ᴏᴘᴇɴ ▸ with the world as my anchor.

[subsist]

WHO: Kaeya & you.
WHAT: Bird shenanigans and more.
WHERE: Various.
WHEN: All throughout Sekiseri.
WARNINGS: None, will update if needed. Only silly things allowed.

i. morning breeze.
achamoth

[ It's the beginning of a new month. Do you know where your Kaeya is at?

Rather than the charming, handsome young pirate that he is (no), he is reduced to a small bird, one that is growing increasingly confused and alarmed the longer this goes on. He doesn't know what's happening. He doesn't know how it happened. Why is he a bird? He was never able to do something like this before, so it makes no sense for him to suddenly wake up as a tiny feathered creature with no way to revert it all back.

This is bad. This is so bad that he can't even fly around, or chirp properly, or be a normal bird, but instead he is simply just. Jumping around on the floor to get from point A to point B, no matter where he is. Sometimes he might have figured out how to climb a desk or a chair, but most of the time, he is by your feet, desperately trying to get your attention.

Is he pecking at your shoe? Probably. Does he try to peck your fingers if you try to pick him up? Absolutely.

What's worse is when you catch him in a frenzied moment, because that's how you get your fingers frozen. A small burst of pure cryo energy originating from this tiny little thing is the culprit. Oops. At least he looks sorry about it — if a bird can look sorry, anyway. ]

ii. in flight.
achamoth / godsblood

[ After a while, and with a few lessons of how to be a bird under his wing (shut up, Candace!), Kaeya takes flight and allows himself to wander.

He doesn't have a particular destination in mind — only that it's somewhere far away from the Citadel. There are certain points where he stops in random areas within Achamoth, but for the most part, he's more interested in being further out. He goes past Venera, because he can't quite get over the heartache he experiences whenever he thinks about what happened there, and he isn't ready to step foot in that city just yet. Perhaps one day, he thinks, it will feel less impossible.

It takes some time, he's lost count of how many days along the way, but eventually, he reaches the city of Godsblood. There are far too many things to explore around here. First, he catches some well-needed rest, nesting somewhere hidden or somewhere in plain sight. Maybe it's by your window, on the awning of one of your favourite stalls, or even on a tree branch like most normal birds do. He's usually awake during the godawful hours of the morning, so here's hoping you don't mind the chirping.

If someone hasn't killed him by then, he'll be found everywhere else. Stealing your food. Divebombing you for fun. Nesting in your hair. No matter what, he's going to be a menace, and he can't be stopped.

(Please stop him.) ]

iii. state lines.
godsblood

[ During the days he spends as himself, he is a lot more discreet. Subtle. While he doesn't bother making use of glamours to hide who he is, he does wear a hood over his head to make himself less noticeable. It's chilly over here in Godsblood, so it isn't too strange to have an outsider try to bundle up. Or so he hopes. He isn't all that interested in causing a scene so he'll be mostly looking around, listening to conversations where he can.

And since this is Kaeya, you can most definitely find him in one of the bars, enjoying a drink or two. He'll usually be sitting at the furthest corner where he has a good view of the place, including whoever goes in and out. Is his back against the wall? Absolutely. Maybe someone is a little paranoid, but you can never be too careful.

It's better to be overly cautious than to be caught off guard when you least expect it. ]

iv. wildcard me, baby.

( ooc. i'm happy to write custom starters if none of these work. kaeya can also be seen around achamoth in various places, but he'll be on the move constantly. in godsblood, you're free to assume he could have flown into your room/shop/etc. as a bird, or you might catch him walking around the streets, observing people, taking notes. things like that! feel free to pm me, contact me on plurk, or ping me on discord if you'd like to chat more. 💜

ALSO!! as a general note, pls let me know if your character would likely use true sight to perceive that he's an aion. mostly for my own references. )

Comments

bruno is so nice... weh

[subsist]

[ Kaeya thinks that this man has a warm laugh, the kind that makes him wonder how he managed to land himself within the ranks of monsters. If only he was capable of speaking, he might have said as much right here and now, but as it is, he can only offer a curious chirp. Maybe he can find a way to help him out later...

Once he's no longer a bird, that is. Whenever that will be.

For the time being, he seems content to remain in place when Bruno reaches to pet him on the head. His eyes flutter shut as he enjoys the sensation of it, a simple feeling that has him fluffing up his feathers to show his contentment. He'll even keep his head lowered so that Bruno can continue to pat him. It's a nice feeling. It won't be a bad thing to just let it happen for as long as the man wants it to. ]

so nice that he's gonna have a bad time

[fallingsand]

[ Kaeya would have his dad Silco to thank for that, the vicious little man having gotten to poor Bruno first when he'd first found himself alone and beyond distraught at his legacy's shrine. He was easy pickings, unfortunately, and, so, here he was, struggling to acclimate to his new situation. It's been... a time. An interesting time. That isn't particularly a good thing, though. ]

I wonder if someone is missing a bird. [ With how unoffended the bird is, the simplest guess is that Kaeya is someone's pet. Sorry, Kaeya. ] Let's see. I bet I have something for...

[ The petting only goes on for a little while longer before he pulls his hand away to search his pockets. ]

...uh, no, that's the salt. And this is. A handkerchief? When did I pick up a...? Oh, wait, this one. Here we go.

[ Why does he have food in his pockets? Look, he just does. He has a leftover cookie from when Ciel was storming the kitchens and, while a little stale at this point, it's still good. Technically. He'll break off a reasonable amount for a bird Kaeya's size and hold that out to him. ]

NO... everyone needs to protect bruno!!!

[subsist]

[ If Kaeya ever finds that his dad Silco is responsible, then his conflicting feelings might get worse. As it is, the more Bruno speaks, the more Kaeya is sure that this is someone who might end up suffering the same fate as Himeka and Abel, if not worse, because he's supposed to be one of them. The Regent wouldn't look too kindly on those who fail to execute their orders, but who knows?

Sometimes even a kind man can hide terrible secrets. He's learned this once before, and it wouldn't surprise him if that applies here now. Even if Bruno is just someone who is searching through his pockets, picking out salt, a handkerchief, and something questionable. Before finding a cookie.

That makes Kaeya perk up, neck stretched a tiny bit to see better. He opens his beak to accept the small piece offered and eats it up, wings spreading to show his gratitude. Don't mind him while he nuzzles his face against Bruno's finger, almost catlike. ]

too late only danger now

[fallingsand]

[ Silco might be responsible, but Bruno had chosen to accept his fate when offered the vial rather than put up a fight and have it forced on him. In spite of that, he had lingered in the cold, unfriendly hall the lodestone resided in for days, until... well, he is here, out in the Citadel, isn't he? Kindness and all. ]

Like that? I'm not planning on finishing this thing, so you can have as much as you want.

[ He rubs his fingertip against the bird's face as he nuzzles against it. Again, gentle. He seems used to handling small animals if nothing else. ]

Now let's see. Are you lost? Did someone lose you in here?

operation: save bruno

[subsist]

[ Bruno's kindness is one that will be eaten alive out here. Whether or not it's a fate he accepted, it doesn't mean that Kaeya won't try to lessen the chances of that happening. Not that he'll try to help the man find his way out of here, because he still believes that the Kenoma has the better odds of succeeding in all this, but at least he can be a source of comfort if nothing else.

Maybe turning into a bird isn't such a bad thing, if he can do that much.

He nibbles on the rest of the cookies while Bruno continues to pet him lightly. What little he knows about the man — beyond his kindness — is that maybe he has a pretty good chance of understanding Kaeya given the way he's been doing all the right things so far. Small movements, quiet sounds, gestures that won't spook such a small thing like he is right now.

He looks up at the question, blinking. Then he shakes his head to say no, someone didn't lose him — an odd response from a bird, because then it shows he understands what is being said to him. Maybe Bruno will get that? ]

[fallingsand]

[ Well, he certainly wouldn't turn down a bird friend visiting to cheer him up from time to time. Goodness knows he'll be liable to need it. Bruno carries on offering gentle little pets until the bird gives him what looks distinctly like a shake of his head. That gets a rise of Bruno's eyebrows and gives him pause. He stills, taking a closer look at the bird before drawing his hand back.

Kaeya will have guessed correctly.

As someone who's spent the last decade of his life with only small animals for company, he can tell immediately that this was not a normal animal motion. Besides, the rats that lived with him in casita were peculiarly intelligent in their own ways, meaning it also isn't wholly unexpected behavior apart from it being from, well, a little birdie. ]

Huh. Could you flap your wings, uh. Twice? If you understand me?

[subsist]

[ There it is. The telltale signs that someone is beginning to realize that there's more than meets eye with this tiny bird. As cute as he is, Kaeya knows that he can't keep up the ruse forever, but while he'd rather switch back to his usual self, he can't. Not right now, anyway.

So— he does as Bruno asks. He spreads his wings, flapping them twice. Every word is understood loud and clear.

Now, as far as whether or not the man will figure out that maybe he isn't just a bird, well, that's still up in the air. It's not like Kaeya can speak to prove otherwise, anyway. ]

[fallingsand]

Oh.

[ Bruno leans back in his chair once his question has been confirmed with a very obvious reply. The bird, this tiny bird, this cute little thing, can comprehend what he's saying. This only creates more questions. ]

Maybe animals in the Citadel are as smart as Casita's rats... I mean, at least I think they were smart. They seemed pretty smart to me and I would be the one to really know, and... uh...

[ Only he's rambling now and, so, he trails off there and leans forward again, sliding his chair back out further as he does so he can fold his arms up on the tabletop and rest his chin on them. Bringing himself down to Kaeya's level, so to speak. ]

But you aren't a rat, obviously. Okay. Are you... are birds just sentient here? Or are you not really a bird?

[subsist]

[ Kaeya looks down at his entire body. Nope, definitely not a rat. Just a small magpie who happens to understand every single thing Bruno is saying. His feathers ruffle before he settles down again, listening to the man work this one out. He wonders if he should give away that he's an Aion...

Not that he has any way of saying so, since the most he can do is blink at Bruno. At least they're almost on the same level now so he can approach the man slowly, one wing reaching out to lightly brush against Bruno's nose.

And then he chirps softly. Hard to say what he's trying to get at here, but these are definitely not birdlike behaviours. ]

[fallingsand]

[ No flaps to say yes to either of those questions, so... Bruno can only chuckle again when the bird hops up to his face and brushes feathers across his nose. ]

Hey, careful. That tickles.

[ He pulls an arm free from under his chin and lets his head loll over to rest against the one that remains tucked under it. Now that he has a hand free, he can resume petting the little magpie, although with the bird closer now, he can run his fingers down his entire feathery back now. ]

Not gonna tell me, huh? Well, that's fine. I guess birds can be allowed their secrets.

[subsist]

[ He tucks his wing back once Bruno tells him to stop. This is a bird that has way too many secrets so here's hoping Bruno is content with simply having a feathery friend for company. Maybe one of these days Kaeya will admit who he is, but who knows when that will happen?

For now, he is melting under Bruno's touch. This is similar to getting a full-bodied massage which is positively divine. Both his beady little eyes are closed, and his feathers are ruffling because he is happy to enjoy this moment for as long as Bruno allows it to keep going.

His chitters sound dangerously close to a cat's purr. ]