sounds more like he's asking himself if it's the case doesn't help his amusement any, and Ren's grin widens even as he flicks his skirt up in a somewhat teasing manner as if to say he should be more sure. With the angle of Ren's hips right now, the flick momentarily reveals the handle of that tiny dagger of his just visible above the edge of one of the pockets the skirt would normally hide.]

Hmm, mostly I don't like the idea of following along with something else's whims, but I guess as long as it's interesting, I don't mind too much. I'm surprised you're acting so grumpy about it, since you sounded pretty uncertain just now. Are you sure you didn't come up with this idea because you wanted to show off~?

[Ren's a bit like a shark when it comes to situations like this - as soon as he smells blood, he just keeps going for it, and the pollen isn't really helping that urge. Especially since Juno has a way of getting cutely flustered about things that makes it way too tempting not to tease him as much as possible when he gets the chance.

As he speaks, he hooks one foot around the back of the other to slip out of his boots one foot at a time - they're low ankle boots, though that's usually hidden by the length of his pants. It's an almost skillful motion, considering how useful getting one's footwear off quickly is where he comes from, and a lot quicker than Juno's ponderous removal of his own footwear.]

[stuns]

[ quickly, ignoring the call to his slightly balking remark from earlier: ] Got nothing to show.

[ which in juno's mind is the truth. he gives the other boot a final toss to join the other along with his socks, and if you think he's taking off his trousers, he's absolutely not, instead rolling them up to the knee and letting that be that. it's enough time to get the blood to leave his face, so when he looks ren in the eye, a single brow raised, he can look a good degree less flustered than before.

it's just in time to catch the little reveal of the handle of what looks to be a knife just along the line of ren's half skirt, and juno smiles just a bit at him. there's more fondness in it than usual, something juno doesn't catch and stuff away this time. he pushes off of the tree and grabs his blaster to tuck into the back of his trousers in an easy motion, practiced. the way you're absolutely not supposed to, but since when has juno ever been one for convention in this way? ]

In fact, I think you're way more into showing off than I am. [ he eyes the skirt pointedly. don't get flustered, don't get flustered, none of that, nope. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren gives a hum somewhere between amused and almost disappointed that Juno just chooses to roll his pants up, but it'd be a bit crass to give more than he's been given, he thinks. Ren's pants are quite skinny, so rolling them up isn't quite an option, but he simply pulls the ankles up towards his knees and lets the tightness of the fabric keep them there.

He dips his back perhaps slightly more than necessary to do so, so his hips are still sticking out just enough. Juno's observation gets a faint laugh out of him as he straightens up, sweeping his hair out of his face as he takes a few measured steps closer that puts him just firmly into "uncomfortably close". His head tilts slightly as he looks down at Juno, as if he knows something he doesn't.]

But that's the funny thing, isn't it? I've never had a problem with showing off. You're the one who's always more stubborn about it, and yet here you are-- [And here Ren's hand is, rather suddenly, fingertips gentle yet commanding with their slight push beneath Juno's chin.] --putting your cute gun in dangerous places and trying to make yourself look like a challenge. Though I guess if you keep the cute smile, it might distract me from wondering if I should have worn my other boots.

[His normal boots aren't ideal for stepping on people, but boy is Juno's attempt at posturing making him want to try.]

[stuns]

[ the hand that comes up to his chin and tilts it upwards earns some stubborn weight to it. not enough that juno is actively pulling away - it's just petulance. the commanding touch is enough to make his shoulders prickle just slightly with the contact, warming over down to his fingertips that flex a little in anticipation (of what he hasn't decided on yet.) ]

Oh yeah? [ his voice is pitched more than he'd like. between the proximity, close, thigh to hip nearly and the scent that's still lingering on the air even with the mist and water, juno's trying to find some sort of verbal ground to stand on. ] More like I hate getting caught off guard and the holster chafes without a shirt. [ excuses: he's got 'em. ]

Besides, [ it spills out before he can catch it, impulsive, you have to take it from him. ] if I don't make you work for that smile, what's the point?

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's gaze flicks to the tiny movement of Juno's fingertips for a second before returning to his face, one side of his mouth twitching up that little bit more as he listens to that little verbal struggle of Juno's. It's subtle, but it's like an open book to someone like him.]

You know I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, though, so that's not much excuse~ [Juno doesn't technically need the gun, because Ren could more than likely flatten anything that menaced them at least long enough for Juno to get it, but he does give a conceding hum to the point about working for it.] I guess it's true that it wouldn't be quite as fun if you just gave it up that easily.

[He comes a little closer, measured, fingers soft enough to move away from easily if Juno wants and yet echoing that little bit of a demand. Ren's smiling face settles no more than a few inches from Juno's.]

So, since you wanted to wash up so much, you should go ahead, right?

[His breath touches against Juno's face, the long hairs of his fringe almost reaching far enough to tickle it as well, and he'd really like to see how much self-control it's going to take Juno to walk away from him in this situation.]

[stuns]

[ this is probably the worst game of one-sided chicken that juno has ever played in his entire life. because on one hand he'd walk away in a hot second, but on the other hand there's a boldness that he feels at the base of his spine, climbing up to grab him by the shoulders. it's different than the wine - much different - full body and aiming for something more than a kiss.

there's a half beat where maybe juno might lean in to kiss, but instead all it ends up being is the light brushing of noses as juno presses forward. and then steps to the side, reaching out to take ren's wrist and looking very resolute in his choice. ]

Don't mind if I do. And I'll take you with me.

[ because water is totally going to make this absolutely better and not worse. it's going to clear his head and it's going to make him forget away the twisting knot in his stomach or the warmth of ren's breath against his skin. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren tilts his head a little to make the brief touch of noses linger a bit longer, mostly for the sake of his own amusement, but he lets out a sigh that's honestly a little bit more laugh when Juno goes for his hand instead.]

Well, I guess that's one excuse. [He turns his wrist over in Juno's grip, long fingers circling around Juno's wrist in return. The curve of his nails dips just slightly into the skin as he raises the hand not quite to his mouth, as if to kiss it as a knight would to a princess, though his eyes are unwavering in watching how Juno reacts.]

I'm honoured to have the escort of such a thoughtful lady. [Again, his breath strokes over skin, and his voice is just as warm and inviting as the breath is, honestly. Even with the pollen affecting him just as much as it is Juno, Ren doesn't fluster or even show any signs of having lost any kind of control over the situation, merely taking his entertainment as he pleases like he would any other time.]

[stuns]

What.

[ that's it. that's the reaction, a turn of the head following because that's a surprisingly weird series of words that definitely just came out of ren's mouth that he wasn't expecting. that and the combination of warm breath against his knuckles, fingers curled around his wrist. it makes his insides turn again, something in his throat hard and difficult to push down. juno fights because that's how he is in nature, and the warmth of the pollen soothes back, already present and accounted for whether he washes it off or not.

it's futile and he knows it, be he doesn't care. that's just how he likes it, to fight the world head on.

except the world occasionally likes to fight back, like when he resumes to take a step back and his heel catches on something (an uneven raise in the earth perfectly made for tripping.) and well. ]

Crap!

[ gravity does the rest, with a pointed jerk to ren's arm given in turn because if they're gonna hit the water, then juno's going to make the most of it. ]

[thedarkbond]

[The amused smile on Ren's face says that he was definitely expecting that kind of reaction at least a little, and the pause is telling. It's kind of fun to watch, honestly, the half-hearted attempts to resist the pollen's effects when it mostly just seems to be for the sake of it anyway.

He's not really paying attention to Juno's feet either, though, which means Juno achieves one thing by tripping over and dragging Ren with him - what's likely the most genuinely surprised look he's had the chance to see on Ren yet. There's an almost vague hum of surprise from his throat that comes with it, but that's all the reaction he really gets time for before they're toppling.

One thing Juno doesn't know about Ren, he's about to learn a big lesson in: Ren falls far harder than someone in his wispy weight class has any right to. The initial landing just about slams them both underwater - the water's barely deep enough to accommodate both of them on top of each other, perhaps thankfully - but Ren's either momentarily dazed by what happened or wants to see if Juno reacts first, because he makes no effort to break the surface just yet, head resting somewhere around the join of Juno's neck and shoulder and hand still clinging to his wrist a little.

At least he's light enough to shift easily.]

[stuns]

[ how the hell does a guy like ren fall like he's twenty bowling balls stuff into a potato sack?

juno will never know or understand. especially when he hits the water and feels the impact against his spine and the back of his head. it doesn't hurt so much as it shocks him, particularly when he goes under for that one brief second and surfaces in a flurry of sputtering gasps. where he was half hoping the water might be a cold shock, it's not. it's actually... well. it's warm. not weirdly warm, just perfect.

the fingers around his wrist are still there and very present, but ren's head is a weight against his shoulder that he has to shrug (softly) just a little bit. it's not rude, so much as it's just to try and stir him out a little - ]

You okay? Hey...

[ rough, full of breath, but the weight and the warmth and the feeling of ren's face in his shoulder is enough to get him to wriggle his other hand from the water and bring it up just a bit to help. where he might desperately drag him out, instead he tries to pull him up further onto his chest, wet hair and all, reaching up with both hands now to just push some of ren's hair out of his face.

it's still soft, even wet, and for a moment, juno's fingers catch there, stay where they are as he situates ren a little further out of the water and onto him, each movement worse than the last because what he really wants to do is press up closer. water was supposed to maybe make this better, but it just feels worse in the best of ways, enough that a thumb is trailing soft along ren's jaw as he speaks again. his hands don't want to leave. ]

I meant to do that. Just saying. The falling thing. [ a half laugh, and it's close. ] Never seen you look so surprised before.

[thedarkbond]

[Ren makes a petulant little whiny noise when Juno tries to shrug his head away, like someone who doesn't want to be woken up, fingers slipping loose from his wrist when Juno pulls him up further onto his chest. He's stirring a little, but he can feel Juno putting in plenty enough effort to stir him on his end, so...really, why bother stirring himself any more than he needs to, right?

Much of the hair at the front of Ren's face is usually tucked away more towards his ears to create a fringe he can actually see through, and all of it is now soaked and straightened out, the sections around his face not quite reaching his chin but definitely covering the rest of his face pretty effectively, like an extremely wet curtain. The rest of it is pouring water already, lengthened and honestly neatened significantly by being flattened out from the drenching, the bits that usually insist on poking out everywhere lying smooth for once.

His eyes are still closed when Juno initially parts the hair out of his face, but as soon as he does, he blinks them open. He could feel where he was situated against Juno plenty well enough without them, after all, and this situation suits him just fine. The way his head tilts into the thumb against his jaw could almost be mistaken as just an instinctive response as Ren laughs slightly.]

Mmm, usually I'm the one who trips over my own feet, so I'll give you some credit for mixing it up. [It's soft, and light, and amused in the more innocent way Ren usually wears in front of less familiar people, and he pulls his head up a little...

...and then pulls the rest of him up a little more, sliding his legs nearly forward so he's perched on Juno's thighs and straightening his back so their several inches of height difference has him practically looming over Juno as his hands come up against his neck and jaw and gently, but firmly tilt his head up.]

You look cute when you're worried, though.

[Was he playing Juno the entire time or is this his recovery from actual surprise? Who knows. He's certainly not giving it away.]

[stuns]

[ this is where it ends, he's pretty sure. here in the water, half sitting up with ren slid back into his lap and fingers along the line of his throat. he swallows tightly, nothing but air, as his head tilts upwards without resistance now. there's a cloying taste somewhere in the back of his throat. ]

Kind of tired of hearing that word.

[ in earnest, but also said as an excuse, upper body pulling upwards and fingers curling in wet hair to bring ren down. this shuts people up. it also satisfies the throbbing need building at the base of his spine and threatening to explode upwards into his head. head tipped upwards with the help of ren's hands, he kisses him and he holds fast. it's different from that moment with wine back at the festival. it's full and a little hungrier, not at all calculated or placed precisely. it's a frantic crack of lightning, lucky enough to land right where it wants.

it feels good and it feels dangerous all at once, and it fills him, which is rare. ]

[thedarkbond]

[In the moment after Juno speaks, Ren's smile only widens, as if asking so what are you going to do about it, before he's pulled down by the hair in a way that only feels more pleasurable with the effects of the pollen in play. A slight gasp escapes him with the tug, but after a moment, he smiles against Juno's mouth, leaning in and imposing, grip tightening just slightly against his neck.

"Dangerous" is right, because while last time, Juno had already been too flustered for Ren to mess with him too much, this feels a lot like it's trying to be a challenge, and Ren responds to that as enthusiastically as he does any challenge. Soft lips quickly give way to dragging teeth and sharp, insistent bites against Juno's mouth, as Ren bears down with his kiss and body to press Juno back into the water and beneath him. He might not weigh much, but he certainly knows how to use it.]

[stuns]

[ the edge of tightness against his throat gets a sound out of him, satisfied maybe, pleased. the plying of teeth make it far more apparent at that. it takes a little bit more than just a shove to send him back down, but juno is surprised at how ren manages it. his fingers fumble a little more, one hand caught up in hair, the other playing down the back of his neck because if he's going down, ren's certainly coming back with him.

what's done is done after all and juno's head is swimming with the heat from the kiss and the touch of hands around his neck, feeling them with every press and twitch of the muscles there leading down his throat. he liked that gasp earlier, the sound setting fire to him, so he tugs again with the hand nestled in ren's hair, angling him a bit further down and lingering.

his other hand looks for some kind of purchase, fingers eventually digging into his bare shoulder tightly. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren is somehow not surprised that Juno likes the feeling of hands around his throat, but as Juno shifts one hand to behind his neck, one of Ren's hands slips away to follow it. The remaining hand moves around to press and squeeze gently against the front of Juno's neck instead as the other laces fingers around Juno's wrist.

There's another slight sound that catches in Ren's throat when Juno pulls his hair again, and the hand that's shifted to his wrist clenches slightly. While he leans into the tight grip of fingers in his shoulder, a moment later, he gives a sharp drag to the hand, a clear attempt to take it and pin it somewhere much less useful.

Ren is also the one to break the kiss first, but not without one last, sharp bite against Juno's mouth. He doesn't withdraw far, only bringing his head back far enough that he can offer an amused smile and turn his head to whisper closer to Juno's ear.]

You know, if you keep showing me the same trick over and over, it's not going to stay interesting for very long. [As the last word leaves his lips, without warning, his head twists, leaning back into the grip on his hair again as he darts inwards to sink teeth into Juno's neck just below his ear. It's not an abnormally sharp bite, probably not even quite enough to break skin, but it's definitely very much there and latching on now.]

[stuns]

Yeah? [ breathlessly: ] That's why I'm saying you sh - [ he doesn't get to finish the thought, the teeth pressed just beneath his ear, against his neck, ending the words pretty much there. it feels incredible, to the point where his eyes roll a little bit to the side, breath hitched high in his chest as he digs heels in somewhere for purchase under the water.

if he had a problem with being pinned, he'd pull away, but the teeth on his throat send a jolt of desire straight down his body and his fingers flex a little in the hold, wrist bucking only slightly where it's pinned. when he breathes out, he looks up at ren from where he's braced, lifting his head up that spells defiant one way and hungry the other. ] - Should probably find another word for cute. Y'know? [ he finishes. he always has to finish. he's absolutely incapable of not finishing his sentences when he wants a word in, aphrodisiac pollen or not.

wrist pinned back, he presses forward with his upper body, trying to find ren's mouth with his own if he'll let him. ]

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's fingers curl tighter when Juno's wrist twitches, and he remains latched onto that spot on his neck long enough to ensure he's left a nice mark before he draws back again to look down at Juno with a curved smile, somewhat like a cat. He lets Juno draw closer, close enough for lips to brush if Juno strains for it, but not quite close enough to let him kiss.]

Hmm, how about lovable? Or adorable... [Ren's other hand moves to find Juno's other wrist, to take that one as well and keep it in his grip, coming forward again and pressing closely against Juno with a smile that's all predator. His last two words drop to barely above the volume of a breath, but simultaneously drop about an octave in tone to something deep and abyssal, like standing at the edge of a bottomless trench that'll consume anything you make the mistake of offering it without hesitation.]

...or breakable. [It's more than likely exactly what Juno wants, honestly, based on what he knows of his personality, but with the pollen in play, he's not feeling patient enough for a reversal right now. He's barely finished talking before he strikes again, teeth scraping against Juno's lips as he bites and seeks and tries to search out what makes him react in the sweetest way.]

[stuns]

[ each word feels weirdly sharp, like a knife dragging between his ribs. he doesn't like any of those three words, pinned here like this and feeling heat like a fever rising through him. it's heightened only by the tempting brush of ren's lips against his, feather-light and teasing mercilessly one moment before bearing down with teeth the next. it catches him on his line of tension, enough that when he kisses back, it's bruising and hungry. every touch of teeth earns a sound that's held back, not quite wanting to give in completely. a growl, soft now. ]

You can try.

[ it's not in his nature to just give it all up immediately after all. he somehow finds control of his hips at this point, legs next, and while he's pinned down it doesn't stop him from being a slight nuisance. juno presses his hips upwards for a little leverage, like maybe if he tries carefully enough he can shove ren under him just to prove he can. though maybe it's a touch more stimulating that functional, the friction almost immediately hitting him. ]

[thedarkbond]

[There's a soft laugh in Ren's throat at that, and he leans in towards Juno's ear again.] Keep that up and I really will try.

[Ren's shadow in the water ripples unnaturally for just a moment, then settles. Nothing major, but enough to signify that he knows perfectly well he could actually toy with Juno quite badly if he wanted, but he also imagines that would make for a terrible time for Juno himself what with the fear he seems to have of Ren's shadow powers.

As it is, Juno's shifting of his hips is more of a minor distraction, Ren's fingers clenching briefly around his wrists again as he draws a sharp breath. A moment later, though, he grinds down a little more decisively in return, eying Juno's face even as he lets out a tiny sound of annoyance and glances down to his hands instead.]

It'd be a lot easier to play with you if I could use that...though I guess maybe I can settle for a belt. Wouldn't want to scare you off, after all~

[Belatedly, then, he seems to remember another little detail, and hums slightly in his throat as he draws back a bit, enough to scrutinise Juno's whole face as if spotting for a lie.] Though I guess I should ask a few things first. Like if you'd still want to do any of this if it wasn't for that pollen.

[They're riding the edge of much more serious territory than kissing, as it stands right now, and he definitely doesn't want to turn this into something they're both going to regret if Juno wouldn't be interested otherwise.]