winters-lust

[winters-lust]

She had to admit, three was a larger number of close calls then most faced but he was a soldier, that was to be expected. He continued on, assuring her that he'd heard it all before but she highly doubted that. This was a witch so closely tied to death that she intimately knew what it's breath on her neck felt like, what his cold hand grasping her heart felt like.

"You might have cheated death, but I've defied it. I've died twice now. This is the third body I've occupied. My third chance at life." She took a long sip of her drink. Let him ponder over that and see if he'd heard it before.

"The first time I was burnt at the stake. It was only a matter of time, I was living in Scotland at the height of their witch hunts and had somehow made it to 91 years old. It was only a matter of time before the finger was pointed at me," though it was irritating to know Peter had actually been the one to officially throw her under the bus, or rather on the pyre. Still, she likely wouldn't have made it much longer if he hadn't.

"The second, I was sent back to the death realms by my vessel using the very spell I'd acquired to save her," there was a bit of venom behind her words, the betrayal still aggravating but Winter's feelings on the vessel still walking this island were complicated at best.

"Now I hope never to face death like that again," it was the very reason she came back to study necromancy. She took another sip of her whiskey.

Finally her eyes met Xavier's with an open vulnerability to them. "It's a hard thing to shake off. Death, I mean. It's grip leaves scars no one can see," she might not suffer from guilt as Xavier did, but Winter suffered none the less. His guilt matched her fear in it's unrelenting control over them. They both shared in that much.

At least Winter would not be haunted with guilt and worry. He hoped that he had judged her character right in that regard. It was part of the reason, maybe, why he had never spoken about this with anyone. The people he was close to would either be deeply upset or put him under surveillance for the rest of his life. Winter may disagree, he thought, but she wouldn’t make this her own.

Xavier snorted when she finally responded. “Yeah”, he agreed dryly. “Three times. I think that’s called cheating death. I’m not superstitious but even I have to admit that maybe this wasn’t meant to be” This, of course, referring to his continued existence. Indeed, he could not shake the feeling that his surviving had disrupted some kind of universal balance. “There isn’t something you can say that I haven’t thought about before”, he admitted after a long pause, letting himself fall back onto the couch. At last, he was feeling a buzz but was unsure whether the alcohol or his recent confession was to blame for it. “It simply is what it is now”

#paras #Xavier

[winters-lust]

Winter waited. Quite was her only answer for a long moment but she wasn't all together surprised by that. These were slaves and Winter hardly had the most sparkling reputation. She was sure most were being tepid about the offer for fear it was a trick or that the rumours surrounding Winter were true of her character.

Finally a woman's voice drew her attention and Winter looked over to see the young woman stepping out. Winter wondered if the girl was unafraid or trying to be brave. She would be sure the girl did not regret it.

"Fantastic," Winter smiled and sashayed over to the girls cell. She pulled out her phone and quickly tapped it on the girls collar. The blue tooth readers were quite something compared to the old ways of signing slaves out. Winter gazed down at the girls Dragon's Den profile. "Kylie, let's have some fun tonight," she smiled.

Kylie was laying on her bed, reading a book. She was alone in her room and it was quiet for once. She looked towards the door as she heard a voice echoing in the hall and debated for a few moments if she should go or not. When she realized that nobody answered yet, Kylie put her book away and stepped outside of her room. "I would like that." She said to her.

#chats #Kylie

[winters-lust]

Winter stopped when she heard a tapping on glass. A wave drew her attention and Winter spotted the slave leaning against a wall, cocky smirk in place. She'd yet to meet this slave but from the bruising of his left eye he seemed like trouble. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, just something she noted.

"Is that so," she offered her own devilish grin in return. "Can you still offer me a good time if you don't drink with me?" She questioned him with a raised brow. It wasn't that she needed a slave who drank, more that she still wanted someone she could enjoy her time with. Someone fun.

Drinking Buddies | Open

Winter was trying something new. She had a new home, a new perspective on things and she was hoping for a new attitude. She marched herself into the basement, utterly surprised but overall happier with it's new design.

She certainly felt less like she was picking up a prisoner.

When she was deep enough inside that most of the rooms could hear her she called out using magic to carry her voice where it could not naturally reach, "Would anyone like some time out of their rooms? I'm going drinking and I can take you with me if you'd like."

She wanted company but she wasn't going to force anyone. She would put out the offer and if anyone wanted to take it she'd happily see them to the bar and back to their cell... well, room now... safe and sound. She was in a process of rebalancing her morals and this didn't cause any aching guilt in her gut to it had to be some kind of step forward, right?

@winters-lust

Dylan had been unceremoniously shoved back into the cells after his punishment. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle - some shocks and some fists that bruised his back and left him with a less-than-impressive purple ring under his left eye. It didn't deter him too much - this he could handle, and he would still sneak out. He'd be much more careful, that's for damn certain. Stay out late, convince people he knew to make it so that his malfeasance didn't electrocute him. Dylan perked up at hearing someone calling into the cells, and heard heels click rounding the corner to his cell. He approached the doors, the glass doors that shut him in like a fancy zoo animal, tapping on the glass with his fingertip as he leaned against the nearest wall. A small wave would surely catch her attention, and a half-smirk that said he'd be interested. "I don't drink, but you can take me anywhere you like," he said.

#chats #Dylan

[winters-lust]

Winter turned when she saw a hand waving for her attention. The young slave seemed eager and in a good mood which would make this all the more easier on her. She wanted to have a good time with someone else in search of the same thing. Winter sauntered over like the diva she was, heels clacking and a smile on her face while they rocked on the balls of their feet.

"Winter DuBois," she introduced, "and who might I be having tonight," she smirked, playing off the words they'd used.

After spending time outside in the snow, enjoying the warm drinks offered, and having their nose buried in all the notes they took at today's classes; the sound of the offer coming through is music to their ears. Time out of the basement? How could that be passed up when it was so freely offered. Perking from the bed, Auggie is peeking out of their room with a waving hand to catch her attention.

"Say no more, here I am!" This is one way to meet new people, and eager is one way to put the enthusiasm in his tone. Hands clasping behind their back where they stand in the doorway of their room, slightly rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "I've been practically dying to get out my room, just needed an excuse." Not even a hint of a lie.

After observing from the sidelines where he could, it proved to be futile. "If you'll have little o'me, of course."

#chats #Auggie

[winters-lust]

#mirror mirror #photos

[winters-lust]

Drinking Buddies | Open

Winter was trying something new. She had a new home, a new perspective on things and she was hoping for a new attitude. She marched herself into the basement, utterly surprised but overall happier with it's new design.

She certainly felt less like she was picking up a prisoner.

When she was deep enough inside that most of the rooms could hear her she called out using magic to carry her voice where it could not naturally reach, "Would anyone like some time out of their rooms? I'm going drinking and I can take you with me if you'd like."

She wanted company but she wasn't going to force anyone. She would put out the offer and if anyone wanted to take it she'd happily see them to the bar and back to their cell... well, room now... safe and sound. She was in a process of rebalancing her morals and this didn't cause any aching guilt in her gut to it had to be some kind of step forward, right?

#theinstitutestarter

[winters-lust]

It wasn't hard to see she'd hit a nerve of some kind with her question. The way he flinched made that truth unmistakable. Winter could only hope she hadn't blundered too badly to ruin the night.

His words were quiet, an honest sliver of his mind, his burdens. Though there was little to go on, Winter guessed at their root...

Survivors Guilt.

It was the mark of a truly empathetic person to carry your own luck as something requiring penance. Winter herself had never suffered such a burden. Peter had trained that out of her very early in her life. He'd nurtured her coldness and ruthlessness. Then, after her first death, after seeing the world she'd be doomed to without a vessel, Winter became a monster clawing at life with a desperation that superseded any guilt.

Still, she wasn't immune to grief, to the weight mortality could place on anyone reminded of it.

"You escaped death," she stated but it was an opening, a plea that he might continue if he was comfortable. If anyone understood the nuance of clinging to life against all odds, it was her.

The future Xavier would hope to forget the actions of this night. It was important to get together as they had. It was maybe even their only chance of salvaging their friendship. Yet, he wasn’t proud of the way he acted. In a better state of mind, he would have told her his truths in ways that wouldn’t hurt. He would not have been this unstable entity who was so tempted by the prospect of getting drunk and of forgetting.

Her questions made him cringe and Xavier was reminded why he came to drink in the first place. Winter wasn’t as self-absorbed as he had once believed. She even had more wits and courage than he’d given her credit for.  This was a wonderful revelation; He only wished that he was more ready for it.

Where to begin? A part of him longed to seek advice from someone, or to simply speak about his troubles. He had kept them to himself for so long that it felt difficult to articulate. He was tongue-tied.  The liquor helped a little. “I shouldn’t even be alive” These were the only words that came out, quietly. Xavier emptied the glass and set it back down on the table. He had known this fact about his life for a long time now. He even knew what the rest of his life had to look like in response to it.  In a way, he had been lucky to have found the Institute. It would allow him some form of a normal life. But these had only been thoughts so far. To say even a part of it out loud? Xavier realized he was scared of the response.

#Xavier #paras

[winters-lust]

Winter was struggling this Samhain. She normally adored this time of year but it had been a long while since she'd felt like herself. However, holding up in a guest room hadn't been helping so why not get dressed up and meet with an old friend. Perhaps engaging in what she used to find fun would help her find a path back to herself.

Winter donned the kind of costume no one would be surprised to see her in. Sinfully on display as medusa, she swayed through the crowd towards the Halloween carnival, determined to let go and have some fun and the perfect accomplice for such a plan was there waiting for her as she arrived.

"Seems like I've opted for Treat tonight," she said, projecting her usual charm and deviancy as she looked James over from head to toe.

Halloween Maze

James was looking forward to getting reacquainted with Winter. It had been a while and what better place than at a Halloween party. He showed up about five minutes early waiting at the entrance knowing Winter would want to make an entrance to show off her costume which he was perfectly fine with. @winters-lust

#chats #James #halloween 23

[winters-lust]

Someone whispered:

Winter's new home has two extra bedrooms and I swore I saw her looking over Form TI-002! Is she thinking of making her first claim? Who does the witch have her eye on?

@winters-lust

#confessions #headcanon #wheadcanon

[winters-lust]

#photos #mirror mirror

[winters-lust]

Winter wanted to wave off his apology, she knew he was being as careful as he could, but she wasn't sure she could say as much without whimpering mid sentence. A sound that would likely undercut her point.

Selfish as it was, and clearly not the time for it, Winter couldn't help but enjoy the difficulty Avery was having. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe even though she wanted to stay. It was flattering.

She grit her teeth hard to avoid making any more sounds to fill Avery with guilt as he propped her up against some rubble. Again she was struck with how intently he wanted her fixed up, even at the cost of some of his own blood. As a blood witch, something Avery had experienced before, offering blood to her took a tremendous amount of trust. That he offered without a hint of hesitation, her throat choked up with emotion. All she could do was nod.

Winter took Avery's wrist to her mouth and began to drink. She was quick, just as desperate to rid herself of pain as Avery was, but she was sure to stop the moment she had enough. She didn't want to weaken Avery for the sake of herself. As the blood moved and corrected the fractures and bruising within herself, Winter could feel the hosts soul within herself strengthening too. Though she was impervious to most mortal wounds, the vessel witch Celine who shared this body with her was very vulnerable to such injuries. Thanks to Avery, they were both safe now.

Winter placed a hand on Avery's cheek. "You really are too good," she said but what she'd meant was that he was too good to her and for her.

Winter couldn't have been more relieved when Avery shoved the stone away from her and lifted her up. She grit her teeth to cut off a whimper of pain that tried to escape as he lifted her. Gentle as he might be, she was too broken not to feel agony over every move of her body. However, she was also to old, too proud and too familiar with pain to be overwhelmed by it.

She was ready to be taken to the clinic for some much needed healing when her eyes spied another bystander who didn't notice the pipe falling from the sky in their direction.

"Wait!" she shouted to Avery and launched another shield just in time to prevent them from being skewered. Her eyes returned to the vampire who held her. "I can't leave, I..." it felt so silly for a woman like Winter to say she needed to help but it didn't feel any less true. She was powerful, capable, and it felt wrong for someone like her to be taken away when she could be assisting.

Avery winced as he lifted Winter, his current unbound state making his hearing good enough to hear her bones shift.  It wasn't a pleasant sound at all.  “Sorry.  I'm trying to be gentle.”  It was hard balancing trying to be gentle while still needing to get her to the clinic quickly.

At her yell, Avery skidded to a stop, turning slightly to shield Winter with his body in case debris came their way.  “We need to get you help,” Avery said as he turned back around in time to see the shield she had put up.  A growl rippled out of the fledgling, fear and anger mixing equally inside him.

“Damn it,” he shouted, a clear sign the usually polite vampire was feeling the strain.  Looking around for a clear place to set her down, Avery gently leaned Winter against a piece of rubble.  “You're not gonna make it out here without healing so,” Avery started, tearing one of his sleeves off and biting his own wrist.  “You're gonna need to drink some of my blood.  Thankfully I ate before everything went to shit.”

@winters-lust

#chats #Avery #events #broken spells

[winters-lust]

[text] Winter: Oh, I'm eager to see them

[Text] Don't worry and I've picked up a few new tricks

#texts #James #want to turn this into a chat thread? They could meet up and we can continue this?

[winters-lust]

Winter wasn't sure how to interpret his laugh but words soon followed. It was a little discouraging not to have an immediate 'no' offered her way but seeing as her reputation was back in the mud and most on the island agreed on her villainy, it was likely a just answer. How could Xavier answer a question she herself didn't know the answer to?

She hadn't anticipated his apology or changed answer. She weighted his words and they felt more true than anything she'd told herself late at night. She was a bad person, selfish and vengeful and proud, but she wasn't evil. She was a beast made by the hands of other monsters.

She felt more settled now, which was likely why something snagged her attention from his earlier words.

"You said you can't judge me," she began, musing aloud, "You always speak as if you've done horrible things too, but I can't think of one thing on the island that you should be ashamed of." She left the sentence open, hoping he might tell her about his own faults that seemed to weigh so heavily on his own shoulders.

People always spoke about the bliss of getting drunk and letting loose. He had gotten drunk in the past before, though never to forget. Forgetting had only ever been a byproduct. Now that he came to drink for this purpose specifically, he realized how fucking hard it was to even feel a buzz.

An almost humourless sound escaped his lips at her question. It wasn’t to mock her. He only now realized that he wasn’t the only one who was about to lose his mind. “Don’t care if you are, don’t care if you’re not. I can’t judge you”, he said before finishing the liquid in his glass. This was how he felt at the moment but Xavier knew this wasn’t the truth. “Sorry” His voice become a little softer. “And no, I guess I don’t. Maybe you’re not a good person – I honestly don’t know if you are – but you’re not evil, as far as I’ve seen”

#Xavier #paras

[winters-lust]

Looking down from her birds-nest hide away, The queen has moved from the throne to the tower.

#mirror mirror #photos #new home

[winters-lust]

WINTER DUBOIS' OFF-CAMPUS HOME

Historic industrial meets fine luxury in this penthouse apartment in the heart of St. Andrew's Port. Brick walls offer a warmth throughout the space while lush colours create a rich vintage style. Featuring a stunning and well stocked bar in the living room, an office bearing vintage apothecary cabinets, bookshelves reaching the all the way to the vaulted ceilings, a private terrace and a secret room connected to the master suite for particularly sinful vices, this home is bound to entertain as much as the trendy streets below.

WHY DID YOUR MUSE CHOOSE THIS HOME?:

After the events of the island take over, Winter couldn't bare the thought of moving back into the campus dormitories. Though she once favoured massive mansions filled with classical French design, Winter decided she wanted to take up less ostentatious space. She wanted a hide away in a thriving part of town where she could hold up if needed or find easy distractions only steps from her door. It is worth noting that while she looked for a smaller place than usual, she still made a point of including two extra bedrooms of warmth and character in her search. Perhaps her mind is musing the idea of filling them more permanently.

PURCHASE OR RENTAL: Purchase NUMBER OF BEDS & BATHS: 3 bed, 2 bathrooms, 1 half bath. LOCATION: St. Andrew's Port OCCUPANTS: Winter DuBois and future claims

#headcanon #wheadcanon #Residence #Home #St. Andrew's Port

[winters-lust]

[text] Winter: I expect you to prove that tonight.

[Text] Don't worry I'll be there to play [Text] Not like I've ever left you wanting

#texts #James

[winters-lust]

[text] Winter: Always my good boy

[Text] Don't worry I'll be there to play [Text] Not like I've ever left you wanting

#texts #James