IC CONTACT

[gemigod]

VOICE | ACTION | LETTERS

Steven lives in Helian's Glade and can usually be found somewhere in the gardens. Letters can be left on his bed, which is made of moss and several supernaturally large blooms, or the drawer filled stump where he keeps his belongings. He is responsive to network communications but prefers not to speak one on one over them.

Comments

[hippocarnival]

Steven? [Yuya looks up, blinking rapidly.] Why are you awake?

[As if he isn't too, but he was doing things.]

[gemigod]

[Steven speaks in a hush, not wanting to wake anyone else.]

I couldn't sleep. What were you doing?

[hippocarnival]

I was... um. Uuuuuuuuuh... [He trails off, quickly averting his gaze. He doesn't want to lie, but also, he doesn't want to admit it right here.

It's probably telling, though, when he looks uncomfortable. Staring off with no real excuse for what he was doing. He really should have considered having an alibi.]

[gemigod]

[Steven gets the idea that it might be something private, so he glances towards the other sleepers and then adds:]

We probably shouldn't talk here, everyone's trying to sleep.

[hippocarnival]

Uuuh--oh. [He lowers his voice further.] Right. I should probably clean up, anyway.

[He stands up. They can talk by the lake, that should be a lot less populated.]

[gemigod]

[Steven nods and slowly gets up from his flowery bed, getting ready to follow Yuya out to the lake. He moves closer to Yuya, trying to see if he can figure out what's going on by more closely assessing his state.

In the end, though, he just reaches out to take Yuya's hand.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya gives Steven's hand a little squeeze. There's no sign of injury, just dirt under his nails.

He steps gingerly around the area to lead Steven away from the glade and to the lake. For most of the trip, he doesn't speak up.]

...Sorry. [Is what he starts with eventually.] I don't mean to act weird.

[gemigod]

[Steven lifts his ears, though he tries to keep his face relaxed.]

It's okay... did something happen?

[Yuya being dirty isn't super weird or anything, but him being so discombobulated is.]

[hippocarnival]

Not happened. I mean, it didn't happen to me, it's more like I did it... [He rubs the back of his neck, looking the other way from Steven.] I kind of got some help and... stole the trophies of the servants Calor killed.

[Yeah.] And buried them.

[gemigod]

[That's a lot to take in all at once. Steven stares for a few moments as he tries to figure out what it all means.]

You... really? All of them?

[So many questions.]

[hippocarnival]

The ones I was sure were them! That didn't look entirely like animals... [He should have buried them all, but Calor might have really lost her shit then.

When they reach the lake he starts to walk right in, not having let go of Steven's hand.] It just... it's wrong to treat them like that after she killed them. They deserved a better grave.

[gemigod]

[Steven doesn't mind getting into the water, so he'll follow along, even if part of that is because he's a bit taken aback. Yet, it wouldn't exactly be fair to complain.

It seems like a lot of trouble to court, stacked on top of a great pile of already existing trouble, but he can't exactly say he disagrees.]

...you'll never get a better chance than this, huh?

[He sighs, but it's with a tone of agreement.]

I guess we'll see if she even notices.

[hippocarnival]

She'll notice. [Those trophies are her pride after all.] But I won't let her know it was me.

[He lets go of Steven's hand, finally, so he can start washing his.] I didn't want to let her have them after what she did to them.

[gemigod]

It's not like I can blame you.

[Steven doesn't have any specific reason to be in the water, but it's a nice summer night, and so he figures he may as well go for a swim while they're out there. He bobs down beneath the water and then emerges, shaking water out of his mane.

Stress is mounting in his chest, but he doesn't want to call Yuya out for doing something that is pretty comparable to his own actions. He is doing his best to take it gracefully.]

We just... have to be careful, okay?

[hippocarnival]

I'll be careful! [Yuya turns around to face him as he lifts a leg to start rubbing the dirt off.] I had help, so... I'm not going to give her any idea who it was.

[gemigod]

[Steven looks a bit more surprised at that part.]

Really? Who?

[hippocarnival]

Um... His name is Laios. He's kind of new. [Yuya assumes Steven's at least introduced himself, because he's that kind of friendly person.] I don't want it to get out he was involved, because... he's one of Calor's servants.

[And also because it would put a target on him.]

[gemigod]

[Oh yeah, that guy. Steven has seen him around. There's seemingly been a lot of new people, recently.]

Wow, yeah... Did he say why he was doing it?

[hippocarnival]

He was helping me. [Yuya shifts on his feel so he can wash off his other leg.] Well, at first he was just moving her trophies so they wouldn't catch fire, while that was happening... but I asked him to help me bury the ones that used to be servants. and he did.

[gemigod]

...Huh.

[Steven is sort of surprised by that - that he'd go from doing something helpful for Calor to actively stealing and destroying her stuff on a dime.]

I guess he didn't realize what they were.

[hippocarnival]

I told him! [Yuya huffs, slightly offended. He's not duplicitous enough to trick someone into helping his schemes. Laios just... went along with it. He didn't really ask after his thought process.] It's wrong that she hung her servants up like that, right?

[gemigod]

[Steven's ears fold back, looking somewhat spooked.]

Of course, it is! I just meant that... he must not have realized what they were when he was just moving them around before you showed up...!

[hippocarnival]

Well, he's pretty new so she probably didn't have time to brag about them first. [He absently twirls his finger around a honeysuckle vine, pulling slightly.]

[gemigod]

I guess not.

[Steven sinks back down into the water, up to his chin. Either that, or Laios is profoundly weird. It's not clear which is the truth.]

[hippocarnival]

[It's both.

Yuya untangles his hand, watching Steven sink further into the water.] But even if they're off her wall, I'm not going back to the kitchens unless I have to.