redmarsshit | mistleglow: a winter kiss meme

Entry tags:

!meme

mistleglow: a winter kiss meme

mistleglow: a winter kiss meme.

The month of December has been a cold one in Anchor, with the bots working hard to bring a little winter joy to the city. This year, there's a little extra surprise - the bots welcome the participation of the nanites, who are able to join in with the winter holiday protocols for the first time in a long time following their long imprisonment.

And what are the nanites doing? Well...this winter wonderland has been missing a conspicuous offender: the mistletoe. That's where the nanites come in...

▶ The nanites will be floating around in little swarms, lit up bright with various colors, and when they run into any sentient creature, they will enclose them in a harmless invisible shield with a radius of approximately three feet by three feet. Once the characters are entrapped, they'll be stuck for exactly one hour...unless they kiss!

▶ There is no compulsion to kiss, and characters are welcome to just wait out the hour and hope they're stuck with a good conversationalist, but if they want to get on their way, they'll have to kiss their fellow captive, in a specific way depending on the color of the nanite swarm that's trapped them.

▶ The bots will be helping by helpfully informing any trapped characters they need to kiss as they pass by. They won't say what kind of kiss because that would make it too easy. But at least now you know, right?

▶ This meme can be counted as game canon and used for AC if threads continue into January (don't forget: December is check-in only) if both parties wish. Characters who are not in the game are welcome, and threads from this meme can also count for application samples! Come join us!

▶ How to Participate: Just post a top-level detailing the types of kisses you're interested in, and then tag around to other people's top-levels.

▶ Kiss Type Legend:

RED: MOUTH ● ORANGE: NECK ● YELLOW: CHEEK
GREEN: FOREHEAD ● BLUE: HAND ● VIOLET: BUTTERFLY

Navigation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Rey's moment of negligence is what Elleru would call a serendipitous occasion - or at least that's what the main character of Bearly Bewitched would call it when forced to kiss someone she liked anyway, so that's what Elleru will call it, too. Unfortunately, Rey doesn't seem thrilled as the nanites close them into the barrier.

"Oh no, do not fret, Rrey!" She reaches for Rey's hand, genuinely trying to assuage her fears. "It will be all right. I have done this before, and I will show you how to escape."

The second Rey tries to retreat, her back slams against the edge of the barrier with another "oof!" Between her own brawn and Elleru's size, there isn't much space. It's not good. She doesn't like it. Having only briefly seen other people trapped before she bolted, as the mere prospect of being confined in secured quarters again makes her chest tighten. Her heart quicken. Her breath shallow. Even as Elleru takes her hand, it takes everything in Rey's willpower not to start hyperventilating as she tries to keep her vision focused. To not think of the cramped dimensions of a morgue freezer she had once woken up in, or the tight tunnels of the sky prison that she had to sometimes dislocate a shoulder in order squeeze through, or--

"Nng, no. No no no no, can't breathe..." Rey chokes out, the hand Elleru's taken having grown clammy despite her usual heat, the warmth flooding from her blood like a tide.

Elleru may have been delighted by the prospect of planting a kiss on Rey, but as her companion starts panicking, her ears dip in concern. She can't breathe? There's plenty of air, isn't there?

The chill of her hand is what truly surprises Elleru; her eyes flick to Rey as she brings her other hand up, clasping Rey's between both as she tries to meet Rey's eyes. "Rrey? What is wrong? Tell me."

The first few attempts at articulating herself results in garbled nonsense spilling from her mouth. Rey shudders, her own eyes squeezing shut as she attempts to block out the cramped barrier around them, preventing her from getting away. The only thing keeping her mind from wandering elsewhere entirely is Elleru's voice.

"Don't. Like. Traps." Pain grips her chest, tightening around her ribs. Through shaky, shallow breaths and the miracle of rational thought, it's taking every ounce of willpower not to blow her way out of these walls in a fiery eruption at the expense of Elleru's safety.

"It is not a trap, Rrey!" Elleru assures, looking around at the nanites; they wait, unwilling to budge until there's some smooching going on.

She hums a moment to herself as she reconsiders that assurance, a quiet rattle acting as an undercurrent for her voice. "Well... not a bad one." Her eyes flick back to Rey as she trembles, her eyes clamped shut so tightly as though it'd help her hide from their predicament. Elleru lowers her voice, drawing closer to Rey. "Do you trust me, Rrey? Do you trust me to help? I will help you, but you must trust me."

It seems she's asking for permission more than just trust, but it's hard to parse out exactly what it is she's trying to say when she's truly worried.

Well, at least Elleru's being honest about it, and isn't trying to claim that it's not as bad as it looks. Because it is -- it is bad and she wants out. Her brow knits as she tries to breathe, or at least focus on her breaths, short and quick as they are that she's dizzy and her knees shake.

She still doesn't open her eyes when she opens her mouth to speak, only for no words to come out. Rey tries again, and nothing. Her fingers flex open and closed into tight fists around the fabric of Elleru's clothes.

All she can do is nod in her response.

It's just a nod, but it's a good enough answer for Elleru. No time to make the moment special, like she's done with others thus far when surrounded by the nanites; it's an emergency, so it can't be romantic like she's imagined a few times, herself draped in Rey's muscular arms dramatically like the people on the covers of her upright novels. It's unfortunate, as she was delighted by the thought of sharing a kiss with Rey, but sometimes, she must sacrifice her own happiness for that of others.

Despite the urgency, she is gentle. She places one hand at the side of Rey's face, shushing her softly, comfortingly; her other fingers slide along Rey's shoulder blade to rest at the back of her neck. She gives a little pull, encouraging Rey to lean in as she brings their lips together.

And just like that, the nanites let the barrier down.

Oh.

Not quite the 'help' she was expecting, but after the walls around them drop, it doesn't matter. Nothing really does. Whether it's from the overwhelming panic or compliance, Rey doesn't resist. She touches the curve of Elleru's elbow, not to move her hand from her own cheek but justs... rests it there.

For as heavy as she is, she feels light. Dizzy. She tries not to think about the crackling embers of a hearth, the cry of blizzard winds, the biting cold, and the soft lips that were once pressed to hers just moments before there was ever a thing as Anchor in Rey's reality.

Lightheaded, she all but hangs on to Elleru to keep her legs from buckling in relief.

Though the barrier dissipated, Rey doesn't move, and so Elleru doesn't either, wanting her companion to decide when they should part -- giving her that agency should make her feel better, she reasons. Rey's hand is warm against her elbow; her lips are a little coarse, but it's expected when she is a soldier, someone who takes greater care of those on the battlefield than she ever does of herself. They haven't been living in the same space for very long, but Elleru has already picked up on the little things Rey does differently to her -- or doesn't do rather -- and taking care of her upright body is one of them.

But that's okay: the dryness of her lips, the heat of her body, and the trails of scars that line her face are traits that make Rey unique among the uprights of Anchor. They are telling of who she is in the same way that some of Elleru's kaulahren characteristics reveal what she is beneath the skin: they are their natures, plain and simple, and they are not so easily changed.

Elleru presses just a little harder against Rey before finally pulling herself away, thinking that, perhaps, she should take the initiative after all. She doesn't go far though, just a few inches from Rey's face, her hands still on her friend in case she needs her support.

"Is that better?"

While Rey wouldn't necessarily call herself 'better', the freedom from the barriers encasing them helps a bit. Still, even as Elleru pulls away, the answer to that question is uncertain -- so much so that she's afraid to move the tiniest bit. Instead she's just frozen, staring at the back of her lids as her other senses detect the environment around her to know that Elleru hasn't fully pulled away yet.

Touching the side of her own head now, Rey lowers her chin, hesitant to reply.

"Might need to lay down. Or sit. Feel dizzy."

It's not a yes, but it's not a no, either. At least her breathing has calmed down some.

"Then let us sit."

She holds onto Rey's hand and gives it a little tug, fully intending to lead her to somewhere more comfortable for them to rest. She generally finds the grass in the park to be comfy and calming, and it's nearby, so what better place is there?

Her steps are measured, her grasp never loosening as she gives Rey's hand a reassuring squeeze. She's led Kieran to the park loads of times now, the blinded man needing her to guide him; she leads Rey in much the same way, carefully watching her companion's pace and trying to stay just ahead of her until they reach her favorite tree near the lake's edge. The trunk has patch worn into one side with claw marks and scratches, making a nice spot to lean against -- one that just about perfectly fits Elleru's frame.

She lowers herself to the ground, her hand still clasping Rey's as she encourages her to sit, as well.

Rey's stride becomes more robotic than even her usual soldier's gait; moving along on autopilot than having any conscious awareness of what her body is doing. She senses Elleru's hand in hers and the guiding nudge, the steps towards the park and the tree. She notes the marks and the patch, giving way that this was a frequent haunt of at least one person here.

None of those things process yet though, as she brings her thoughts to focus on steadying her breath and heart rate. Normalize the flow of her blood so she doesn't erupt in heat just as fast as her temperature dropped.

Hands still clammy, face still blanched, Rey follows Elleru's cue to rest her legs now. She all but collapses off her feet here, as sweat drips from her brow and her eyes stare at the empty space in front of her.

"Apologies," she finally says, the words coming out of her mouth as mechanical as her body language. "Have trouble, being boxed in places."

She's quelled her anxiety in such cases before, but being encased with another person is... well, new.

"There is no need to apologize, Rrey!" Elleru insists, bringing her other hand to join the first, encasing Rey's between them both. "You were scared, that is all. We made it through together, and you are not alone. I am here."

She scoots closer to Rey, sliding a shoulder behind her back in case she needs some literal support to go with the figurative. Despite how clammy she is, Elleru can see the sweat dripping from her, and she warbles worriedly.

"Please, tell me how I may help you."

Normally she would withdraw from the physical contact, but for now Rey welcomes the comfort. She even takes the hint and allows herself to lean on the taller woman, allowing herself the time to take in the free oxygen outside of the barrier.

"Better now, but this might... take a few minutes. If you don't mind staying." The robots are gone, so at least she doesn't have to worry about them coming back to shut them in again.

Either way, she doesn't want to be alone.

Worried as she may be, Elleru can't help but smile.

"Of course I will stay, Rrey," she insists. "I know... you have been worried before, that those around you will leave you. I will not leave, not if I may help it."

Of course, Rey meant that more for the long-term than for a brief moment of calm after a panic, but why can't it apply for both?

Once again Rey would argue that it's not a fear... but that's not entirely inaccurate, either. She exhales a shuddering breath, trying to calm her body shaking from stress and strain, banishing the thought for the brief period she can fathom it.

Unable to help but think about the pressure on her lips earlier, Rey brings a hand over her mouth. For some reason, a kiss was the only thing capable of releasing them from their confinement.

It sounds just as stupid in her head as she expects it to.

"Well, um. Sorry, for making you have to do that," Rey mutters, the back of her hand still over her mouth as she stares off into empty space.

"For making me do what? Kiss you?"

She may sound coy as she asks, but she knows. She leans a little closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"I will tell you a secret. I do not do anything I do not want to do."

Instinctively Rey wants to ask 'Are you sure?' but the words don't make it out. She knows the answer; she's known Elleru and how she just is enough to make that prediction, for better or for worse.

Now she just has to try not to shiver -- this time it having less to do with the temperature and her drop in body heat and more with her sudden awareness of how close Elleru is. Her hand clasps even tighter around her own jaw, trying to remain grounded to the present as much as she can be and not to a particular redhead of the past who she had once shared a similar proximity with.

"Ah, in that case. Than... ks?"

Smooth.

Very smooth. Elleru seems satisfied by her response -- mostly by the fact Rey's not arguing, insisting she's still sorry, or making herself out to be unworthy of such attention -- and leans further against the tree, getting comfy. Despite the earlier panic, it's a nice moment now, and one Elleru hopes to enjoy just a little longer. After all, it may be the only time she gets to spend in such a way with her roommate. It's almost a shame they couldn't kiss longer.

Elleru's ears dip; she thinks about asking Rey if they could kiss again, just to make sure it was a good one. A single kiss was able to bring a smile to Kieran's face, making a blinded man feel joy in the uncertain and frightening world that marred him -- she likes to think she could, perhaps, do the same for Rey. However, Elleru doesn't want to push her into anything she's uncomfortable with, and it's clear from their interactions that physical contact is not Rey's area of expertise. Uprights can be so hard to read, but Elleru can feel it in her heart that Rey needs someone sometimes, even if she doesn't think so. Whether that person is a friend, family, lover, or otherwise is difficult to tell, but so long as there's someone to give her the support she needs, maybe it doesn't matter all that much.

Elleru is happy to be that support for now. She wants to help so badly, wants to better understand this intriguing, standoffish upright. How can one be so simultaneously strong and fragile?

"You are welcome, Rrey," she says softly. And then, feeling bold: "You may kiss me anytime, barrier or no."

Oh hell. It was one Rey's mind, but she wasn't sure how to be so bold as to say anything about it. With Elleru around, she doesn't have to.

As the seconds pass, she feels the heat slowly return to her skin. Now it's more of a flushed color rising to her face, as she feels the clamminess of her palms turn to sweat of a different kind.

"You think so?" Rey speaks out in a rather unsteady voice.

She's not exactly meeting Elleru's eyes to see how sincere she's being, but she's feeling a little more and more at ease despite the nervous creeping up inside her chest. It's baffling, how not even her panicked display earlier could deter someone like this from making suggestive comments like that in times like these. Not that Rey minds. She cares about it, but she doesn't mind...

"Might... need to lay down for a bit, first. Do you mind?" She doesn't mean to leave this place entirely. It's quiet, calm -- pretty chilly at the moment, but not to her. This is fine to relax for a little while more. Think about things... like that.

Elleru shakes her head, not minding at all. In fact, she leans back just a hair and pats her lap invitingly.

You want a thigh pillow, Rey? Have a thigh pillow.

While a lot of things tend to fly over Rey's head, a hint like this she gets. She's too weary, drained from what happened in her bones and spirit to react in exaggerated proportions and decline.

Instead, she takes the offer, repositioning herself onto her back so that she can rest her head on Elleru's lap. Rarely does she ever sleep like this, opting into sitting posture than putting herself in more vulnerable states. Right now, she'd rather not think about that.

What more, she closes her eyes, a soft hum rumbling from the back of her throat allowing herself to relax just a little.

As Rey closes her eyes, Elleru takes the opportunity to run her fingers through Rey's shaggy hair, gently brushing through the strands, carefully pulling at any tangles that curl around her hand. While preening is a social activity among her people, she's learned that humans tend to be more guarded with such contact, not allowing anyone but those they know and trust to be so close. Rey has been especially reluctant to form such connections, even with someone who has been trying her hardest to reach out to her, so for her to rest her head on Elleru's lap and close her eyes...

Well, Elleru can't help but feel she's special in some way, like she's done what others would deem impossible. With only the sound of the water for accompaniment, she hums to herself, her voice and song peppered with murmured trills and thrums as she goes through the melody. Rey is sharing something special with her, so it's only right she do the same.

In most scenarios, Rey wouldn't be caught dead letting her guard down the way she is now. To be so vulnerable that not only to expose her weaknesses out in the open, but to put herself into the hands of someone else...

It should be terrifying. But right now, there is an odd sense of comfort in this. She might not know Elleru that well, but in their past exchanges she's never given Rey any reason to assume that she's the type who'd take advantage of someone in effort to do them harm.

A few times there are memories of a confined room flashing in her mind's eye, in passing. A woman who would stroke her long, wild hair back then and hum a song not unlike a woman right here and now is doing. Rey doesn't linger on that moment for long, not to risk the ache in her chest causing more suffering than it needs to.

Her hands fold over her own chest, feeling the thrum of her mechanical heart under her fingertips. Focusing on Elleru's voice and touch through Rey's own unkempt hair, untangling her usually ungroomed strands bit by bit as she starts to allow her own tension unwind.

This is... nice.

This is nice. Elleru keeps humming, drawing her hands through Rey's hair, and wishing her native tongue weren't so strange to the upright ear. The words don't translate so well, but she tries anyway, her voice rich, deep:

I was born on this mountain
Born on this mountain
The river runs high as it flows through your veins
Yield in our claws, was a change in the thunder
Hear the tall trees as they whisper their pain

I was born on this mountain
Born on this mountain
The river cuts through and I follow its way
Yield in our claws as I think of before times
And know that the morning brings brighter a day

She had to swap a word or two on the fly to make it rhyme in common, but it works well enough. She forgoes lyrics after that, closing her own eyes to simply take in the moment.

"How does that feel, Rrey?"

Edited 2020-01-27 09:00 (UTC)

Or all of them. Elleru would like all the colors, please.

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