wotanon | Dreamers After Dark (VII)

[Listen, Levity has been reading poetry and hanging out with Vergil, he can really appreciate the symbolism here. The bird, pacified, hunkers down, watching Absinthe curiously. It's glad he's having fun!

The overall flustered feeling dies down somewhat, though not entirely, and instead a kind of anticipation replaces it, as though Levity, too, is curious to see where this will go next. Somewhere at the back of his mind is the awareness that this is a dream, and he's interested to see how his subconscious perceives Absinthe.]

[ part of him wonders how Levity's subconscious will react to him doing as he please in his heart. ah well, it's not like he's going to face consequences for his actions anyway!

he lets the bird be to focus on the organ in his hand, giving it another testing squeeze -- the blood dribbles from severed aorta in a way that's almost satisfying -- before bringing it to his other and taking a bite out of it, full-teethed. ]

[Never any consequences for the garbageman, ever! Absinthe is possibly fortunate that Levity isn't aware that he's, well, actually himself, strolling around dreams, not a figment of Levity's dreaming mind.

And the reaction from Levity's mind is essentially--well, that's just about what he'd expected, honestly, but there's still a tinge of embarrassment. It's one thing to just be aware of it and another to actually dream about a cannibal guy you like symbolically eating your heart.

Does it taste good, I wonder.]

[ the real question is would Levity be bothered if he knew it was a version of himself strolling around in his dreams eating his organs.

Asbinthe smiles, "hearing" that -- and as he swallows the chunk in his mouth there's a pleased sigh, making his enjoyment all the more evident for Levity. much like just muscle and flesh would taste delicious to him, the same applies to organs and the like, though the texture is definitely different compared to biting into an arm. ]

[Who knows! Fuck around and find out, garbageman.

...Hm.

There's still that touch of embarrassment--and though Levity would be flattered by the fact Absinthe likes the taste of him, there is also a note of peevishness, because Absinthe would probably react like that to eating anyone's heart at all. This is also clearly all just a metaphor for Levity's crush on the zomboid and not an actual vore session.]

Edited 2021-01-13 06:45 (UTC)

[ clearly! Levity knows poetry!

Absinthe eats the heart delicately -- much like the parfaits they shared, there's no rush to how he bites, chews and swallows each piece, like he's really lounging in the taste and feel of the piece of Levity in his mouth.

after he finishes, with one bloodied hand he'll stroke the side of Levity's (deceased) face, leaving wet streaks of blood over his skin as Absinthe lick his own lips clean. to not much effect, since the blood has dripped far beyond his lips at this point. ]

Ah, I've made a mess.

[It's all fun and romance until your zombie friend tries to actually eat you irl, which will definitely not happen at any point ever, so why worry about it.

Wow, though, that's GAY. Levity's subconscious definitely reacts to Absinthe's more obvious enjoyment of his heart and the tender touch to his face. The atmosphere shifts again; he's more flustered now, and even though he does know he's pretty drawn to Absinthe (even if in a different way than he is to Lily and D.Va, though these days it's coming dangerously close to an overlap at times), it's still embarrassing to actually think about it! He's not even sure Absinthe actually likes him back that much, and though Levity is naive, it's not to the point where he is fine with a power imbalance, however subtle.

As though prompted by that, his earlier musings return: a different kind of attraction to Absinthe, a benevolent desire to pick the man apart and know how he works and why, and maybe put him back together to be happier than he is, smooth out those strange differences between Ardyn and Absinthe, or at least know where they come from. Maybe in someone else that would suggest treating Absinthe as a mechanism, a toy of sorts, but Levity can't not care about people, and so there is a gentleness to the desire; an interest and determination not unalike to that of, perhaps, a doctor faced with a new patient with an unknown disease. The same probing at possible causes, examination of their behaviour, theories constructed and ruled out.]

[ he's far more comfortable with that sort of attraction. he's already more than used to that type of desire -- the one to dissect and take him apart, see how he functions, from Cosmo. the thought strikes him that he could invite Levity to something of the sort in a dream, show him the full extent of how the Starscourge manifests in his own home. a date plan for another night, perhaps!!

for now -- he's enjoying the embarrassment, Levity being flustered, though he can't see a physical representation of him the feeling carries across more than well enough. and because he's Absinthe he's not just content with that; he wants to keep pushing and pushing till he sees if there's a point at which Levity will recoil. the same thing that Emet-Selch had to put up with, really.

he cups the side of the deceased-Levity's face with one hand and leans down, close enough to press his lips against Levity's cool ones, caring little about the blood that drips down onto the other man in the process. ]

[if this goes on I'm gonna have to start kinkshaming

Unfortunately moreso than fortunately, kissing a deceased loved one is also a prominent enough motif that Levity can still chalk it up to "it's poetry". Because he's unaware that this Absinthe is real, though, Levity parses the scene as a manifestation of his own attraction to the man - and, well, that is embarrassing! But maybe there's no harm in indulging it a little - he's in the privacy of his own mind, after all, and dreams are strange things. It's fine.]

[ he can't be kinkshamed if it's poetry. #checkmate

he pulls back with another fond little stroke on the side of his face, and his gaze turns to the bird -- he'd almost forgotten it during his meal, though he isn't overly concerned it will be bothered now. ]

I'm not boring you, I hope?

[if you try to fuck a corpse you WILL be kinkshamed, poetry or no!!

The bird... has been watching him! It tilts its head and gives a little trill. It thinks what Absinthe is doing is funny, and kind of cute - he's like a child, pretending that toys are real creatures. It doesn't understand why Absinthe is affectionate with the corpse, but that's amusing rather than boring. Like it means something to him! That's funny! Like he has feelings!]

[ feelings are hilarious, when they're not terrible, it's true. ]

Oh, what a relief. I wouldn't want things to be dull for you.

[ it's as if he can understand the trills. he obviously doesn't understand bird speak but you know what, the sentiment comes across rather well thanks to dream logic, and he reaches back into Levity's abdomen to raise a fistful of intestine -- looking towards the bird. ]

Do you hunger? This meal may be too big for just me.

[The bird doesn't seem perturbed by the fact that Absinthe seems to understand it! Dream logic, indeed. It looks at the intestine curiously, stepping closer to take it into its beak. It doesn't know what hunger is, and for the bird this is essentially the same as a toddler eating playdoh because it's fun-coloured, but hey! If Absinthe wants to share, it's not going to refuse. The bird raises a clawed foot to snip off the intestine from the rest of the inhards, and then takes it into the foot, slicing off bits with its beak and swallowing them down, almost delicately.

For someone so gentle, Levity's bird sure has a lot of sharp deadly edges.]

[ that about follows, with a metaphorical bird creature in Levity's heart. he sure likes to be friends with theoretically very dangerous people!!! ]

I suppose you cannot taste him. A pity! That is half the fun of it, after all.

[That piques the bird's curiousity! What does he taste like? And what's the other half of fun?

The second sentiment is echoed by Levity himself - with a certain amount of trepidation. Just in case, you know, Absinthe says something romantic.]

[ it'd be funny if he just said he tasted like birdmeat, to be honest. ]

Mm, it does become somewhat hard to discern from one person to another ... But it's the sentiment behind the meal that can sometimes change the taste. Something eaten out of necessity would not be half as appealing.

[The bird trills again, almost laughs. It doesn't understand having an emotional attachment to a dead body, but it's cute that Absinthe does. There's a good dose of condescension in that reaction, too.

But Absinthe can probably ignore that, because Levity sure is rather flustered by the admission and implications of it.

Would that mean that he does care for me, I wonder...

Though there is a conscious effort from Levity to suppress it, it still flashes through: the brief memory of when he'd told Cardinal and Glory that he doesn't mind being hurt if he knows there's care behind it, back when he'd talked to them about what might happen in games.]

Is it so funny? I imagine if you could taste you would understand!

[ Absinthe doesn't seem sincerely bothered despite his protest. his hand returns to Levity's face, stroking the side of it with a hum. ]

It is one way to achieve closeness, hm? There is nothing quite like consuming all of someone. To have them be a part of you.

[hey ardyn turn on your location i would like to ask you some questions???

The bird still Does Not Get it; it looks from corpse to Absinthe to back to corpse, then pokes the body with a foot. It would like to make it very clear that Absinthe is being a little, well, obtuse. The body is not his friend. His friend is gone. The only thing Absinthe's going to have be "part of him" is a collection of proteins and fats and other molecular combinations, and whatever perception of Levity he's conjured up in his head. He's playing pretend at best, all by himself. Isn't that a little pathetic?

The rest of Levity's psyche pauses in its reaction, too. He certainly appreciates the imagery and the sentiment, but... something about the idea of losing all of himself goes against the grain for him. It feels wrong. But surely Absinthe wouldn't actually want that for him?]

[ the pause is what he's looking for. it's not a thought he's seriously entertaining -- but similar to how he would poke and prod at Emet-Selch's scars till he lost his temper with him, so too does he want to see if there's a point at which Levity would truly balk and be disgusted. or not even that -- to see if he would be frightened by him. it doesn't seem like he's reached that point yet even with that suggestion.

he sighs as if exasperated by the bird's reaction. ]

You have no sense of romance, do you? Would that not be a tale fitting of a tragedy?

[Indeed, Levity's reaction is not fear or disgust, but more akin to polite refusal. That's just not a kink he wants to play out! He would like to get to stay himself, and he trusts Absinthe enough to respect that desire. You know, like in a healthy consensual relationship.

Of course, anyone who's known Levity for more than five minutes would realize that the one way to disgust, frighten and generally devastate him would be to show cruelty towards others. Of course, it's also a very good way to traumatize him enough for him to cut ties with you entirely! Wouldn't that be funny for everyone, especially Alexander.

The bird gives a shrug. Grieve if you like, but dead people are already gone - all you're holding onto are things in your head. For example, it still thinks that Absinthe is friend, but if he was dead, it wouldn't see his corpse as him, just some meat. He's welcome to engage in his pretendy funtimes though, of course, the bird just thinks it's funny and a little stupid.

These sure are slightly more defined thoughts! As though the bird is evolving beyond its earlier, simpler state.

Meanwhile Levity, befitting his name, is quick to rifle through his not-yet-expansive knowledge of theater works, picturing himself and Absinthe in some of the more well-known tragedies. There's more than a hint of amusement to it; he's certainly having fun with it!]

[ what really matters is that everyone here is having fun! even the bird. he does tip his head as he watches the bird -- he notices the more defined thoughts in it and his lips twist, wry. he lifts one of his thoroughly-bloodied hands up to his lips, licking some of the fingertips clean. ]

Perhaps you're not well-read enough! Is a trip to the library due?

[Library. Levity does remember the library! The scenery wavers and shifts, changes without changing visibly. But this certainly is a lot more library-esque now, even if Levity's corpse isn't going anywhere. The bird looks around and shuffles its feet, slightly disapprovingly. It doesn't seem to like the change much? But it does direct Absinthe a Look, as if to say that, well, you got us here, great job. What now.]

-- Ah! There we are. How convenient.

[ it's something Absinthe could have done himself, for the dream, but this works just as well! he spins around, tapping his chin, debating what section to peruse before he strolls towards the classics (tm). ]

Have you spent much time here yet?

[There is! Another wave of Dislike(TM) from the bird! Don't talk to it like it's Levity! To demonstrate the point, it pushes over a random chair angrily, beaking at it for good measure, but does eventually follow Absinthe.

Courtesy of its evolving mind, a grumpy answer arrives. Levity has not been here too much, but he wants to. Read the bible with Cardinal.]

Dreamers After Dark (VII)

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