[Riot 2718] Unsettled

Aurélien and Palis enjoy a day together where joy turns into terror.

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A large forest in Central Anaxas, the once-thriving mostly human town of Dorhaven is recovering from a bombing in 2719 at its edge.

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Aurelien LeClair
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Sat Nov 10, 2018 5:20 pm

Unsettled | 25th of Yaris, 2718
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Joy. That’s what was felt in these past few weeks by Aurélien. Of course he was still just as hard at work at law firm, and of course he didn’t shirk his duties when it came to his clients, but for once he was finally feeling unfiltered and unhindered joy. And who was to blame for that joy but the rambunctious and mischievous Palis Ainu.

Aurélien had been seeing Palis for nearly two full seasons, from Hamis up until Yaris. It was hard to believe one fateful meeting at a party thrown by his parents had sparked an interest that burned into unabashed flirting and courtship. Though no label had been pasted to their relationship, Aurélien was in no rush to put one there, simply enjoying the warm companionship that Palis brought.

Perhaps the label was tacit, unspoken but understood by the both of them. Or, perhaps, it was more understood by one rather than the other. Either way, Aurélien didn’t let the lack thereof prevent him from seeing the man that brought him so much happiness. Talks with Palis often let him forget about the stresses of his work, instead focusing on getting lost in the lakes of Palis’ heterochromatic eyes that he loved so much. Palis was that welcome distraction, that itch that instead of being annoying, brought unexplainable comfort and pleasure when finally scratched. They had yet to express themselves more than a kiss and loving touch, but the flame remained lit and burned with a promising brightness.

Today was one of Aurélien’s days away from the office. It was a day he had taken in anticipation of what was being held, a carnival and show that Palis had nearly begged him to come to. Palis knew well that Aurélien was not one for such unadulterated festivities, prefering to keep to himself and enjoy the company of Palis in the calmness of their own flats. Yet relationships were give and take, and if he wanted anything to do with Palis in the future, he’d have to bend to the guilt-tripping that Palis so unashamedly took part in.

Aurélien couldn’t lie. It made him happy to see Palis happy, to see the childish wonder that gripped the younger man as soon as they trod into the festival grounds. He didn’t initially share that same wonder, nor did he indulge so heavily in the mysterious festivities, but he played the part for Palis and let himself be swept away in the environment. Surprising to himself, he enjoyed every moment of it and found himself belly-laughing when he was made fun off by the entertainers instead of being annoyed that his dignity was being attacked. Who knew what fun it was to have all your defenses stripped bare?

The couple began to settle into the flow of the crowd leading to the main tent of the event. Aurélien trailed behind Palis as the shorter man led the way through the crowd. He had a bucket of popcorn in one hand and a stuffed animal clutched in the other from a game he won on Palis’ behalf. He used his height to survey the crowd as they walked, catching all the faces of gleeful adults and children as they all moved as a unit towards their destination. There was to be a grand show in the tent and all would be there to see it, and all could barely wait. Even Aurélien felt excitement buzzing in his belly as he had grown comfortable with the feeling of jovialness around him.

He and Palis came into the tent and found their positions in the crowd about halfway between the tent’s entrance the the main stage. Aurélien tucked the stuffed prize under his arm and used that freehand to muss Palis’ strawberry strands before moving to take his seat beside the younger man. The rested the stuffed dragon on the ground and placed the popcorn in his lap, stealing a few kernels off the top to pop into his mouth. Munching away, he found Palis’ hand with his own, moving to give it a gentle and loving squeeze.

The lights had been dimmed and the announcer’s voice boomed with bright life. Aurélien’s attention was drawn to the stage. This was to be quite a show.

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Palis Ainu
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Tue Nov 27, 2018 3:47 pm

25th of Yaris, 2718
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The pride of a successful battle filled Palis as he led Aurélien through the crowded chaos of the carnival. He had not thought for a moment that, when he suggested they go to the circus, Aurélien, stoic, calm, and professional, would give in. He had, however, and, as Palis looked back at him to make sure he was still there and not being mercilessly swallowed by the undulating crowd, he seemed to be enjoying himself. His head bobbed above the rest of the crowd, the precious cargo of the stuffed toy and popcorn making him like some puerile giant among persnickety elves. There was a warm amusement radiating through Aurélien's field, and Palis met it with his own, extending his field now and again to brush against Aurélien's for the comfort of contact. Palis couldn't help but smile. He found the older man more adorable than he thought one could consider him. Though no definitive title had passed between them, Palis liked to think of the man as his- all his.

The crowd thinned as they filtered into the faded tent- a worn version of the brightly-coloured tent that Palis had shown to Aurélien on the painted poster all those weeks ago as he begged the elder man to go with him. Palis blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the lighting of the room. Great lamps squatted centered on the ground level, leaving the sagging benches surrounding shrouded in a dusty darkness. A stew of smells good and bad greeted them. There was the pleasant smells of salted popcorn, of lingering gun powder, and sweet Yaris soil mingling with the smells of human sweat, soiled animals, and the dusty, mildew-threaded tent that stood taut on the poles rising high above them. They sat, the stage and ring clearly opened for them to see. Dust danced before the beams of lamplight, so bright they seemed almost solid as they cut through the air. The dim lights that stood at the edge of the rows of the benches dimmed, soon followed by complete darkness of the tent. The crowd hushed, anticipating.

Ladies and gentlemen!” The announcer’s voice filled every vacant space of the tent, a voice magnified by the power of physical conversation. It was a voice rich with feigned drama and excitement, the magnitude of it making the air crackle with hushed whispers of anticipation. In the darkness of the tent, Palis squeezed Aurélien’s hand, the only sign that the man was still beside him. A spotlight flicked on audibly, and in its scrutinizing glow was a single, round human lonely in the emptiness of the dirt circle, a black top hat suctioned to his bald head. He welcomed the crowd, and off again went the lights. Palis jumped as a ball of flames enveloped the crowd in a dim light, a man stepping into the ring of fire on the ground with his sword reflecting the purple and red lights that rose slowly with the orchestrated music.

He gazed up at Aurélien as the sounds and lights washed over them. The lights nearly silhouetted Aurélien’s form, leaving his face brightly lit. There was joy there, much to Palis’ relief. He had been afraid, of course, that this was too childish for the man, but Aurélien gazed upon the ring with interest. Palis grinned, turning his attention back towards the ring.

Palis was in love with him. He wasn’t sure if he should truly say it out loud, if that would be too intense a feeling this early on, if he was being foolish in his naivety, but he was nearly sure of it. It was a phrase that nearly threatened to leap off his tongue at the end of every sentence, in the midst of every silence, at the closing to every goodbye, at the warmth of every embrace. It seemed instinctive to say, almost unable to be contained, but, no, he would wait. There was an anxious itch inside his heart, anxious to confirm these feelings or have them rejected at premature birth. He could, for now, be content with the company. Aurélien’s time, Aurélien’s hand, Aurélien’s smile- that would be enough.

Palis stole a bit of popcorn from Aurélien, enchanted by it all. Despite the surrounding audience and sounds, the darkness and the warmth of Aurélien’s hand could nearly convince Palis that they were alone again, as they had been those times before. Palis smiled, laying his head lazily on Aurélien’s shoulder. The show went on, and, isolated by the dome of the tent from the rest of the world, Palis was sure nothing could go wrong.
tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 2699
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Aurelien LeClair
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Thu Dec 20, 2018 12:20 am

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The show had begun. Baldur introduced himself and hyped the crowd for the performers to come. Aurelien didn’t doubt the show would be good, not when he was already wriggling in his seat. He threw another handful of popcorn into his mouth and used the constant motion of chewing to settle himself. Except, he wasn’t allowed to be cool nor calm for when the spotlight faded heat exploded in the form of a fireball. A broad smile spread across his face, enticing each of his otherwise collected features. The crowd erupted into applause and hollers around him, drawing him further into the raging entertainment.

The contortionist took point in the center of the ring and drew in the crowd with swords engulfed in flame. Each act was replied to with applause and cheers from the audience, Aurelien included! He found himself setting aside his popcorn to smack the palms of his hands together just like everyone else. Then, when the flame show was done, a new talent reared its head in the form of bone-breaking twists and turns. While disgust came from some in the tent, Aurelien found himself squealing with glee and amazement. No man, regardless of race or rank, should have been able to do what the entertainer did. It was shockingly revolting, and Aurelien loved it!

He felt Palis’ head resting on his shoulder and saw the young man thieving from his bucket of buttery goodness. Aurelien didn’t mind, though. This day was for him, for Palis. He wanted nothing more then for the intern to be happy. If he wanted to rest his head on Aurelien’s shoulder, then so be it. If he wanted popcorn, then so be it. Aurelien enjoyed providing what he could for the young man, for his partner, and yearned to do more if Palis wanted or if the world allowed.

The lawyer planted a kiss on the top of Palis’ head as the show continued. Beauty and the Beast was the next act, and Aurelien did as he was told. Casting his eyes upwards, he watched the next act begin to unfold. His tongue roved over his butter-stained lips, picking up stray flavor to savor. He found himself gasping in the next moment with much of the crowd, then he hollered as a cheer.

With Palis at his side, a show being displayed for them to see, and popcorn to satiate any piquing, distracting hunger, Aurelien felt as if nothing could go wrong. It was the perfect day.

The show began to transition into the next act. The spotlight dimmed and the crowd was given a moment to breathe and digest what they just witnessed. Aurelien looked over to Palis and smiled through the darkness. No matter how far he peered into his memories, he could not remember the last time he felt as happy and carefree as he did then. His life had been filled with duties, first to family, then to learning, and lastly to his career. This duty, though, was not a burden. This duty was something he took on readily.

In the dark, he leaned forward to place a kiss on Palis’ lips. It was soft and it was long. In the dark, there was no one else but him and his partner, his lover. He drew away then spoke.


“I want you to meet my family,” he said. “Truly meet them.”

Time didn’t seem to allow for Palis’ answer, for it seemed as the redhead opened his mouth to speak, a startling cry rang from just outside the tent. Aurelien’s head whirled to the entrance, as did many others in the tent. He heard a child yell, asking what it was. He heard the mother shushing. Then, he heard another cry.

“The wicks!” was heard outside the tent. “The wicks!”

The crowd began to murmur, many men and women began to stand. Children rose, too, grasping the seam of their mothers’ clothing or the legs of their fathers’ pants. Aurelien followed suit. He put his hand on the Palis’ head, long fingers gripping with protection.

Baldur’s voice boomed over them all, urging them to calm down and retake their seats, but the crowd had already been riled. Fathers were torn between the want to investigate and enjoy the show. Mothers shushed their frightened children.

“What’s happening?” Aurelien asked no one in particular. He bent to pick up the stuffed toy from the floor and placed the bucket of popcorn where he once sat.

Baldur shouted to reassure them in the most calming voice he could muster, and it was all to no avail. More shouting came from outside the tent, this time belonging to an organized group. Aurelien surmised it was the guards. Their shouting was matched by that of an wild set of voices, either not listening or not caring.

“Come,” Aurelien said to Palis, reaching out his hand for the young intern to take. He led them from their seats and to the entrance of the tent.

They weren't the first to move. They joined a growing river of bodies made up of men, women, and children, as they all edged towards the tent’s opening. The daylight of summer greeted them as they exited and their sights were drawn to an unfolding scene of chaos.

Aurelien and Palis were far from home and the day was perfect no longer.
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Palis Ainu
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Sat Jan 05, 2019 10:39 pm

25th of Yaris, 2718
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Palis' smile faded into a ghost as he turned his head towards the entrance of the tent, immediately standing to get a better view of the situation as cries both vicious and fearful erupted outside the tent. Palis' eyes whipped from Baldur, to the audience, to the performers now without grace as the lights rose and the fantasy faded, and finally to Aurelien, whose hand slipped over Palis'. A sickening fear dropped into Palis' stomach, and he drew his field close. Palis pulled Aurelien's hand along immediately, a long time of being small allowing him a certain ease in navigating crowds. He pushed through the crowd as it bottle-necked, avoiding as much as he could the body-on-body contact with the disgustingness of summer heated souls. They just needed to get out, needed to be able to take it all in, needed to be in a location where they weren't ducks sitting blind and awaiting the hunter's call. Outside, they'd be able to see, be able to make some sense of it all.

Or so he thought. He held a hand to his face as the sunlight stung his eyes, but the breeze that had been banished from the tent was welcomed. The smell of cinders, sweat, and burning rubber met his nose and swam through his head. Yelling overwhelmed him. Wicks, he recalled someone had cried from outside the tent, but, as he looked around, there were more than wicks to be fearful of. A tent across the open yard was up in a crackling flame, the canvas being consumed quickly to leave a skeleton of scalded poles. The crowd was more chaotic than before. Where once the crowd meandered in the same direction, now people ran in every direction, armed with whatever they could find. Humans, wicks, and passives were in retaliation, and Palis knew that the galdori weren't welcomed. He watched a scared, young Seventen backing away from a pair of burly humans, hands up to surrender or cast as the flames of the tent silhouetted him. Smoke spiralled upwards, loose balloons and frantic birds lost in the fray of the sky. Palis pulled Aurelien closer to him, moving away from the entrance of the circus tent but keeping close to the canvas as he scanned the area.

"Aurelien?" he asked, voice small as he continued to watch vigilantly. "We need to get back into Vienda. There'll be more Seventen there." More Seventen, protection. They'd take care of it. This was only a few wicks acting up and a few Resistance members being arrogant again. He nodded back towards the entrance of the fairground, back, he knew, to where the gates of Vienda lay open. There was a market just inside that was full this time of year, and, by-gods, he hoped it hadn't been consumed by this riot. They were just outside the city now, just outside the usual jurisdiction of the Seventen. He had seen a few of the green jackets patrolling the area on the way in, but not nearly enough for this. He wondered how it had started, how fast it had spread, and how far it had- had it gotten there? No, it couldn't have possibly-

"I need to get to my father," Palis directed firmly, praying that there were at least a few houses before the riot reached his father, whose little townhouse resided in the West-Central part of the city. Ideally, it wouldn't reach the man at all, but Palis didn't want to risk the safety of his Kilapu and the servants, Zephyr and Edwin. Edwin was too old to protect the house, and Zephyr wouldn't stand a chance against any magic. He could take them all up with him in his apartment in the North of the city, yes, for even if it did reach the North, the apartment wouldn't draw eyes and greedy hands. Yet, those plans could be dealt with later. He needed them alive for those plans to work.

He looked towards the entrance of the fair, both so close and endlessly far across the minefield of angered residents and back to Aurelien, begging the man to be some kind of rock in this tumultuous sea.
tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 2699
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Aurelien LeClair
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Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2018 11:08 pm
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Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:21 pm

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Palis held Aurelien near him and the couple stayed beside the canvas of the show-tent like it was the only thing separating themselves from the chaos erupting before them. Fear rushed through the taller man’s body like lightning, threatening to seize his muscle and lock them up. He fought to keep the feeling at bay. He needed to stay collected in these moments, and not just for his safety but for the safety of his lover as well.

Aurelien brought Palis closer to him, pressing their bodies together as he thought on what to do. His mind didn’t move as fast as Palis’ though, for it was the younger man who spoke first, saying they needed to get back to Vienda and to Palis’ father, a man Aurelien had yet to meet. The fates held a cruel sense of humor, making it so that of all the times to meet Palis’ father this was it.

Aurelien thought on his own parents, wondering if they were safe in their manor and away from the riot threatening to engulf the city. He couldn’t even be sure of where it all started. Who were the perpetrators, what would be their punishment? If only he could be a fly on the wall near the source of all this disaster. He bid those thoughts away; his parents would be fine. They had guards for a reason, not just to kick guests out of their house who had a little too much to drink.

He looked at Palis and nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Where does he live? We should be able to get their quickly through the alleys from the market.”

Waiting only a moment for the answer, Aurelien started off in the direction Palis had nodded before: the way of the gates that had been blown open. They stuck near the canvas wall of the tent, following the bend from the entrance to the side nearest the gate. It would be their launching point towards the city. Slowly at first they went. Aurelien used his height to judge the crowd, figuring out which ways the bodies were moving so he could avoid them. He went when an opening presented itself, a quick path from the show-tent to the fairground entrance and then to the gates of the city.

Aurelien had clutched Palis’ hand the entire way, threatening to drag the young man if he couldn’t keep up with the strides of Aurelien’s gait. They had a moment’s reprieve as they arrived there, standing in the opening to the new scene that began to unfold before their eyes. It was a horrible mess.

The wicks who had been granted entry due to their writs were battling with one another, ignoring the Seventen nearby. People were running this way and that, both for their safety and to have at the disregarded valuables being sold that day. It was clear no eyes were on the couple, and so Aurelien began to move again.

“This way,” he instructed, nearly shouting to Palis over the ruckus of the market. They needed to get to the other side, which meant crossing the square but they couldn’t just cut through the center, not with the wicks and the Seventen going at it. Aurelien led Palis to a wayward stall, ducking behind it to breathe.

“Where are we going after we get your father?” he asked Palis. He peeked from behind the stall, watching as one wick tackled another, pinning them down, and wailing with fists and open palms. He ducked back in, sickened by the sight. “Barbaric,” he whispered more to himself than his love.

“He has two servants, right?” he asked. “Should we get there before this barbarcy, it should be easy to get back to your flat. I fear mine’s already been torn up in this mess.”

Aurelien only hoped that his cat was all right.
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