I Got Myself One Of Those Little Fake Jellyfish Lamps That Changes Color, And It Is Downright Hypnotic-

Lily couldn’t fight the flush as Xavier went on about all of the little things that make her excited, her pout disappearing completely. Honestly, it made her heart skip a beat in a good way, to know that he paid such close attention to such little things. She really shouldn’t be surprised that he was so observant, but it was touching all the same.  

The affectionate train of thought was derailed by the teasing, her cheeks turning even deeper pink in embarrassment as she shifted to lightly elbow him in the side. “Oh, hush.” She ‘scolded’, even as she turned her attention up towards the menu.  

Fortunately, she did manage to decide before they made it up front, figuring she’d go with a fruity tea, something on the sweeter side. Once she had finally decided on a drink, she honestly seemed rather proud of herself.

After spending the morning doing research on places in Linkon City that offer milk tea, Lily finally found a place that seemed like it would be a nice place to visit and had the coffee milk tea that Xavier mentioned. Plus it wasn't far from a few good places to eat so they'd have options based on what they were feeling up to without having to go all the way across town. Perfect.

Lily finally sent Xavier a text in the late morning.

'I found a place that has that coffee milk tea you mentioned! And it has really good reviews.'

After a moment of thought, she sent another text as well.

'And thank you for walking me home last night. I really appreciated it. It was nice, looking at the stars with you.'

If not for the sporadic texts, Xavier would still be asleep. Outside the birds that often bickered over his balcony were squawking at a volume loudly. The combination of factors is enough to stir him, just barely. He knows its her before having to unlock his phone.

↪[ Audio: I'm awake. I'm up. I'm coming. ]

↪[ It was nice. Let's do it again sometime ]

In a flash he rinses off, takes care of basic hygiene, and is donning a favored hoodie in spite of the weather.

By the time he gets downstairs, he's already rubbing his eyes again as he knocks on the door.

Lily found herself snickering at Kaia's attempts to defend herself, holding her own hands up slightly in surrender. She's hardly in a position to argue since she doesn't have evidence one way or another, after all.

After placing her order, she turned her attention back to Kaia and laughed softly at the questions, waving a hand at her playfully. "Well, what do you want to know?" She tried, quirking a brow playfully. "Perhaps we could start with hobbies, for getting to know each other?"

That feels like a safe enough starting point, and can actually say a lot about a person. How active they are, how much they practice coordination skills outside of training, a glimpse into other possible interests, things like that. It's also a good basis for an outside-of-work friendship, and good inspiration for future gifts!

"Oh, wait! Before you leave, what color do you think the jacket should b—" Not looking away from the clothing rack in front of her, she grabs the sleeve of the person nearest to her without thinking, and realizes a little too late that it felt... Different. She turns, blinking; the person she'd been talking to had left, and beside her instead was...

"Wait, you're—! Lily?! You're Lily, right?! Oh, my god, I am so sorry, I totally thought you were someone else! Gosh, and this is the first time I'm actually talking to you, too..."

—&&. @kaiakaya 🤍

Lily was more than a little startled to suddenly feel her sleeve grabbed while she was looking for a new jacket to replace her favorite one that has... been through it. It's getting a few small holes in it but she's already mended it so many times it's time to retire it.

She blinked in surprise at Kaia for a moment before she started laughing, keeping it relatively quiet for the moment so they don't draw too much attention.

"Yes, I'm Lily. You're Kaia, right?" She asked, hoping she doesn't make a fool of herself.

At Kaia's concerns about how this is the first time they're speaking, she shook her head with a smile and waved a hand dismissively. "It's alright, don't worry!" She reassured easily "Do you need help finding the person you're here with?" She offered, tilting her head slightly.

I need more fairy teacups in my life

Once he set her down, she moved one hand up to cover her mouth with a loose fist to muffle the remaining giggles, finally settling down some herself. His 'attack' re-started the giggles, prompting her to smile at him innocently, moving her hand away from her mouth to instead rest under her chin playfully. Her? Being a chaotic little brat? Hardly~!

"Mmhm! I had to take my bike to the shop to get it checked over, so I got the rest of the day off to deal with that. Wanted to come say hi while I was in the neighborhood."

( Jump - sender jumps on receivers back - @lily-of-the-linkon )

Lily grinned when seeing Jeremiah wasn't paying attention to her, a mischievous little plan forming in her head.

Putting her training to the test, she carefully approached him from behind. She kept her movements as silent as possible, slowly lifting her arms to brace herself for step two.

When she was finally within reach of the (unsuspecting?) man, she lunged to jump on his back. While she was careful not to knock him over if she could help it, she was still dramatic.

Almost immediately after 'impact', she couldn't help but break into giggles, shifting to at least attempt to look at his face. "Hi Jer~" she greeted with playfully exaggerated casualness.

"What the- ah!"

The sudden surprise and sensation of warmth pressed against his back shocked him enough to let out a yelp in surprise, but the familiarity of the voice immediately calmed his instincts.

He adjusts his grip to ensure her safety but doesn't put her down.

"Stars, Lilyyyy! Where did you come from!? How did you manage to be so quiet!?"

His offer to pick her up earned a small laugh from her as she sifted through her closet, still holding her phone to her ear with her shoulder. "You spoil me, Sy," she teased, though she appreciated the gesture all the same. One less thing for her to have to worry about.

"I'll be ready and waiting when you get here. Be safe, okay?"

Does she actually think anything can pose a proper threat to him? Not in the slightest. But that isn't going to stop her from saying it every time. It's the least she can do, after everything.

closed starter ofr: @lily-of-the-linkon

Sylus picked up his phone, swiping through the screen as he dialed Lily’s number, his thumb tapping rhythmically against the glass. He leaned back in his chair, watching the soft light of the afternoon filter through the blinds. As the phone rang, he let out a small sigh, a hint of impatience buried beneath the calm exterior.

When the call finally connected, he greeted her with a casual tone. “Hey, Lily, you busy? If not… would you want to come see me for the spring? The cherry blossoms are finally blooming, and I haven’t had the chance to see them with anyone yet.”

There was a slight pause as he adjusted his position, a faint smirk creeping across his lips.

"Thought it might be nice, you know... to have someone to appreciate them with."

He exhaled, gaze still fixed on the view outside of the dark N109 zone. "Never had the chance to see it with someone before." The words were quieter, almost absentminded, but laced with something unspoken

She didn't resist the suggestion, even as her cheeks flushed at the proximity. She doesn't have the energy to try and be more independent, and is content for now to enjoy the company while she can.

"That sounds like a good plan." She agreed, looking up at him with a quirked brow in response to him doubting himself. "I have a feeling you know me better than you think. Or at least, better than you let on. I don't imagine that I'm difficult to figure out, either."

Turning her attention forward again so she wouldn't risk tripping over her own feet and taking a moment to tuck her hair behind her ear, not used to having it down while she's out and about, she hummed. "So, who should start with the questions?"

❛ you shouldn’t be out here by yourself. ❜ 

Send me a prompt!

~

Normally, Lily tries to be fully aware of her surroundings. Working as a Hunter means she shouldn't let her guard down, especially when by herself. Who knows what threats are just waiting for a chance to strike, after all?

Though normally, Lily doesn't have to resort to late night walks to try and clear her mind so that she can sleep.

Suddenly hearing a voice nearby startles her out of her own thoughts, immediately setting her on alert. Her head whipped around towards the source, her posture tense and ready for a fight. Once she finally recognized Xavier, she let out a slow breath that ended in a sheepish laugh.

"Xavier!" She half-greeted, half-scolded.

Once she finally processed his warning, she offered what she hoped came across as a reassuring smile. "I know, I know. But I'm a big girl, I can handle going for a little starlit walk before bed." She teased, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to calm herself down further so her heart wasn't pounding so hard in her chest.

"What about you? You're out rather late too."

Lily couldn't help but laugh to herself when listening to his audio message, shaking her head affectionately. He sounded half asleep still, meaning he must just have been waking up. She almost felt bad for potentially waking him, but well... He shouldn't go sleeping the whole day away either.

She'd opted for a simple pair of black slacks, a tank top, and a jacket just in case the shops are cold. She'd already gone through her morning routine, so once he acknowledged he was awake, she made sure she had her wallet and phone, and waited to hear from him again.

When he knocked she was quick to answer the door, offering him a relaxed smile. Seeing how tired he still looked, her expression became more sympathetic. "Did I wake you up?"

After spending the morning doing research on places in Linkon City that offer milk tea, Lily finally found a place that seemed like it would be a nice place to visit and had the coffee milk tea that Xavier mentioned. Plus it wasn't far from a few good places to eat so they'd have options based on what they were feeling up to without having to go all the way across town. Perfect.

Lily finally sent Xavier a text in the late morning.

'I found a place that has that coffee milk tea you mentioned! And it has really good reviews.'

After a moment of thought, she sent another text as well.

'And thank you for walking me home last night. I really appreciated it. It was nice, looking at the stars with you.'

If not for the sporadic texts, Xavier would still be asleep. Outside the birds that often bickered over his balcony were squawking at a volume loudly. The combination of factors is enough to stir him, just barely. He knows its her before having to unlock his phone.

↪[ Audio: I'm awake. I'm up. I'm coming. ]

↪[ It was nice. Let's do it again sometime ]

In a flash he rinses off, takes care of basic hygiene, and is donning a favored hoodie in spite of the weather.

By the time he gets downstairs, he's already rubbing his eyes again as he knocks on the door.

"Then maybe that's what I'll do with my weekend." She hummed happily, leading the way down the road to the mini-park she'd mentioned.

His comment made her cheeks flush, but she didn't falter as she smiled towards him. It touched her to know that he cares so much, even if she isn't sure how to verbalize the same sentiment. How much she trusts him, and would follow him in turn.

"You're so sweet to me." She hummed apprecitively, walking beside him again as she faced forward. "It's more fun spending time with you anyways."

After spending the morning doing research on places in Linkon City that offer milk tea, Lily finally found a place that seemed like it would be a nice place to visit and had the coffee milk tea that Xavier mentioned. Plus it wasn't far from a few good places to eat so they'd have options based on what they were feeling up to without having to go all the way across town. Perfect.

Lily finally sent Xavier a text in the late morning.

'I found a place that has that coffee milk tea you mentioned! And it has really good reviews.'

After a moment of thought, she sent another text as well.

'And thank you for walking me home last night. I really appreciated it. It was nice, looking at the stars with you.'

If not for the sporadic texts, Xavier would still be asleep. Outside the birds that often bickered over his balcony were squawking at a volume loudly. The combination of factors is enough to stir him, just barely. He knows its her before having to unlock his phone.

↪[ Audio: I'm awake. I'm up. I'm coming. ]

↪[ It was nice. Let's do it again sometime ]

In a flash he rinses off, takes care of basic hygiene, and is donning a favored hoodie in spite of the weather.

By the time he gets downstairs, he's already rubbing his eyes again as he knocks on the door.

She scrunched her nose up playfully when he returned the boop, wiggling her nose for further emphasis. She couldn't help but think how it's almost funny how he's clearly endured so much and come out the other side, only for him to be seemingly baffled by such simple affections.

Almost. It's still far more heartbreaking.

"You don't have to worry about hurting me, I'm not that fragile." She attempted to reassure, even playfully flexing to show off what little visible muscle she has that still pales in comparison to his own build.

( from @lily-of-the-linkon )

Lily holds her arms out slightly towards Dawnbreaker, hoping to make it so he won't feel bad if he refuses her invitation.

"Would you like a hug?"

His eyes light up briefly at the prospect of physical comfort.

"...Yes, I would."

He steps towards her, enveloping her in a gentle embrace to avoid causing her any discomfort, despite his wishes. He leans his forehead on her shoulder, closing his eyes.

Lily hummed her agreement, since she knows full well that caffeine is only good in moderation. She made that mistake once, and that one time was plenty enough warning.

She hummed happily as she headed out with him, thanking him for holding the door for her. The teasing made her cheeks flush pink as she lightly nudged him with her elbow, giving him a playful pout.

"It wasn't that late!" She insisted though there was of course no heat to her fussing. "But you're right that I really shouldn't make it a habit. If that keeps up, it'd be my luck I'd fall asleep just outside the building or something." She snickered, opening the door to the building and holding it for him this time.

"Well, first things first I figure we go to the tea place, then figure out what food we're in the mood for. Then from there, see what we have the energy for?"

After spending the morning doing research on places in Linkon City that offer milk tea, Lily finally found a place that seemed like it would be a nice place to visit and had the coffee milk tea that Xavier mentioned. Plus it wasn't far from a few good places to eat so they'd have options based on what they were feeling up to without having to go all the way across town. Perfect.

Lily finally sent Xavier a text in the late morning.

'I found a place that has that coffee milk tea you mentioned! And it has really good reviews.'

After a moment of thought, she sent another text as well.

'And thank you for walking me home last night. I really appreciated it. It was nice, looking at the stars with you.'

If not for the sporadic texts, Xavier would still be asleep. Outside the birds that often bickered over his balcony were squawking at a volume loudly. The combination of factors is enough to stir him, just barely. He knows its her before having to unlock his phone.

↪[ Audio: I'm awake. I'm up. I'm coming. ]

↪[ It was nice. Let's do it again sometime ]

In a flash he rinses off, takes care of basic hygiene, and is donning a favored hoodie in spite of the weather.

By the time he gets downstairs, he's already rubbing his eyes again as he knocks on the door.