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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:26 am
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Shiloh came to Otherworld a lot. It was quiet, he didn't fear it as much as he used to, and it gave him a lot of personal time to think. Granted, he still ran into people (or things) from time to time, but they were surprisingly manageable compared to the normal people he had to deal with on a daily basis. Magic users were the preferred persons of any conversation.
Regardless, it just made sense to come here with Jamie when he wanted some alone time, right? They still shared the house with his parents and they didn't really have anywhere else to go. Otherworld was blanketed in a powdery layer of frost and the streets were wide and vast and completely empty.
"It's kinda peaceful, don'tcha think?" He turned to Jamie as he spoke, squeezing his hand at the same time. "I mean, it was peaceful with the rain too, but the normal weather is kinda neat. I haven't noticed anything else super off though." that had been the "reason" for coming in the first place; Other Ashdown paranormal investigation bonanza, but Shiloh hadn't been expecting to actually find anything.
"We should try practicing our magic together sometime, actually. It's been a while." And it sounded fun. As he got done saying it though, a very pungent smell of rosemary hit his nose. He didn't say anything outwardly, but his sniffer was definitely going a mile a minute.
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:48 am
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"The new weather is nice," Jamie agreed, a peaceful sort of smile on his face. The hand that squeezed Shiloh's in return was pale pink and soft—gloved, of course, though they were thin and not at all useful against the weather. It was more for show than anything. There certainly hadn't been any switches flipped, but Jamie was more adventurous than he used to be when it came to the cute sort of clothing he secretly (or not so secretly) adored.
"I liked the rain, too, but it's nice to take walks sometimes and not get completely soaked." Speaking of the weather, when Shiloh mentioned practicing together, Jamie's eyes lit up. Playfulness sparkled in their depths.
"We could build snowmen!" he exclaimed. "Magical snowmen. That counts as practicing, right?" There was a laughter in his voice. Even if there wasn't enough snow on the ground to make real snowmen, they could do anything if they put their minds to it. But then- "Shiloh... what's up?" It was hard not to notice the way he snuffled like Jamie did when he was a hare.
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 10:42 am
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"Rosemary?" he asked as he took a big whiff, too. Once he was paying attention, it didn't take much for him to notice the scent. "Wow, what, I dunno if that's nothing. There's literally no one else around. There's nothing. So where would it be coming from?"
It didn't make much sense—even if this was Other Ashdown where things didn't have to make sense—and that all on its own made Jamie curious. Shiloh would know better than anyone that curious Jamies didn't tend to let things go. "Okay, maybe the magic snowmen can wait. I wanna see if we can find where the smell is coming from. It'll be fun. Like an investigation or something, y'know? Moonwalkers are supposed to do stuff like that, right?"
He was totally bullshitting, but though there was a fifty percent chance it would turn out to be nothing, the other fifty said it might be something good.
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:05 am
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There was a jerk against the hand Jamie held, like he'd wanted to cross his arms in that pouty way he did, only to realize he couldn't. "It's practically the same thing," he argued, falling right into the trap. It was all in good fun, of course, but Shiloh wasn't wrong when he said Jamie was easy. "You're lucky you've got me looking out for you, Mr. Burg-shwa-zee!"
Burg-shwa-zee made Shiloh sound more like the king of a burger empire than a court noble.
"Hey, you're right, though. Don't worry, I'm on the case!" He swung their conjoined hands for emphasis, then laughed, because wow he felt silly, but it also felt pretty damn nice to let loose and be the eighteen year old kid he was. Only Shiloh really made him comfortable enough to stop caring completely.
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 12:42 pm
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"I think by stupid you mean..." he paused, long and hard for dramatic effect, "... cool as heck!" Just like Shiloh knew Jamie was easily riled, Jamie knew Shiloh was rough and gruff and poked fun because he loved, not because he hated. He ran a step or two ahead, but still their hands held them glued together. It was impossible to get too far.
"Woah, where are we?" he asked, finally settling, but only because he was genuinely confused by their new surroundings. The cobblestone was one thing, but the further they walked, the buildings on either side seemed to fade. They weren't completely gone, but they were surely remnant of their former selves, no longer opaque.
"Oh, huh-? Oh. Detective Delacroix... you're right, I like it." Pride was glowing on his face and he puffed out his chest. "Wherever we are, it's definitely not the same Otherworld we're used to." A brilliant deduction from the moonwalker detective.
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:19 pm
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Right now, like birdsong in his head, Jamie could hear the soft jingle of the music box theme from the games. Professor Layton was a mainstay in his DS collection and it always would be. The music stayed with him until they reached the gate and stepped foot in the garden. It was almost overwhelming the way the colors exploded at the corners of his eyes, beautiful and magical and enough to totally distract him from his all-important role as Detective Moonwalker Prince Delacroix of Ashdown.
"It's so pretty," he agreed, his words a whisper. The leaves of a nearby patch of trees mingled together like an unexplainable rainbow, their branches heavy with what looked sort of like peaches growing in a color Jamie couldn't properly describe. "Look, look, Shiloh—peaches. Do you think we're allowed to eat things here."
Considering this was the Otherworld—it was, wasn't it?—he wasn't sure if he was super keen on taking his chances.
"Ah well, it's still nice. Hey," he tugged his arm, "let's keep walking. I wanna see more."
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:41 pm
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Jamie wasn't sure if it was the way Shiloh said it or the look on his face as he did that got him the most. Either way it pinged a note straight to his heart, warming it immediately. In return, Shiloh would get an accidental message, a short, mental wow that was obviously one of Jamie's powers getting away from him. The look that bloomed on his face after that made it obvious he'd noticed his own slip up.
"T-That's," he bumbled, pink cheeked and embarrassed. "You're silly, Shiloh..." Only now did he let go of the hand he'd been holding the entire time. It felt cold and empty, but he disappeared beneath the draping tendrils of wisteria regardless of the feeling.
He lingered near the edge, one pink glove visible beneath the flowers. It was an invitation: follow me.
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 4:17 pm
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There was no answer to Shiloh's question, only silent beaconing. The only indication of his position, at least at first, was the gentle sway of flowers as they brushed against each other in the sea of purple. Jamie was moving closer to the trunk, but never so quick that he got away from him.
"Not fearless," he finally said, sounding right next to him. "Fearless is reckless. I'm just brave. Detectives need to be, you know." It was like he was trying to sound professional, educated on the subject, but instead he sounded as silly as ever. There was a softness to his voice that didn't fit the whole hardboiled police officer image. "I'm right here, though, can't you tell?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the wisteria curtain parted and there he was, smiling and just as pink cheeked as before.
"You're right, I am kinda silly. I get it from you." There was a short moment of hesitation and then he shot forward, planting a chaste little kiss to Shiloh's cheek before laughing and disappearing into the flowers again.
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