hymn for the weekend [ dual joining ]

[adomania]

[align=center][div style="borderwidth=0px; width: 55%; line-height:115%; text-align: justify;font-family: calibri;"]There weren't a lot of groups that Lirim liked. There were problems with all of them one way or another, whether personal or general, and it was one of the very reasons that had inevitably forced the void to simply return to their origins. Staying somewhere they didn't care much for was obsolete... until you had to come back for something greater.

The news of Des' death wasn't surprising to them. The man flirted with it on the daily with how many cigarettes he smoked, drinks he drank, and people he angered. He had already died once, but they had attempted to give him a second chance in life... only to have him make a child and then die again. Their entire life would have, in hindsight, been easier if they had just left their son alone the first time he chose to stop existing... and now they had to deal with this.

A small child, running ahead of them on the train tracks that led to the home of his father.

"Soba," their voice was strict, urging the cub to a halt before he went and completely threw himself off of the railroads and into the sea. It would be little more than an inconvenience, something that Lirim had their arsenal of powers to thank for... but they didn't want the child to get hurt even if they could ease the pain quickly thereafter. Maybe it would be better to let him learn life lessons and consequences... but they had a parental streak a mile long with this one, if only because they felt like it was their once chance to apologize to his original father. Lirim had failed Des... and now that the man was dead, leaving behind nothing but this tiny bundle of fur... they had to do something.

But their words did little to deter the small cub, as he continued to prance around the railroad tracks, clambering all over the sticks and stones and metal, coming close to slipping multiple times already and falling into the waters around them. A nervous, warning growl left the lion's throat when the white ball of fur almost tumbled headfirst into the liquid, a strong paw flicking out to steady him, and the grin and tiny 'thank you' send their way nearly caused their heart to melt. Lirim didn't claim to be a great parent; they had flaws that were often greater than those of others, and problems a mile long... but shit, if they weren't going to try and do something with their life until little Soba grew up to be someone good. Their usual murderous and apathetic tendencies were being pushed to the background.

"Be careful. The water is cold and you'll get sick," the feline huffed out, before letting go of Sol as he attempted to wriggle away from their grip, watching him nearly fall forward onto his face only to catch himself last minute. An exasperated sigh left their jaws, but it was undertoned with affection. They had forgotten what it was like to have children; they hadn't had someone to take care of in so long.

[adomania]

[align=center][div style="borderwidth=0px; width: 55%; line-height:115%; text-align: justify;font-family: calibri;"]Sol didn't remember when exactly he stumbled across Lirim. It couldn't have been more than a week, but it seemed like he had known them for far longer, their golden gaze warm whenever it settled across his small body and their attention wholly comforting. They were liked his father, although seemingly less rough around the edges, and had such an ethereal and calming aura that the child couldn't help but be drawn to them instantly. Even when they presented to him the necklace he recalled had belonged to his father, Sol didn't question it, and when they introduced themselves as his grandparent, everything had clicked straight into place. He had joined them, if only because he had nowhere else to go after Des had disappeared, and now found himself on a long expanse of land, playfully carrying on as the feline trailed behind him, watching out so that he wouldn't get hurt.

And, moreso to see the lengths to which they would go to uphold that promise than to spite them, it seemed like Sol was intent on throwing himself towards every semblance of danger imagineable. The higher the rock the better, and the deeper the water the more inticing it was. They never let him fall, though, a dark paw always there just as he teetered on the edge of danger. Just like his father.

Not that he knew that yet.

"'S dad gonna be here?" the child questioned, peering up at the bell before glancing back at the large shadowy creature trailing calmly behind them, seemingly unrushed. The tranquility of their disposition was oddly calming, and whereas Sol had felt the stress of their dual moving at first, it had helped calm him down soon after until he felt the energy of his youth slowly come back. Now they acted the same, although coming here seemed to put a subtle strain on their shoulders that Sol couldn't help but notice but chose not to point out. Lirim thought he was young and innocent, and that he knew nothing of how people worked... Sol didn't want to worry them. He'd let them think that for longer.

But life hadn't been easy, not with Des' lifestyle. From what his father had spoken of, Lirim knew gang life well themselves but had chosen to abandon it soon after things went south. Des was forced into the life, and as much as he had tried to shelter his new son from it... the cub knew the harsher side of life more than most his age. He hadn't seen a dead body yet, at least, but Desperado had explained to him just how one looked like and why some bodies had to die. There were bad men around... someone had to get rid of them.

It was with this strange optimism and goal that Sol had set out in life, searching for his father after he had disappeared. He hadn't stumbled across him yet, but Lirim seemed to have taken his place rather eagerly, but they never spoke when he asked about his father. Even now, faced with the question of Desperado's location, Lirim chose not to answer, instead staring ahead at him as if they hadn't heard. A few seconds of silence spanned between them, but eventually realizing he wouldn't get an answer from them, Sol instead turned back around to the bell hanging tantalizingly on the rock... and decided he would climb to ring it. He was tired of waiting, bored out of his mind, and a child could only take so much before adventure called.

With a decisive leap, he pawed at the instrument, earning him a clear ring that reverberated through the air. A bright grin settled on the tiger's features, bright eyes even brighter, and he glanced back at Lirim, hoping to find some sort of pride in their eyes.

[cleo roux.]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"]She did not hear the tinkering of the bell nor did she recognize its achingly familiar (and annoying) chime as she approached the pair. Her own curiosities had brought her out of Barracuda Bay and to the railroad tracks, trying desperately to also escape run ins with her former clanmates. It was not that she disliked them but rather, feared them and their inquiries. Cleo could only recount what had happened between Eshe and herself so many times before she felt the creeping sensation of being engulfed in the darkness once again. She could not even sleep without being shrouded in light - the brightness distracting but enough to allow her to at least rest for a few hours - much less think about her torture. Her hell. So dealing with people who did not know who she was and what she had gone through seemed like the best possible decision, even if her underweight body ached and her useless leg made movement almost excruciatingly difficult.

The sound of Sol and Lirim's voices were nothing more than murmurs on the wind, ears straining to pick up on anything comprehensible but failing miserably. In the months she had been gone, her hearing had only gotten worse and now, understanding much of everything was a momentous task in and of itself. Cleo did manage to make out the word 'dad' though, frowning as the image of her own father's face swam into view. "Who is your dad?" The tiny bengal inquired quietly, wide eyes finding the younger of the duo. He seemed so happy, so unburdened. She almost envied the lightness that he practically emanated. "I'm Cleo Roux." She did not say anything more than that, her silence telling enough that she expected the pair to handle their own introductions and explanations as to why they were here. If they had already stated it, she did not know, but a part of her hoped that they would not fault her.

[PEPPINO]

[align=center]

/mcscuse me des better not be dead

Pip was...tired. Physically, he had a reason: packing tins of ointments and salves and bandages into little pouches, which he would give to anyone he came across. It was time-consuming, and there were so many people he wasn't certain he would get to them all. It wasn't as though he had a formal process for offering them- to do that, they'd need a register of everyone in The Typhoon, so Pip could go through the list and mark off names, but people came and went at such rates that a census was perhaps more trouble than it was worth. If it were possible, it would certainly be helpful, though, but since it seemed a distant possibility, he resigned himself to simply creating as many as he could, and giving them to those he passed who did not carry one, or who he did not remember offering one to. A little arduous, yes, so he was tired, and his burns were still healing, in such an awkward position that whenever he moved it could be painful. His fault.

More than physically fatigued, however, his spirit felt dampened, barely fluttering above the dirt. To want to help people -anyone, everyone, regardless of who they were or what they'd done- did not fit well in this place, where aggression and hostility came first and foremost. It was difficult. Sometimes he wondered how Jacob managed, because he remembered him as...gentle. Did he delude himself? Or did he care too much about these people to allow the blood to mar how he saw them?

He wished he knew. He wished- no. It didn't matter.

What mattered was following through with his purpose, and so when he saw the pair at the gates, drawn by the bell. He glanced at Cleo, before his gaze quickly skirted away, back to the child and his guardian. Whether they were here to stay or not didn't change Pip's willingness to help however he could, so he pulled out two of the pouches from his satchel and roamed forward to set them at their paws. "They're first-aid kits, just in case. You're free to take them whether or not you're staying." He smiled, though it was a bit wan. "I'm Peppino, but you can call me Pip."
[align=right][i]INFORMATION

[adomania]

[align=center][div style="borderwidth=0px; width: 55%; line-height:115%; text-align: justify;font-family: calibri;"]// he's,, taking a long nap

Lirim themselves was exhausted; physically it didn't show, their eternally youthful features elegant and hauntingly sublime, but mentally they carried a burden that spanned six long years full of ache. There were good parts, of course, their entire life wasn't horrid... but there was a reason the void took such long breaks from mortality, returning to their true form only on occasion when important things caught their attention. For now, that was Sol, but how long they would remain in the living world was anyone's guess. Sometimes they were just too tired by the affairs of creatures that Lirim simply couldn't empathize with, unable to understand the petty conflicts that occasionally erupted. Their life was long and tedious, and it put a lot into perspective. Most didn't have that yet.

Sol surely didn't. His entire disposition was that expected of the youth, mostly carefree with a typical benevolence. It had rubbed off on him from his father, who (despite his harsher life) had done all he could to make it work. Sol was just as tenacious as Desperado... just younger, and much less tired than most of them were. Even Pip, only around a month older than Sol himself, was emotionally exhausted with what life had left them all.

Lirim knew they couldn't keep Sol happy for long, but they could try. His very name represented that which they all one day hoped for: peace. It was a beautiful name, Lirim had to praise their son for his choice, but it was so ironic given just how hard such peace was possible to achieve. But maybe Sol would be the one thing this world needed. He was an adventurous, altruistic soul, someone Lirim would follow if they could. He was too still too young to command respect, or to even expect it… perhaps he never even would. Perhaps he would grow up to be even more like Desperado, who didn’t demand anything but decency where it was due.

Lirim didn’t say anything when the child inquired innocently about his father. They were unaware that Sol already knew what death was, and as such found it difficult to explain where Desperado was. Even if they were, they wouldn’t have told the truth. No child should know that their parents were dead. No child should have to see their father’s dead body, broken and bloody and battered beyond recognition.

Des had died doing what he loved. He had fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves till his dying breath. The regrets had only seemed to pile up the closer the duo got to the border of the Typhoon, until they were unable to feel anything else but the guilt clawing up their throat. They should have done better, or at least something. They used to be apathetic to a fault, and now they were paying for it.

It was the chime of the bell that ripped Lirim out of their thoughts and a grunt from out of their throat, pale gaze settling on Sol, who had successfully managed to get himself up on the rock and ring it. A few seconds passed, the sound fading away into nothing more than a memory, and then with a content rumble they moved forward to pick the child up and gently place him on the floor.

”I said to be careful,” they huffed, but the words lacked any bite to them, instead filled with affectionate amusement. They pressed one lick to his head before the sound of paws on the sand caught their attention. Their entire demeanor seemed to change in an instant. It was a mix of both habit and the fact that they held a life in their paws yet again that sent tension through their entire body, shoulders ceasing up and a deep warning growl reverberating through their chest. Their gaze was quick to shift and morph from the liquid gold it had just been into a black darker than the night, staring down at Cleo the moment she arrived. The look in their eyes was obvious - hurt one hair on his body, and you’re dead.

She didn’t seem as aggressive as others Lirim had met, but they knew that looks meant little in reality. She could have been just as dangerous as a dragon, and if they weren’t careful then the small bundle of fur that was moving around near their paws would suffer more than they would. They could come back and continue existing like nothing happened. If Sol came back… they couldn’t promise he’d be the same. Lirim didn’t want to chance that.

”Lirim Break. This-“ they lifted a paw and waved it at the child ”- is Sol. I wish to keep him here for the time being. This was… the last place we’ve seen his father, Desperado,” the warning came back, this time even sharper than last time. The message was just as clear, however. If she knew anything about the canine’s death, it would be better for her if she kept it to herself.

They were calmer when Peppino arrived, however, as more arrived and seemed just as young  as Sol. They still didn’t trust him, not completely, and the dark warning in their gaze didn’t fade just because he arrived. Children could be just as vile, but the chances were far lower, and this one in particular seemed kind enough for Lirim to not fear their influence. They watched as he set down two kits in front of them, dipping their head down in thanks before licking Sol once more and finally leaning back up in one smooth motion. ”Thank you. Soba - what do we say to be polite?” They glanced firmly at the child under their guard, urging him to follow in their footsteps. They wanted him to grow up good. It’s what their son would have wanted, and he was already too kind for such benevolence to go to waste as a result of negligence on the part of those who could help nurture it.

[cleo roux.]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"]The child would blink a few times, frightened by the intensity of Lirim's gaze. She could detect an obvious protectiveness from them towards the tiger but was ensnared in the icy grips of fear nonetheless, working paws causing her to stumble backwards instinctively. She might have remained upright had she not tripped over her useless leg, a small squeak tumbling from cinnamon lips as she hit the ground. It didn't help that the underlying edge to their words terrified her as well, their demeanor reminding her of Eshe. She had once been protected just as strongly by the snake and look at her now. Hollow. Broken. Hurt. Cleo tried to ignore the nausea she suddenly felt as memories - dark and horrifying - rose to greet her.

Tiny claws would hook into the ground and she'd haul herself back up, swallowing down the sting of past experiences in favor of perking her ears. If she could distract herself with their business, then perhaps the pain would subside. Lirim probably hadn't meant to frighten her but the look in those large, once empty eyes of hers conveyed that they had done a rather good job. "He can stay..." She whispered in a soft voice, fighting to keep the tremble out of it. The seal mink bengal had experienced far worse to break so easily in front of a set of strangers (and a clanmate, she supposed, but Peppino was an unfamiliar face to her) but she would admit, the temptation was there. "I... Um..." She stammered, growing softer by the second. She had forgotten how to handle joiners and really, was just embarrassing herself at this point. What had happened to the quick-witted child she had once been? Where had her confidence, her prowess, gone? Swallowing, she'd glance helplessly at the Sage, hoping that he would know what to do better than she would.

[Luciferr]

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L U C I F E R . G R I M M

"The endless Void, The gazing abyss, The bottomless ocean of horror...It coiled itself around your tender heart"

"Housing the two of you shouldn't be a problem - I'm fairly certain I saw Desperado awhile back" another voice cuts in as the sheer vantablack form of one of said beasts of myth makes its way over, mercury and ruby eyes alighting on the two with interest - glancing briefly to their returned Roux and Peppino.

he ahdn't been there for Desperado's rejoining, but he'd heard he'd come back, hm and idly he wondered what this might be about - had the family got split up awhile back? - alas it wasn't his business to poke into strangers - or the newly joined's - history, he didn't think it would be welcomed either way.

"Luciferus Grimm, Lucifer is fine however" Luci tended to come after not that he minded the nickname in anycase.

/short af sorry, been feeling ill

tags — [color=maroon]large dragon — hellion [5ft] — typhoon / officer — extreme

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