isleofavalon | Summer Sun, Something's Begun | July Catch-All

Entry tags:

Summer Sun, Something's Begun | July Catch-All | Open

🧙 WHO: Darin Altway and YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: July Catch-All with Open and Closed prompts
🕒 WHEN: Throughout July
🗺️ WHERE: All around Camelot! Quests and shenanigans ahoy!
⚠️ WARNINGS: Some ridiculousness? Some fluff? Will update as necessary!

🛡️ SHIELD SUMMER FEVER! 🛡️ - OPEN

[Darin always felt bad for the people who could get sick. Back home, his powers prevented him from falling ill, even to such banal things as a summer cold. But he did have experience as a gofer for his town's doctor, as well as doing errands and chores for the people who fell ill. So, this job was right up his alley.]

[One thing he knew for sure, when you're under the weather, nothing beats a good laugh.]

[With the trusty use of the new EmphaSize spell he nabbed from the traders, you'll find him waddling around with huge, oversized feet as he goes from room to room delivering flowers, teddy bears, medicine, fruit baskets, you name it. If he happens to be entering a kid's room, he'll make a big show of his giant, floppy feet. If its an elderly person's room, he'll sit with them for awhile and ask them about their day or let them ramble on.]

[But it's likely leaving one of the rooms is when you'll bump into Darin. Or trip over his enormous, floppy feet.]

Oh, hey! Easy there! You okay? Sorry, I should get a signal or something for these things...

🗡️ LAVAFT BEHIND 🗡️ - OPEN

[This seemed like a pretty easy task, all things considered. Everyone knew slimes were low-level monsters, even if they had the same temperature as magma. And Darin worked professionally around molten metal all day. If there was anyone who could handle this task, it was him.]

[Though, having someone along in case things went awry was a good idea too. Especially since his blood magic wouldn't really do him much good here.]

[So back to the Diamond Falls Darin goes. He's got a pickax and some mining tools in a pack slung over his shoulder examining the hardened rock for any sign of the slime.]

So, since I know how my luck goes, what's the plan for when we free this thing and it immediately attacks us with the fury of a particularly cranky volcano?

AT THE FORGE - OPEN

[With the reconstruction from his rampage doing well, Darin's back at the forge doing what he loves. He might be down an apprentice, but that hasn't stopped him from taking orders and commissions from those who seek him out! Got something you want Darin to make? His consultations are always free so come on in! Got some gear that needs mending or ideas you want to pitch? Maybe you just need some work? Darin's door is always open! When you step in, you'll likely see him working on something or tidying the place up. If there's one thing Darin can't stand, it's a messy forge! So come on in and let's get to work!]

BAR CRAWL - CLOSED TO KATE

[It's been about a month since he tore through Camelot as a terrifying, familiar-fused monster. Barring his (and everyone else's jaunt) to Celliwig, Darin had largely avoided going into town. And when he did, he wore a cloak with a hood that concealed his hair.]

[Now, a month later and the reconstruction mostly complete, Darin is feeling a little more hopeful that maybe he won't be kicked out of town if he decides to hit a bar for a drink or two. He's still wearing his cloak, but when he settles in at the 'In For a Pound' pub, he slowly pulls his hood back to reveal his very obvious blue mane of hair. He gets a few looks, some of which he's not too thrilled with, but orders a drink and sits at the bar.]

[Unfortunately, the patrons on either side of him scoot away. Fortunately, that leaves space should anyone decide they want to pull up a stool and join him.]

MY DINNER WITH DARIN - CLOSED TO ALLURA

[So, it really only dawned on Darin about a day or so before the date that he and Allura had chosen for dinner that this might actually be a...you know. A date. In a panic, he considered calling her to clarify that this wasn't a date...but what if she wanted it to be a date? What if he tried to clarify and they called the whole thing off? That would be awful! And he'd feel terrible too! She was really looking forward to it! But did that mean she was looking forward to a date with him?]

[No, that couldn't be it.]

[Could it?]

[So, after spending a day laying on the floor and staring at the ceiling weighing his options, he decided that, you know what? He could do this! Even if it was a date! Hell, it was only a date! He could handle that! Even though he'd never been on a date before, much less with someone who was so strikingly beautiful and had spent the last six months worming her way into his every though— NOT IMPORTANT!]

[And so, it was the evening of the big-but-maybe-not date. He'd agonized over whether or not he should dress up and finally he decided on an off-white polo shirt with pink piping around the collar and sleeves (hey, pink goes good with blue, alright?), and some tan slacks. With a menu all set (he did promise it would be an amazing meal) he sets out to begin cooking, listening intently for the door to the forge to open so he could go up and greet her.]

[Everything was set for the evening. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?]

[...Right?]

WILDCARD

[Not seeing anything that catches your fancy or want to do something else? Go ahead and top-level! And if you're not sure and want to hash it out, hit me up on Discord @ Ant#0062 or on plurk @

bitterbearface!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Really? Are you sure? I can't promise that I'll be able to deliver a perfect dinner. Or even anything as good as yours...

[She smiles, almost ashamed to admit:] ... but it does sound fun. As long as you're willing to eat it, no matter how it might turn out!

Hey, you've got me to teach you! And I've been practicing this recipe non-stop!

If you believe in me as much as you say you do, then I know whatever we make together is gonna be amazing.

[He takes her hand in his.]

Let's get this date back on track. What do you say?

[Because at this point, he might as well admit what he wants this to be.]

[She squeezes his hand firmly. Maybe it's because he's finally admitting this is a date, or maybe it's because of how he's changed his plans so they're doing more together than just eating...]

[But suddenly, subtly, the mood of the evening is changing, and in a good way. Like she doesn't need to worry so much about being a good guest, and is starting to genuinely enjoy herself.]

Yes, let's get back to the kitchen right away. I'm going to give it my best — so you had better be ready to teach me everything you know!

Alright, first thing's first...

[He escorts her down to the second level of the forge where there's a storeroom and a rather nice sized pantry. Sure enough, his pantry is pretty well stocked and he hands her a basket and starts piling some vegetables in. After that, he goes to the fridge and grabs the fish fillets he'd already had.]

Looks like this is the last of it. Heh! Lucky! Looks like I'm going shopping tomorrow, though~

[Regardless, there's so much excitement in his eyes as he moves by her to head downstairs, calling her to follow.]

[Once back in the kitchen, he tosses his apron towards her, then begins to tie his hair up and back.]

Here~ I don't want anything getting on your dress.

So, first thing we're gonna do is chop some veggies. How good at that sort of prep work are you?

[She doesn't have much trouble figuring out how to put the apron on. But she's still in the process of tying the back when he asks her that, and doesn't look up as she answers him.]

I can't say that I have much trouble with a knife. But I'm still learning my way around some of the different fruits and vegetables. Which parts you're supposed to trim off or peel, and which ones you're supposed to eat...

What will you need me to chop up?

Well, I don't have enough to completely recreate the dish as intended so...

We're gonna get creative.

[He smirks and sets out a couple of cucumbers, a grape fruit, several large tomatoes, and a chili pepper.]

I need the tomatoes, the cucumber, and the grape fruit diced, and the pepper minced. While you do that, I'll prep the fish.

[Just in case she isn't sure which vegetable is which, he sorts them into 'dicing' and 'mincing' groups.]

The cucumbers can be completely used, the tomatoes you can get rid of the top part, like the pepper, and you want to peel the grapefruit before dicing.

Don't be afraid to double check with me, I'll be keeping an eye out the entire time. You ready?

I believe so. To mince, I merely have to cut the pieces even smaller, right?

[She starts with the cucumber, since that's the easiest one. With a steady hand, she first cuts it into thick slices, then stacks the slices in small groups to chop up in a grid. So far, you really wouldn't know that she wasn't a well-practiced chef.]

[Hey, she's good with weapons, after all.]

What do I do with them once they're prepped?

Oh, here.

[He walks over to her and reaches above her to a cupboard where he procures a large bowl and sets it down. The kitchen is a little on the small side so he sorta has to reach over her, getting into her personal space...]

[She doesn't mind though, does she?]

You can put them in here. Don't worry about mixing them since they're gonna get mixed anyway. You're doing great so far!

[No, not at all. She does lean away so that she's not being obtrusive, but not so far that they couldn't still brush against each other by accident.]

It's not exactly how I saw myself using my training, [she says as she holds up the cutting board, and pushes the diced cucumber into the bowl with the knife's blade,] but it's nice to have one still already mastered.

[And she sets the board back down, and starts making quick work of the other cucumbers.]

[Meanwhile, Darin makes quick work of the fish he's working on. With the skin still on, Darin slices razor thin lines along the fillet. Then, with a mortar and pestle, he crushes coriander seeds and packs the lines full of the crushed spice. He sprinkles liberally with salt and pepper, then ties the fillets up in some parchment paper and twine.]

Now, to pre-heat the oven like I was supposed to...

[He does so and looks over at Allura.]

How are things coming? Need any tips?

Everything's good so far...

[She deposits the rest of the cucumber into the bowl, and starts on the first tomato. The blade slices through the soft flesh without squishing it — because hey, of course a blacksmith would keep all his blades nice and sharp, even in the kitchen. Afterwards, she even takes a moment to admire it, well-aware of what kind of quality's necessary for such a clean cut.]

[But doesn't let herself get too distracted. She looks at the tomato with the top lopped off... and frowns when she sees a green spot still remaining where she tried to remove the stem.]

Is this enough, or should I cut further?

[Darin looks over her work.]

Do you...mind if I show you a trick?

By all means!

[She turns the knife around and offers it to him, handle first. Hey, she even knows a thing or two about knife safety.]

No, you can hold onto it. Here.

[He steps up behind her and wraps his arms around her frame so that his hands guide hers.]

Alright, take this tomato like so...

[He has her pick up the tomato in one hand, then guides her other hand with the knife. He angles it towards the top of the tomato and carefully, but skillfully, guides her into cutting a little cone at the top, popping the stem out with minimal loss to the vegetable itself.]

See? If you do it like that, you don't lose any vegetable and you're sure to get the whole stem.

[He looks down at her and smiles. Does he even realize how this looks? He might in a moment.]

[Well, she realizes it. How can she not, when she can feel those big, beefy arms of his wrapped around her, hugging her from behind? But she's quiet for a moment, because this is a lot smoother than she expects from him. She's trying to figure out if he's breaking out his best self again, or if it was unintentional from the start.]

[She clears her throat. Maybe she can test it.]

That makes a lot more sense, Darin. Thank you for showing me...

[Her voice is a little more soft and velvety at the end there, and she looks away demurely with her eyes closed and a soft flush to her cheeks.]

[Just enough to kickstart the questions on his mind again, with any luck.]

[It's the tone of her voice that gets him; like fingers running down the length of his spine. It made his breath hitch and his heart began beating like a jackhammer. Of course he realized how this looked.]

[He looks at her, at the way she's looking away with eyes closed, with the way her cheeks are flushing, bringing out the pink markings on her cheeks. But, what stands out most is that she isn't pulling away from him. In fact, she seems to enjoy it.]

[Makoto's words ring out in his head. "Trust me, she does, and she likes you too." And with that, he feels a lump growing in his throat. Even after everything that happened tonight, she still stuck with him. She wanted to find a way to continue the date. Does she really...?]

[Well...why not find out?]

[He clears his throat. There's no doubt that she can likely feel his heart pounding, but there's so much more there too. He's warm, but not sweaty. His hands, though rough and calloused, have a surprising gentleness to them. And even though he doesn't wear cologne, he smells like metal and the open sea, a refreshing, somewhat salty breeze that seems synonymous with possibilities.]

[He keeps his hands steady on hers.]

Y...You're welcome. Is there...anything else? Something else you want to know? Something else I can show you...?

[He's looking at her now and he can't quite hide the curiosity or excitement in his voice. Is he the only one feeling the tension here? The sparks? Is there something you want him to demonstrate, Allura?]

[It is remarkably comfortable, being held like this. And now that he's not stepping away...]

[There's a paranoid part of her mind, a piece that's been molded into her thoughts by countless lessons on proper, acceptable behavior for a lady of royal blood — and it says that she ought to push him away, or even throw him off, before someone else discovers them here and how shamelessly she's cozying up to him...]

[But at the same time, that makes her all the more aware of the moment, as if all her senses have been heightened. And it's fueling more than just paranoia in her imagination.]

[Her fingers flex as she grips the knife a little tighter. She has to remember her sense of discipline. It's only the first date, after all!]

... maybe show me some other techniques? I think this is the first time I've seen a grapefruit, actually...

[Yes. Discipline. Which is why she's going to continue to enjoy this moment, and not end it early out of fear that it might get her worked up.]

[Hey, this is new territory for him too. A lifetime of telling himself he deserves to be alone and here he is with her...it almost feels like he's betraying his principles.]

[But when he looks into her eyes and searches for what she feels about him...suddenly those old principles don't seem to matter much anymore. Suddenly, what's new and exciting is all that's on his mind and he wants to explore the possibilities.]

[Who's to say that they shouldn't? First date or not, if something's there...]

[He nods and cozies up to her a little more. His chest against her back so she can lean into him if she so wishes. His arms brought in a little closer; not quite an embrace but still warm...]

[And his head low so that if she were to turn to look at him, they'd be looking right into each other's eyes. Feel each others' breath...]

Sure.

[He reaches for the grapefruit and palms it in his hand. Then he guides her hand with the knife as if he means to poke it.]

You're gonna want to be careful. Grapefruits are juicy and sometimes when you dig into them, the juice squirts out. Getting it in your eye stings pretty ba—

[Sure enough, once he guides her hand to puncture the fruit rind with the knife, a stream of juice squirts out and hits Darin in the face. Luckily, it missed his eyes, but he sure did jolt!]

[Now, with juice dripping down his cheek, he snorts and starts laughing.]

S-See??

Edited 2021-07-10 08:11 (UTC)

[Oh, but she jumped in his arms when she saw the grapefruit squirt up at him — and thanks to him standing behind her, she didn't actually go very far. All she did was back into him, pressing herself harder into him.]

[And when he starts laughing at the mistake, she looks a little more alarmed. It almost hit his eye, right after he said how much it would sting! Should he really be making light of it?]

[And she opens her mouth as if to say something... but after taking a look at his face grinning with laughter, she closes it again, the corner of her lips curling into a smile of her own. That's not something she wants to spoil with a lecture. Especially when it was just a harmless mistake, after all.]

[But on the other hand...]

Hang on. We don't want to end this evening covered in fruit juice, too...

[And so she quickly bends down, and grabs the corner of her apron — and then comes back up, twisting around to face him better. Slowly, she starts to wipe his cheek clean...]

[Though with the way she's holding it up to his face, it seems more as though her hand is caressing his cheek.]

[That just makes him laugh a bit harder. And when he's done, he lets her wipe the juice clean from his face wordlessly while he looks into her eyes.]

[He has no idea what she feels. About him. About what they might be experiencing. He has no idea if she's scared or excited. Is she nervous like he was? Is her heart pounding like his is? He could cheat and use his blood magic to feel her heartbeat...]

[Or he could reach up with his hand to touch her cheek, mirroring her own touch. Lightly, he runs his thumb just under the pink marking on her cheek.]

[There's something about her eyes. The way she looks at him. He's spent a lifetime under the gaze of eyes who were afraid of him. Of eyes shrouded in hate and disgust. Eyes that judged him. Eyes that wanted him to be taken away, out of their sight. Eyes that mocked him or told him everything he couldn't be.]

[But in her eyes, all he saw was hope. She saw something inside of him and he couldn't even fathom what it was, but with those eyes on him...it felt like he could do anything.]

[Even admit to himself that...Makoto was right.]

[I like you.]

[And if there's one thing about Darin...it's that he wears his feelings plain on his face. They were right there, clear as day in his own green eyes.]

...Thanks...

[Is he the only one feeling the charge in the air?]

[Her breath hitches briefly when she feels his hand on her cheek, and she reflexively starts to withdraw her hand. Of course her heart is pounding as well, so hard that it feels like it might burst out of her chest. Look at what he's doing!]

[Sure, it might be the same thing that she's doing, but it's also not. It may have been an intimate gesture, but one that she could deny away as having innocent intentions and clear purpose. He, on the other hand, is holding her face and staring deep into her eyes, his other arm looped around her to keep her close... if he's thinking what she thinks he's thinking, then he's not doing much to hide it!]

[It absolutely feels different in here. The longer she meets those eyes of his, the more the air feels charged, as if lightning is about to strike.]

[... she swallows, and tries to look away, trying to give the tension a chance to cool off. If she gets any more worked up, it's just going to stay with her longer if nothing immediately comes of it.]

... oh, well, I... [That's right, he thanked her, didn't he? What for? ... of course! Wiping off the juice. Focus, Allura.] Of course, anything for you ... I mean... that is to say... think nothing of it?

[It would be easy now. With Makoto's words echoing in his mind, it would be so easy to steal a kiss.]

[But he refrains. He can feel it, the way her heart rate is spiking, the way she seems so nervous...]

[Maybe he was being too hopeful. Maybe he was reading too much into it? It wouldn't be the first time he's done something like that...]

[He laughs a bit and straightens up.]

If you'd like me to show you how to peel the grapefruit I will. Otherwise...you're probably hungry. Let's get this finished.

[He tries his best to hide the fact he wants to berate himself. He let his excitement get the better of him, let his mind wander too far from what he was meant to have.]

[Truthfully, she hadn't thought about food or hunger since he first stepped behind her to assist. Or at least, not the sort of hunger he was referring to.]

Please, if you can show me! I still need to see how to avoid letting the juice squirt out.

[This is a lie. She's trying to draw things out — as long as they just stand here in this embrace, not making eye contact, it should be safe. Shouldn't it?]

I know you have other preparation to do, but... I'm learning so much with your help!

Actually...I'm pretty much done. I can spend as much time as you want with you.

[He feels a little foolish. Allura was just here for dinner. Anything else that he could hope for beyond that was likely exactly that...just an empty hope.]

[He feels his stomach twist a little painfully. Maybe Makoto was wrong. Maybe he's the only one that feels this kind of attraction; this tension.]

[But even so, all he wanted in this moment wasn't for her to see him the same way as he was beginning to see her. It was for her to be happy. Seeing her smile made his heart feel full. So he would do anything she asked if it meant that she would keep smiling.]

It'd be my pleasure...[Said softly, with a smile.]

But you know, it's a little quiet. When I'm by myself, I actually like to put on some music.

[He releases her and goes to a small radio in the corner. Being a nexus to all other points in the multiverse, the radio picks up some interesting stations. He adjusts the dial until a station comes in playing big band and swing music.]

Ah, here we go. This is nice! Now, where were we?

[He returns to her and goes back to embracing her from behind to show her how to cut and peel the grapefruit. He guides her hands gently, but with the added element of the fact that his foot is now tapping to the beat.]

[He might also be swaying his hips a bit, completely unawares that he's moving to the music.]

[Allura probably thinks he's being smooth. But really? He's just having fun.]

[Huh, this isn't the sort of music she normally hears playing around Avalon. But she can hardly deny how catchy it is. And she certainly does think he's being smooth, since the way he's moving is also starting to guide her side to side, almost leading her in a dance...]

[And honestly, she's quickly getting into it, moving along with him.]

Is this how you discovered that other song? That one you sang for me? [Why yes, she does remember that whole routine. How could she forget it, intoxicated or not?] ... come to think of it... does that mean you usually practice singing while you cook, as well?

[She picks up a slice of the grapefruit. Hasn't she eaten a few fruits like this already? And it has such a lovely color. Maybe she could try just a piece...]

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