alicemp

[alicemp]

❛ if that's what you want, i think you should do it. i'll help you out. ❜

"It's all alright, I think I've got it, just lacking a little bit of confidence."

Alice smiled, showing her thankfulness to the demigodess who had spent her afternoon listening to her concerns and so-called future plan. The daughter of Odin had been thinking about it for a while, to book flights to the places that had popped up in the stories others had told about their shared pasts.

She still remembered that anonymous note in her hand the day she woke without memory. It told her to not come back, but now that Alice gained certain insights into who she used to be and what she used to do, it gradually became a tease rather than a glaring warning.

"Maybe I'll take a short trip to Jeju first, see if I can at least gain some clues of what happened that day." She said, both to Esther and to herself. "We can go together though? You can consider it as a gift for yourself, after everything you've gone through, you know."

#meme reply; #[ on the old memes train ] #w/ Esther; #mpxesther; #[ thank you so much for sending it ^^ ] #[ please feel free to continue ]

[alicemp]

Cassandra did not pay much mind to the fans behind her. As much as she spend time in the bar, they each would probably get their own one-on-one with the demigoddess, especially if they played their cards right. For now, Cassie was very intrigued by the pulsing mark on the demigoddess's neck. She tried to think what it could be, but there was one thing she knew: it was not good. The dark energy was undeniable, even for a witch still trying to master her powers. Nodding her head, the demigoddess was distracted. "I am always down for a free date." She spoke nonchalantly. Cassie was pleased that the other did want to spend more time with her. It opened up a window for her to explore. Hell, she was busting to just ask the demigoddess what was going on with whatever that was on her neck. She was a rather blunt creature. "Just a question, were you already warm, or did you get hotter when I approached?" While it flowed off her lips easily, the question sounded like a flirt, though she was prodding for more information. Could someone who had could sense the dark magic cause an effect on Alice? If so? If she was getting hot, was she going to explode or something? Cassie's thought rambled on before she took a sip of her own drink. "Oh." She finally spoke up again. "It's rude of me. Name's Cassandra. Call me Cassie. And yours?"

Alice smiled happily as Cassandra confirmed that she had some time to spend with her, liking the anticipation of the blooming of yet another beautiful friendship. 

While the daughter of Odin may take her time to truly feel what others were feeling, she could quickly get a grab of people’s thoughts and their motives through facial expressions and body language. Right then, Cassandra looked like she was dying to ask, to know something about her that Alice had not quite figured out yet, as if digging to the bottom of it had become her latest interest. 

And exactly like what Alice had guessed, Cassandra resumed their conversation with a question that without the quiet seriousness in her voice, could easily be assumed as flirting. 

“I could say the heat had risen since your band got on the stage,” she shared, staying honest and straightforward, “and it’s indeed getting hotter now, but I’m not sure if it’s because of you alone or because we’ve had many people in the same confined space.” 

The demigoddess was very much oblivion of the dark magic mark on the back of her neck, which would indeed make her feel warmer whenever she was exposed to a source of magic that it perceived as threatening. For now, it was not dangerous to her life, yet the longer the magic stayed in her system, the worse the reaction she may feel in the future. 

“Nice to meet you, Cassie, I’m Alice.” She smiled, and offered her hand to Cassandra for a handshake. “How long have your band been performing here?”

#diamond threads; #w/ Cassandra; #mpxcassandra; #Cursed Blessed;

[alicemp]

Gossip in the workplace was something to which Vitas was accustomed; prior to coming to this island, his coworkers at Bifrost University often had quite a lot to say about him when they thought he wasn't listening. Being labeled as someone living in a monochrome world seemed rather tame compared to some of the other things he had overheard about himself. But if that was the worst his current colleagues could come up with, then perhaps this place wasn't too insufferable. Having suspected some form of surprise reaction to his sudden presence beside her, he adjusted his gait to accommodate, briefly returning her glance when she looked to him but then immediately turning his midnight gaze to the path ahead. A pause, a wait, protected from the falling snow by the large canopy overhead. When she spoke his name, however, there was a subtle lift of his brow--intrigue, perhaps, at learning that she already knew his name, and though he recognized her, he did not know her name. Yet. With the lowering of her scarf a bit, the smile was somewhat visible in his limited peripheral vision, so he figured if she was smiling then perhaps he had done something right and not completely overstepped boundaries. "...hi," he echoed back to her with his dry monotone, oddly finding no awkwardness in this encounter (though perhaps, in normal society, it could certainly be construed as such); but socializing wasn't necessarily his forte. He was learning, though. Was he also going home? "Yes," he confirmed, using his free hand to gesture briefly to the path ahead before returning it to his pocket. "...and you are...?"

As a museum guide, Alice had been practising being acceptably sociable toward all strangers coming her way. Her strong sense of self-protection remained in vigour, yet it was often visibly softened by friendly smiles and polite gestures. Still, at times when the balance scale was off, her demeanour would be plagued by rigidity and awkwardness. 

Typically, in a situation like Vitas and she was in right then, Alice would become rigid and awkward despite her best effort not to appear so. However, even though the demigod’s voice tone nor his facial expressions showed open friendliness, Alice still sensed that he meant no harm. She had not collected enough clues yet to conclude what his motives could be, and that might explain this growing urge in her to get to know the young man better.

At his response, she let out a cottony chuckle. Why did such a simple answer and question make her react that way? 

“Please forgive my impoliteness, I just find the way you answered my question rather…cute,” Alice immediately explained, not wanting Vitas to think she may mean anything else than appreciating his unique charisma. 

To his question, she replied with a little extra information - an effort to signal him that she would welcome if he wanted to join her on the way home, and maybe, they could at least become colleagues on friendly terms. 

“I’m heading home as well! I’m thinking of stopping by the coffee shop just around the next block, the hot chocolate there is wonderful.”

She looked and pointed vaguely at the road ahead of them before shifting her gaze back on him, her friendly smile never left her face. “Oh, my name’s Alice, I’m living in the Ratatoskr apartments. How about you?”

#diamond threads; #w/ Vitas; #vitasmp; #Allfathered siblings;

[alicemp]

[...] "Alice, don't force yourself to try and remember anymore." He finally spoke up, urgency in his tone. It was not a command, though he wished she would follow it for her own sake. He knew she meant well, but it was not worth it to him to see her in pain like this. No memory, good or bad was. "The past is where it will stay. It is not going anywhere. Don't hurt yourself to find it." Lupin finally let go of her hand as she looked down. The scene made him feel uneasy, and all he could try to do was help. Carefully, to avoid the plates of food, he moved to reached across the table, cupping her cheeks as his thumbs moved to try and gently massage her temples. Lupin lifted her gaze to him, trying to catch her gaze. "Hey. Why are you apologizing? There is no need for this. Not at all. You do not have to explain yourself to me." He explains. While he had been so happy to think she remember even a bit of their past, he would rather a lifetime of new memories over a constant pain over the past. "Alice, you are you even without your memories. And, I am happy to have you, in this space. As my friend." Or whatever this was. "Would you like to take the food to go? Maybe some cold air can fix your headache."

For a few seconds, Alice’s senses went numb. There was a tide of pain that crashed down on her head and, though not lasting for long, blocked all the sounds that tried reaching her, including Lupin’s voice. 

The headache rushed in like a warning, telling her to stop searching into the void of her memory before worse things happened. Despite her delicate physique, Alice had always had the stubbornness that could tackle Mount Everest. While this pain was the most severe one she felt since her memory loss, its intensity was far from scaring away her determination to seek the truth of what had happened. But for now, for the sake of the beautiful night they were having, she temporarily abandoned the memory-retrieving task. 

Lupin’s warm hands on her cheeks and his pleasant touch on her throbbing temples did help to chase away the pain, his voice came back to her senses like guidance. She followed his hands to lift her head, and finally opened her eyes to see his concerned yet still so gentle face. 

“Thank you so much, Lupin,” she replied, her words were simple, but she hoped her soft smile and gaze would help to express her deep appreciation for him. As if afraid that even those might not be enough, she held his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.

Alice did not want to get them into a serious discussion, at least not when they were in public, Lupin was still concerned, and she was still waiting for the headache to completely subside. For now, she only wished to say it as a statement. “I may not need to get my memory back, but I do feel like there’s something more about this.” 

His saying about being happy to have her close as a friend made Alice think, just some fleeting queries, but she knew that they would get back to her from time to time until she found a satisfactory answer for all of them. 

Is it normal for friends to do all of what they have done together? Is it how Lupin would treat all his friends as well? Will she be happy to be just his friend?   

There may be a couple more questions, but Alice’s tired mind failed to catch. For now, she did want to get some fresh air, and probably stay in Lupin’s gentleness for a little longer, as long as he would like to have her around him tonight. Smiling a bit more brightly at Lupin, she confirmed, her voice got back to its light tone to ease his worry. 

“I’m feeling much better now, but yes, let’s take the food home.” Alice then added, a bit shyly, but she still spoke out so that Lupin understood clearly what she was expecting them to do. “And…I know you may think it is so sudden, but if you don’t mind, could we spend the night at your place? We can try talking about what has just happened, or about whatever you may interested in. I just…don’t want to be alone tonight.”

#diamond threads; #w/ Lupin; #mpxlupin; #late night memories;

[alicemp]

A relaxed smile bloomed on Alice’s face as Cassandra confirmed that she was doing all well and that no problems were brewing around the bar, totally oblivion to the fact that she was the one in trouble. 

Hints of mild surprise flashed across her face as Cassandra invited her for a drink, or as many drinks as she wanted to have, to quote the other’s invitation. Alice was quick to get the friendly smile back on her lips as she replied. “Thank you so much, I’m all good with my drink now, but I would love to spend some time talking to you.” 

Alice noticed the disappointment of the other ladies as Cassandra’s attention seemed to be exclusive to her now. While she felt slightly guilty, there was nothing she could do about that, since it was Cassandra who approached her to offer drinks and companionship. Still, she had yet to read the other demigoddess’ motives, which got Alice to keep her guard partly on while remaining polite and friendly toward Cassandra. 

“It’s been hot in here, isn’t it? Got me to forget that it’s still late winter outside.” She restarted their conversation with the easiest and safest topic anyone could talk about. 

Alice took a small sip from her cocktail, could not realize on her own the way her aura was dimming unnaturally. It was not because of the heat, the alcohol, or her current physical condition, but because of the ancient curse that was sealed on her through the symbol at the back of her neck. Someone with knowledge about dark magic may sense the negative effect of the curse on her aura, her memory, and how it may cause intermittent severe headaches and insomnia. 

HEXED had a performance at Dr. Feelgoods, a showcase of their latest release, and Alice was glad she did not sit it out. 

Outside, the winds were chilly, but inside the bar, it was getting warmer and warmer thanks to the band’s and their crowd’s energy. Alice, despite not being a self-proclaimed fan of rock music, found herself swaying and head banging along the beats on a high swivel barstool. Dressing in black jeans and a leather jacket over a cashmere sweater, she blended well into the audience, even though she may be among the loudest to sing along. 

Close to the end of the band’s performance, as the heat was rising, Alice took off the jacket. She also decided to tie her long blonde hair up into an aesthetically messy high bun, a style she rarely, if ever, did outside the confinement of her bathroom. When the HEXED ladies finished and started mingling, Alice took her time to order a non-alcoholic drink, feeling the need to rehydrate before heading home. 

As she was waiting for the drink from the bartender, Alice felt a light tap on her left shoulder. Naturally, she turned around to see who was the person, only to be greeted by one of the singers she had just seen on the stage a few minutes ago. Cassandra, Alice recalled her name, since she had read about the HEXED and listened to their latest album before coming to the show tonight. 

“Oh, hello!” She greeted the other demigoddess with a welcoming smile, but that soon withered and was replaced by mild confusion due to the other’s seemingly irrelevant question. 

“Uhm, I enjoyed your performance, and I like the drinks, if that’s what you would like to ask about?” Alice replied with a beat of hesitation, as she was pretty much uncertain of why Cassandra looked at her as if she was in great concern. After a second of consideration, she returned the question to the singer. “...Are you good though? Is everything alright?”

#diamond threads; #w/ Cassandra; #mpxcassandra; #Cursed Blessed;

[alicemp]

“Based on all the evident clues I have gathered about my mental condition so far, my memory loss is legit,” Alice replied to the pretty demigoddess with a rather playful smile, an attempt to make the whole situation more light-hearted for both her and her new-old friend. 

She quickly noticed Yingyue’s equal effort to brighten the mood of their conversation, for which she truly appreciated the demigoddess. For this evening, Alice had planned to be moderately adventurous, and she had expected to learn one or two new things about the island. But the night took an interesting turn, and now Alice was learning that she had a pretty friend named Jiang Yingyue, whom she had helped in some ways to become her today’s confident self. 

“It’s really nice to meet you again, Yingyue.” Alice reciprocated the kind gesture by tightening her hands around the other demigoddess. The smile on her face grew wider and brighter at Yingyue’s joke, and soon an urge to get to know the other naturally bloomed in her. 

“Please tell me a bit more about how we met and became friends?” Alice asked, making a guess based on the sound of Yingyue’s name. “I guess we ran into each other somewhere in China?”

Words had been flying around the island, as they always did, this time repeatedly mentioning and complimenting Sakura Lounge. 

Alice had heard about the place, first through Lupin, then as if the name had triggered a domino effect, ninety five percent of people she talked to during the following week mentioned it at least once. When she gathered enough evidence to be convinced it was a sign from the universe, Alice made up her mind, dolled herself up a little bit, and ventured into the exquisite club on a lively Friday evening. 

She was draped in a well-fitted black cocktail dress and a pair of three-inch heels, yielding more attention than she had expected. The half-up hairstyle, adorned by a black bow tie, allowed the rest of her silky blond hair to cascade down the delicate back and shoulders. Her make-up was light and natural, probably not the best layout for a night at the club, but always the best to bring out her features, or that was what she thought. 

Upon entering the club, out of instinct, the demigoddess spent a few seconds thoroughly taking in her surroundings. She looked at the sophisticated decorations, observed the activities that were happening around the place, then answered the welcoming host that yes, she had come alone, and please, if she could be accompanied by a maid, if that was a compulsory part of being a solo club-goer at Sakura. 

Politely and with a charming smile, the host assured that her wish was heard, then told her to just give it a few minutes before taking his leave. Alice settled down in a small booth, chilling with the classic mojito she had ordered herself while thinking of what she should do next. 

Before Alice found the answer, a maid found her. She looked up, about to reply with a “Yes, sure”, but the other was quicker in deciding to skip the step. Her name was called before self-introduction, the maid’s facial expression, her hasty decision to claim the seat, her question, and the way her voice tone changed in surprise. Truly, Alice could not ask for more clues to understand the situation. 

“So we’ve met sometime before, and based on your reactions seeing me, we did not hate each other,” Alice concluded easily, her smile and body language became more relaxed, although the light in her eyes remained distant. 

She shifted slightly on the couch to have a better look at the other, her voice tone was calm as she explained. “I cannot remember you, or anyone, or anything in my past, except for my name. My memory is impaired, and no one seems to have a proper explanation for it. I may not be the same Alice you have known before, so for that, and for forgetting you and our connection, I hope you accept my apology.” 

#diamond threads; #w/ Yingyue; #mpxyingyue; #Old Teacher;

[alicemp]

ROSÉ x Sulwhasoo

#{ visual }; #{ the diamond mind };

[alicemp]

HEXED had a performance at Dr. Feelgoods, a showcase of their latest release, and Alice was glad she did not sit it out. 

Outside, the winds were chilly, but inside the bar, it was getting warmer and warmer thanks to the band’s and their crowd’s energy. Alice, despite not being a self-proclaimed fan of rock music, found herself swaying and head banging along the beats on a high swivel barstool. Dressing in black jeans and a leather jacket over a cashmere sweater, she blended well into the audience, even though she may be among the loudest to sing along. 

Close to the end of the band’s performance, as the heat was rising, Alice took off the jacket. She also decided to tie her long blonde hair up into an aesthetically messy high bun, a style she rarely, if ever, did outside the confinement of her bathroom. When the HEXED ladies finished and started mingling, Alice took her time to order a non-alcoholic drink, feeling the need to rehydrate before heading home. 

As she was waiting for the drink from the bartender, Alice felt a light tap on her left shoulder. Naturally, she turned around to see who was the person, only to be greeted by one of the singers she had just seen on the stage a few minutes ago. Cassandra, Alice recalled her name, since she had read about the HEXED and listened to their latest album before coming to the show tonight. 

“Oh, hello!” She greeted the other demigoddess with a welcoming smile, but that soon withered and was replaced by mild confusion due to the other’s seemingly irrelevant question. 

“Uhm, I enjoyed your performance, and I like the drinks, if that’s what you would like to ask about?” Alice replied with a beat of hesitation, as she was pretty much uncertain of why Cassandra looked at her as if she was in great concern. After a second of consideration, she returned the question to the singer. “...Are you good though? Is everything alright?”

Cursed Blessed

@alicemp

Another night, HEXED had a performance at Dr. Feelgoods. They still were performing their most recent album's music. And, the crowd seem to thrive to their music. With such a success, Cassandra had considered buying the bar so that the triplets could use it as their free concert hall, not that Apollo did not already provide that to them as well.

Once the show was over, Cassie slipped into the audience, having wanted to spend some time with the Blessed throughout the crowd. By the time she arrived at the bar, a few of the front row fans had made their way beside her. Cassie had no idea whether they had sought her out, or it was by a happy coincidence. So, after she ordered drinks for the girls, she turned her attention to the demigoddess beside her.

As she reached for their shoulder to get their attention, the thick vibrations of some dark energy caught her attention. Even further, a symbol glowed beneath their skin. Though limited in her compacity, she knew magic, and the aura was bad. For someone rarely speechless, it compounded as Alice turned to face her. And, Cassie could only blurt out. "Are you good?"

#diamond threads; #w/ Cassandra; #mpxcassandra; #Cursed Blessed;

[alicemp]

[...] With her reassurance, he had to refrain from laughing. Alice did not need to have her memories to be the woman he loved. While his love for her had never left, that growing familiarity helped to restoke his love for her once again. Alice had been on his mind for a while now, and she would maintain a stronghold on it. As the food came, her excitement pulled him from his thoughts. And, he nodded his head, having paused to enjoy his wine before the food. And, when he ate, he chose his bites with intention, leaving the bites that he knew she would favor for her to take. He had always done that for even though he doubted she ever realize. Lupin had paused again for a sip of his wine when the song came on. Turning is attention over to the singer, a fond smile grew on his lips. What a great song and better memories. So, he turned his attention back to Alice. However, his brows immediately raised at her facial expression. He noted the confusion and more so the frustration on her face. It was like she was so close to something yet out of reach. His gaze didn't change until her question. His heart clenched at her pondering. The glimmer of hope radiated in his stare. Lupin reached across the table to take her hand back. "This song played in very important moments of our past." He said, not providing her with the details of it. He wanted her to try harder to figure it out herself, to dig in her mind for that memory. "This might help." However, he did want to help give her a hint. And so, he tilted his head, pressing a kiss onto her open palm to her wrist before stopping onto the skin where her engagement ring would have eventually sat.

Times spent in Lupin’s companion had Alice realize something that she found truly fascinating. While she always preferred to hide behind her mind and tact in conversations with most others, the relaxed, somewhat goofy side of her often emerged when Lupin was around. It was true that knowing the rich past they shared did help her defence mechanism ease up, but if that was the main reason, then she should have also acted in the same manner with those who had positive connections with the past her. Yet, since it had only happened when she was with Lupin so far, Alice could not help wondering. 

Before thoughts could go deep, the scent of freshly served food rose to offer her a pleasant distraction. As hungry as she was, Alice maintained decent table manners, taking small bites and making as little noise while eating as she could. Being innately observant, Alice quickly noticed how most, if not all of what interested her tastebuds were left ready on the plates for her to take, and that was slightly too obvious to be just a coincidence. She could not help a shy yet happy smile, then accepted Lupin’s caring gesture by blissfully savouring the best pieces of the dish.

That was exactly how things were like before whenever they shared a meal, Lupin leaving the best for her, and Alice receiving in silent thankfulness, not forgetting to pay him back in some other ways.  

But even good food and fine wine could not distract Alice from the surge of odd feelings suddenly stirred up by the song. The room was filled with the beautiful song, the singer’s mellifluous voice elevated the lyrics and melody almost into a hymn, yet it made her feel harder to breathe.

Alice sought Lupin for help, and at first, his response added more weight to the heavy question circling her mind. 

“Important moments of our past?” she parroted, perplexity almost palpable on her face and in her voice tone. Was it the theme song of one of the movies they starred together? Her mind rushed to recall all of the movies that she had watched since that fateful reunion with him, but as the melody did not match any of the songs that had played in those movies, the option was quickly eliminated. 

Was it played in one of the events that they went to together? On a trip with his family? Nothing came to Alice’s mind, and then Lupin peppering tender kisses on her palm came as a major hint. 

“...When you…proposed to me?” she asked, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt washing over her at how much uncertainty there was in her response. It was a guess she came up with by combining all of the hints Lupin had given, backed up solely by logic and none of the gleams of the past. 

In her memory, it remained tar black. A vast field of nothingness that now as she was trying to venture back into, it started to hurt, physically. 

“I…I just guess, Lupin, I still don’t remember it. I cannot recall anything about that moment.” The confession came with much effort, as she did not wish to disappoint Lupin, not when his eyes were full of hope, but she also could not lie to him. One of her hands stayed still in his, while the other came up to hold her forehead, trying to stop a headache that was creeping up so close to numbing her thinking. 

The throbbing pain, the growing guilt, and the frustration because of her ridiculous memory loss forced Alice to look down, hoping to hide the furrows deepening in between her eyebrows. Her voice was low, dimmed partly by the physical discomfort, but more likely by the disappointment for herself. “I am so sorry, Lupin, I swear I have tried, just…every time I try, my head hurts really badly, I just…can’t.”

#diamond threads; #w/ Lupin; #mpxlupin; #late night memories;

[alicemp]

Alice looked up to the night sky, observing the shower of snowflakes that seemingly came from the lampposts lining the pavements, then released a soft sigh. 

She had bundled up properly, long black waterproof puffer coat over navy windbreaker over off-white wool turtleneck, fleece black trousers, knee-high leather boots, black mittens, off-white cashmere beanie and scarf of the same material. Would that be enough for a safe walk home? Alice would say yes, but not with solid confidence. 

The demigoddess clicked her tongue, convincing herself not to be overly skittish about the heavy snow. She was a daughter of Odin, for goodness’ sake. 

And with that make-do bravery, Alice stepped out of the museum and into the snowy downpour, tugging the scarf slightly up to shield her lips and nose from the wintry breezes. Her covered hands snuck down into the soft fabric of the puffer’s pockets, and her feet took deliberate steps on the slippery pavement, as she could bear the chilling wind but not a fracture on her skull. 

Alice kept her eyes fixed on the road, until the snowflakes stopped landing on all over her, her right side suddenly felt warmer, and her shadow was swallowed by a much bigger, and much rounder one. Like any normal human caught in the same situation, her defence mechanism immediately kicked in, making her take two strides forward to escape the hovering shadow. 

When she turned around to see whoever that could be, her eyes were greeted by the figure of a man, towering and rather intimidating in his all-black outfit, but did not look totally unfamiliar. Because of the umbrella above his head, it took Alice a few seconds to capture the man’s features and identify who he was. 

“...Vitas?” 

She uttered the name that she heard once from a staff member, about their dutiful archivist who dressed like, quoted, he was living in the monochrome world of the 30s’ television technology, enquoted. Alice did not completely approve of that remark, she found it witty yet slightly insensitive somehow, but that indeed got her curious and stole a glance at the demigod. Recognizing what the young man had just done, Alice tugged her scarf down so that he could see the friendly smile on her lips. 

“Hi,” she resumed speaking, trying not to get caught by the creeping awkwardness, “are you going home too?” 

Allfathered Siblings

Closed starter for a sister from the same mister @alicemp

By evening, the snow was falling fairly heavily; thankfully, he had anticipated the weather and prepared by not just bundling in his black trenchcoat, scarf, gloves and boots, but also by bringing his umbrella. He stepped from the doors of the museum and opened the wide canopy with a notable whoosh as he lifted it above his head. But that wasn't the only sound he heard--a familiar rustling and chitter of a large raven nearby caught his attention; his dark gaze shifted instinctively to the bird on the railing and, once the raven realized it had his attention, it flew off...specifically past the door that now opened to reveal a woman exiting.

All right, Muninn. Fair enough.

He recognized her immediately as a woman who had been guiding a group of visitors earlier and he fell into step beside her, holding his umbrella above both their heads without saying a word, its canopy easily wide enough to fit two people comfortably beneath it. He didn't ask who she was or where she was going, he just walked silently at her side.

#diamond threads; #w/ Vitas; #vitasmp; #Allfathered siblings;

[alicemp]

[...] "I hope you don't mind if I leave her door open ? She likes to listen to the music." And he himself could hear if something was happening.  "I hope you'll be satisfied with my teaching" he answered, inviting her to sit on the sofa. He couldn't help but watch her as she looked around, a soft light in her eyes. He barely knew her and he already liked her a lot. He truly hope that they would get along well and that the lessons could bloom into friendship.  Ailill smiled at the compliment, rubbing the back of his neck to ease his tension. He had loved the apartment as soon as he had seen it, the warm atomspher brought by the wood, beige and green tones. It was peaceful, perfect to raise a child. "Thank you ! You can look at Oona's room later if you want, she has a bookshelf in the shape of a tree." He sat down next to Alice as she talked, nodding at her explanations. Emotions, feelings. Those were hard to learn, to give back to others. "Mm... I could try but those things need to be felt, here" he said, patting his own belly. "But for now, maybe you could show me what you can do ?"

“Certainly! I just hope that the music I’m about to play will not bother her,” Alice said jokingly, masking the unusual lack of confidence bubbling in her voice with a soft chuckle.  

The ‘vibe check’ ritual she did by looking around the room did help to relax her nerves. As she sat on the comfy couch, with Oona’s presence still very much felt from across the living room, the subtle tension in Alice’s body language gradually subsided. 

“I’m confident that I’ll enjoy our class today,” she confirmed, her smile tender and filled with optimism. It was surprising to realise that Aillil and Oona were among the few truly new faces she conversed since coming to Mount Phoenix. With how many old connections she had run into in the last few months, even though she had nothing against that, this was still a pretty much welcome experience.

At the mention of Oona’s tree-shape bookshelf, Alice’s eyes sparkled up. “Wow, that sounds so cool! I’m definitely giving it a look later,” she exclaimed, enthusiasm for any book-related topic shining in her smile and voice tone. “You know, I’m thinking of suggesting Amaterasu-sama upgrade the kid zone in our library and museum, and bookshelves in different shapes and sizes will certainly be a must. Hopefully, we can finish it before summer, so there will be a reading club and activities for children when the season comes! And…ah, sorry, I digress.” 

Alice stopped herself from rambling, as she reminded herself of her purpose of being here, and that Aillil would not have a whole day to listen to ideas irrelevant to music. She sat a bit straighter, getting herself physically and mentally ready to absorb what Ailill would want her to learn. Confusion fleeted across her face as his gesture implied that feelings should be felt with belly, but that would be a question for later. 

“Alright, let me try this,” Alice replied taking her guitar out of the case. She placed the instrument in its right position on her lap, found her posture to hold it properly, and played with bare fingers despite a plectrum attached to the guitar when she bought it.  

As if her fingers had learned it by heart, Alice played the first verse of the song ‘Rememer me’ without any hiccups. Still, despite no mistakes made, she knew her playing was lacking emotion-wise. When finished, she looked up at Ailill, silently asking for his comments and instructions with dark round eyes full of anticipation.

#diamond threads; #w/ Aillil; #mpailill; #show me how to feel; #[ <3 ]

[alicemp]

Today’s Invidia reminded her of a beautiful melancholy.

It may not make a lot of sense, but that was what came up in her mind the moment her gaze landed on him. In the white noise of the extensive library, his quietness got loud. With the camaraderie felt between book lovers, plus the times when he helped her chase trouble away, Alice initiated a small talk, and the demigod indulged her. 

When the question came her way, Alice paused to think for one second, then replied calmly. “If your ‘anywhere’ includes places in other dimensions and universes, then my answer would be Asgard. First Valhalla, then Fólkvangr, and maybe Thrudheim. I also would love to see the central cosmic tree Yggdrasil, if that’s an option.” 

She glanced back at the book that he had just put back on the shelf before asking a question, her voice was kept low so as not to break the library’s serenity.

“What makes you want to go visit a foreign land, if it's not for the reputation it has?”

❛ if that's what you want, i think you should do it. i'll help you out. ❜

𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝒫𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 (stand still: no longer accepting)

♮

He toys over the idea for a little bit as she says that. It had been some time since he went on a trip just for fun on his own. Sure he had been traveling a lot! But not at his own leisure really in at least a solid year. The idea of going someplace and being able to explore and get truly lost and figure it out and make it through… well that appeals to him greatly.

Invidia puts the book about Peru down on the rack again. That little smile is still on his lips before he looks to her. “Where would you go if you could go anywhere?”

#diamond moments; #w/ Invidia; #mpxinvidia; #[ we don't need to turn this into a thread if you are not ready to take more threads for NV ] #[ Alice just wanted to answer his question so I let her ^^ ]

[alicemp]

Lupin could not stop the smile that pulled on his lips, fondly looking at her. He definitely would take her wherever she wanted to go, and it seemed that suggestion of the symphony had worked well. "Yes. We have to go. I have the perfect idea for a dress for you if you wouldn't mind me creating one." He stated, leaning forward so that he could perch his head on his folded hands. "I am pretty sure we had been invited to a concert of the ost from our old drama after it released. However, I don't think either of us paid it any attention." At that point, their young romance had been budding. He knew she was all he could look at then. His mothers had loved Alice just as he had, and so, he knew his mothers would be sad to know she did not remember them, though it was clearly not her fault. "Don't worry. You have on multiple occasions. When I ended the engagement, I thought umma was going to beat me up, and okasan was not much better either. It might one of the most upset moments I ever saw them." He stated with a weak chuckle. It was funny now. Back then, it was not. It had taken enough explanation to get to a reasonable ground. There was so much about their end that he regretted. "I told her we have re-met. I don't think I can get off the phone without hearing questions about you. They do not know of your memory loss." He nodded his head in approval at her wine order, and once the waiter walked away with their menus, he relaxed again. A hand reached out over the table to grab one of her hands into his. Her question made him chuckle, a small knowing smile rested on his lips. "You actually did not take that long, though I have suspicions after knowing you so long that you had reviewed the menu before we even got there." He jested with good amusement. A thumb gently rubbed the back of her hand. As the waiters brought their wines, it was a simple thanks before his attention was back to her. "I remember I spent a lot of effort trying to look my best for our date, and it ended up raining on us. But, it was a good night. The best night."

“Who am I to reject designer Lupin? He wants to make another bespoke dress for me, I must be insane to say no to such an offer, right?” Alice replied jokingly. She mirrored Lupin’s gesture, leaning toward him and perching her head on her folded hands, her eyes gleamed under the restaurant’s atmospheric lights. “Was anyone upset because of our lack of attention? I hope there was none, but if there was, I hope neither of us cared about that.”  

Her witty smile, her dramatic intonation, and the cocky arch of her eyebrows uncannily resembled the manner of her most well-known character, the one she co-starred with Lupin. Alice now could not know, but Lupin might still remember, that after being showered with compliments and acknowledgement for that iconic role, she had struggled for a long while to escape its wide-spread shadow. It was not a bright time for her and their relationship, when Alice grew restless and started seeking “inspiration” through alcohol, substances, parties, and fishy companions. She did not sink too deep nor too long, but there were so many things she had not told Lupin before their breakup, and then her missing happened. She owed him an apology, that was for sure. 

Alice was back to her focus mode as Lupin resumed talking about his umma and okasan, easily recognizing the meanings of the words and what they implied. When he recalled their reactions toward their breakup news, Alice nodded her head slightly in understanding, her smile wore a tint of sadness. “It must have been a hard time, I may understand why your umma and okasan reacted the way they did. But like you once said, the decision was to protect me, you just tried to do what you believed was best for us, so I still don’t think you were the one at fault.” 

She blinked, eyes widened in nice surprise as Lupin revealed that his mothers had learned about their reunion on the island. There was a loving smile she could not hide as she imagined their conversation on the phone. “Oh dear, they are so sweet, I really want to meet and talk to them!” but she was quick to add, regretfully, “but you’re right, it makes sense not to let them know about my memory loss for now. But I guess it’s safe for you to pass my words to them? I just want to say hello, and that I’m grateful for their care for me, and I wish them all the best.”

Alice was not aware that she was getting emotional until the soothing warmth of Lupin’s palm covered hers. She smiled rather sheepishly at the sight of their linked hands, tilting her head while yet another piece of their shared past was being given back to her. “Studying menus before the first date sounds like something I would have done,” a witty chuckle escaped her as she then revealed, “I must confess, I did check out this restaurant’s menu, and those of all restaurants on this island last night. I’m just not that good at making decisions, you see.” 

She chimed a thank to the waiter before shifting her gaze back to Lupin. His description of their very first date, despite being brief, was enough to elicit an amused chuckle from her. “I bet the old me loved the sight of you in the rain, she must have thought you were dashing, even in a soaking wet suit.” That was the truth. Alice did assure Lupin more than once that night that he looked immaculate, that she did not mind the rain one bit, and even proved her statement with a kiss on his lips. 

Soon after that, the food was served. As their table was quickly filled with mouth-watering dishes, Alice watched with undisguised excitement. “Let’s eat!” She exclaimed, picked up a fork to take a piece of garlic bread, and let out a hum in satisfaction at the crunchiness. 

Alice tended to be quiet when eating her food, and so for a while, there were just occasional exclamations about the food’s good tastes coming from her. When she was about to move to her second squid pizza piece, a catchy intro came up from the stage, and the singer burst into a beautiful song that made Alice stop on her track. 

“Wise man say, only fools rush in…”

Deliberately, she put down the utensils, turned around to look at the singer, and did not turn to look back at her date until the first verse of the song had passed. When their eyes met again, Alice’s face was already covered in bewilderment and frustration, as if she was about to remember something related to the song, but it kept running away from her mind. 

“I think I’ve heard this song before,” she explained in a low voice, her gaze cast down to look aimlessly at the dishes on the table, striving to search into the mysterious hole that was her memory. “I keep feeling like it’s something important, I just…can’t remember what it is.”

That was a classic love song, it was more than just that. It was the song that played on that one date they had, the one when he asked her if she would like to be his wife, and she said yes.

#diamond threads; #w/ Lupin; #mpxlupin; #late night memories;

[alicemp]

Words had been flying around the island, as they always did, this time repeatedly mentioning and complimenting Sakura Lounge. 

Alice had heard about the place, first through Lupin, then as if the name had triggered a domino effect, ninety five percent of people she talked to during the following week mentioned it at least once. When she gathered enough evidence to be convinced it was a sign from the universe, Alice made up her mind, dolled herself up a little bit, and ventured into the exquisite club on a lively Friday evening. 

She was draped in a well-fitted black cocktail dress and a pair of three-inch heels, yielding more attention than she had expected. The half-up hairstyle, adorned by a black bow tie, allowed the rest of her silky blond hair to cascade down the delicate back and shoulders. Her make-up was light and natural, probably not the best layout for a night at the club, but always the best to bring out her features, or that was what she thought. 

Upon entering the club, out of instinct, the demigoddess spent a few seconds thoroughly taking in her surroundings. She looked at the sophisticated decorations, observed the activities that were happening around the place, then answered the welcoming host that yes, she had come alone, and please, if she could be accompanied by a maid, if that was a compulsory part of being a solo club-goer at Sakura. 

Politely and with a charming smile, the host assured that her wish was heard, then told her to just give it a few minutes before taking his leave. Alice settled down in a small booth, chilling with the classic mojito she had ordered herself while thinking of what she should do next. 

Before Alice found the answer, a maid found her. She looked up, about to reply with a “Yes, sure”, but the other was quicker in deciding to skip the step. Her name was called before self-introduction, the maid’s facial expression, her hasty decision to claim the seat, her question, and the way her voice tone changed in surprise. Truly, Alice could not ask for more clues to understand the situation. 

“So we’ve met sometime before, and based on your reactions seeing me, we did not hate each other,” Alice concluded easily, her smile and body language became more relaxed, although the light in her eyes remained distant. 

She shifted slightly on the couch to have a better look at the other, her voice tone was calm as she explained. “I cannot remember you, or anyone, or anything in my past, except for my name. My memory is impaired, and no one seems to have a proper explanation for it. I may not be the same Alice you have known before, so for that, and for forgetting you and our connection, I hope you accept my apology.” 

Old Teacher

@alicemp

Another day at work, Yingyue felt comfortable with her duties. Truthfully, she rather enjoyed it. All day, she got to just talk to people, got free drinks, and continually improve her skills she grew in flirting. She found it excited and fun, and if anyone crossed the demigoddess's line, she always had a few tricks up her sleeve before it resulted in a steady fist.

By now, Yingyue was on the route for her second table, and the slight buzz of the alcohol had peaked her attention. The demigoddess uttered a sweet compliment before she could even truly see the person. "Hello, my beautiful lady. Can I have this seat?" She asked, but once the other's visage truly registered in her brain, the offer was completely unnecessary. Yingyue, without pause or word from Alice, slipped into the booth beside the demigoddess.

"Alice? What on earth are you doing here?"

#diamond threads; #w/ Yingyue; #mpxyingyue; #Old Teacher;

[alicemp]

#{ visual }; #{ the diamond mind };

[alicemp]

[...] "Yes. Whether a child of an art god or just musically inclined, the island definitely has entertainment down. I think I overheard that Apollo will be bringing the symphony back soon for a early Spring concert. We will definitely need to attend." He told her with a light smile. Nights like this proved much potential, and if he could open another one, he would definitely do so. He shifted his gaze to the musician for a moment. "I've been here quite a lot, actually. It reminds me of home. Nothing can replace mom's food, but I know this is as close as I can get without having to put the effort in." The length his mom would take in creating their red sauces showed to her craftmanship, but he definitely did not have the time to follow her recipe. "But, I do not think I am on first name basis. So, you can't make fun of me." He teases, turning back to look at her. Lupin, though taking the menu, did not open it. He truly did not need to do so. He had a feeling that she would not be able to choose between all the delicious items on the menu. Lupin, so far, had not found one that he disagreed with, and he planned simple to order the other items she had wanted so she could get a taste of both. It had not been the first time he had done so for her, and he hoped it would not be the last. So, when she talked about the items she wanted, he had to mask his chuckle. He was about to respond when the waiter came back by. Smiling at her, he then turned his gaze up to the waiter. "We want some garlic bread, and I think we want to split the following dishes: shrimp risotto, squid pizza, and a seafood stew." While it might be a bit of overkill for just the two of them, he did not quite mind. "I think I want a glass of Chianti. What about you?"

“Oh, they’ll have a classical concert this early Spring? How wonderful!” she exclaimed, hints of anticipation for attending the event with Lupin brought subtle sparkles to her eyes. “We definitely should go! It’ll be my first time watching an orchestra live performance! Well, the first one I’ll remember going to, to be exact.” 

Alice ended her statement with a relaxed smile that reached her eyes, as she wanted to reassure Lupin that she was not over-stressed about her memory loss. So far, she had not found a way to live in peace with that fact yet, and she doubted she would ever be able to. Inexplicable headaches and mental exhaustion still haunted her, but at least, she got used to talking about it without being eaten by fear or guilt, and there were people she could trust, with Lupin being among the most significant ones.   

As her companion mentioned his mother and homeland, Alice listened with all her heart and mind. It was one of the abilities she was born with - collecting verbal clues, picking up nuanced signs, paying attention to body language, and drawing precise conclusions without bombarding other interlocutors with basic questions. Besides, Lupin was talking about the most important person and the most important place in his life, so she felt the urge to give him her full attention. 

“I wish one day I could come to your hometown, and have dinner with your mom,” Alice spoke, an honest desire she was not sure where it was rooted from. Then, she recalled seeing Lupin’s mother in some photos he had shown her in their fateful reunion. There was a loving smile on her face as she added, looking at Lupin with all the tenderness Alice did not realize she had. “She must be a wonderful woman, and a wonderful cook too!”

She did not look back at the menu until the waiter came to collect their order, not wanting to stress herself over choosing the dishes. By looking at the way Lupin left his menu lying untouched the whole time, and how completely unfazed he was by her indecisiveness, Alice quickly realized that they must have gone through the same scenario more than a few times in the past. 

While Lupin was making the order, Alice could not help chuckling softly, giving the confused waiter a light shake of her head to indicate that it was not related to him. When asked about her wine of choice, her reply came easily. “Riesling, a moderately sweet one, please.”

Alice happened to read quite a lot of books about quite a lot of topics in the library, and tonight, it proved to help her pick a wine suitable for the plates of seafood they had ordered. When the waiter left, she resumed their conversation with a playful question. 

“How was our very first restaurant date? I hope I didn’t take one hour or so mulling over what to order?”

#diamond threads; #w/ Lupin; #mpxlupin; #Late Night Memories;

[alicemp]

[...] When Alice had contacted him for guitar lessons, he had immediately booked her into his agenda. He was starting to have lots of demands from possible students and wanted to be sure she could have a spot. He had a smile on his lips when he opened his door and found himself face to the mirror of his expression. "Alice, hi ! Please, come in" he welcomed the young woman, moving to the side to let her in. Oona peeked from behind the sofa, a big grin almost splitting her cute face in half. "Hi !" she yelled before rushing to her bedroom, giggling. Ailill laughed, closing the door behind Alice. "So, I’m Ailill and this was my daughter Oona. Don’t worry, she won’t bother us. Please, make yourself at ease."

Alice had learned what Ailill looked like through his website, that could be the reason why her smile was more relaxed than usual when he opened the door and invited her in. 

“Thank you so much,” she said walking into the apartment with her guitar. Alice let out a soft gasp of surprise as a silvery voice greeted her, her eyes managed to catch a quick look at Oona’s angelic face before the giggle ball ran into the bedroom.

“It’s a great pleasure to know you, Ailill, I’m really looking forward to our class today,” Alice replied, her friendly smile remaining on her face as she extended her arm, offering him a handshake. The demigoddess then turned to look in the direction where Oona had run to, her voice growing higher and softer as she greeted the little girl. “Hello, Oona! Nice to meet you!”  

She followed Ailill’s invitation to take a seat on the couch, the guitar was still secured in its case on the floor next to her legs. Out of instinct, she took a thorough look around the living room, taking in the happy domesticity that saturated the walls of the apartment.

Sitting in a home that had a child introduced Alice to a whole range of emotions she was not familiar with just yet. It was not her first time seeing a child on the island, nor it was her first time interacting with them, yet there was something different about Ailill’s place that unexpectedly got her emotional. 

Maybe because it was her first time being exposed to such domestic surroundings. A real, happy small family, something she was not sure if she could ever get. 

Still, she managed to keep the surge of emotion under total control. After subtly taking in a deep breath and releasing it, Alice adjusted her posture to sit straight up, and looked back to tell Ailill with a friendly smile. “It’s such a lovely apartment you and Oona have! I like the interior design, everything looks stylish, but still very child-friendly.”   

Not wanting to waste Ailill’s time, she then got straight to the point of their meeting today, voicing her problem and what she wished to learn from him.

“About the guitar, this may sound arrogant, but I believe I’ve mastered the basis of it in terms of techniques. My problem is I seem not to be able to play in a more soulful way. I’d like to know if the music I make can convey more authentic feelings,” she looked at him, her eyes filled with hope and anticipation. “Could you help me with that?”

show me how to feel

#diamond threads; #w/ Ailill; #mpailill; #show me how to feel; #[ and here i am believing i've replied to this thread AGES ago ] #[ shame is me T_T my deepest apology for this ridiculously delayed reply T_T ]