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« solntse » TEXT ✧ AUDIO ✧ VIDEO ✧ ACTION ALINA STARKOV ✦ GRISHAVERSE
RESIDENCE ✦ Emerald District
GEMBOND ✦ RUBY like calls to like INFO ✧ PERMISSIONS

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@volkvolny | first day in the city

[reznikolai]

[It's already well into the evening when Nikolai finally gets a chance to sit in the quiet of his newly issued apartment. Of course, there is so much more to be done.]

My dearest Alina, I hope you haven't missed me too terribly in the hours since we parted ways.

Can I speak with you? In person, that is. Despite the odd hour, it's business rather than pleasure, unfortunately.

[He hopes she figured out the art of text messaging.]

@solntse

[solmate]

Honorable King Nikolai,

[ These aren't so different than letters, right? She hopes he knows her well enough that this comes more from affection than actual respect. ]

Have you found more permanent accommodations? I heard that if you go to the embassy, you can get something more private than the government housing dorms, but I'm here for the night.

Regards,
Alina

[ You sign text messages, right? ]

@volkvolny | backdated to before the event?

[reznikolai]

Our old friend the Darkling is here.

[There's no point in rhetorical flourishes. From him, it's an ominously simple message.]

@solntse

[solmate]

Is it wishful thinking to assume we've both hallucinated him?

I suppose it's comforting that he's as stuck here as the rest of us.

@volkvolny

[reznikolai]

Look who's here... 👀

[Attached is a video of a rather large ball of fur snuffling around the living room rug on stubby legs, tail wagging like a broken rudder as he explores his new home. Yes, Nikolai has gone out and gotten that guard dog he was talking about.]

[solmate]

😍😍😍🐶🐶🐶

you got him!!
let me pack up my sketchbook and i'll hop on the shuttle home.
he sort of has the same coloring as ones i would see guarding livestock in the country-side.

are you there sankta alina? it's me, nikolai

[reznikolai]

[At some point during the bacchanal of the handfasting ceremonies...

...Alina receives a photo of a rather scandalous nature. Nikolai is sprawled out on the sand, his very wet body glistening in the light thrown by strings of lanterns. Patches of sand cover his skin haphazardly, but otherwise his chest and arms are bare. The picture cuts off at the end of the trail of blond hair leading down from his navel, but this leaves the distinct (and intriguing?) possibility that he isn't wearing any pants either.]

Don't you wish you were here Alinochka?

[Thank the Saints that's saved in his phone's autocorrect feature...or else it might have turned out a mangled mess.]

the patron saint of bad decisions

[solmate]

[ Retreated to the privacy of her room, Alina is far on the other side of tipsy at this point, having spent the evening imbibing with Konoha, drinking and dishing out all sorts of gossip. Her mood is light although after a night among friends the room feels quite lonely.

Ah— excellent timing. ]

did you know i was just thinking about you?

[ She sits up, framing her own photo. She had shed her own clothes in favor of one of his shirts, only a few buttons done up to showcase a scandalously deep v-neck, only her mischievous smile making it into the photo. ]

or you could be here.

TEXT.

[wraithes]

[ alright, she did hit up nikolai by using alina as a proverbial olive branch, and inej does feel a little shitty about it, SO HERE: ]

Alina?

[ she had to delete 'sankta' from this text at least four times. ]

I wanted to check in to see if you were well.
And to ask if you wanted to come with me to the shops.

I'd like to get a pet.

[ has she told kaz about this?
no.
will she tell kaz about this?
when she brings the pet home, sure. ]

[solmate]

inej!

i hope you're doing well too. i hadn't heard from you in awhile, i was beginning to wonder if you had gone home.

[ Zoya had come and disappeared in that time. They might not have the smoothest relationship but who does? Anyway, Alina is thankful for the company. ]

i'd love to help you find a pet. what are you thinking about? a cat or a dog? or something else?

un: dirtyhands; forward dated to 09/20 for misfire fun

[ketterdamn]

Lizabeta was singing again this morning. Not bad, honestly.

[ Attached is a .mov with the initial thumbnail looking like some kind of sheet? When opened, it's definitely a blanket that's been placed over a cage, which is slowly lifted to reveal a happily singing cockatiel. ]

[solmate]

she needs accompaniment. how could you deny her?

@gruzeburya

[commandership]

How difficult is it for you to follow a simple order?

[ it hadn't been particularly difficult to piece together the reason for aleksander's disgusting pining, and now — beep beep, zoya's here. ]

[solmate]

i have no idea what you're talking about.

text | un: unsaphir

[semicharmed]

Alina, can I tell you a really hot thing that happened to me

[solmate]

Well now I'm going to be disappointed if you *don't.*

@volkvolny

[reznikolai]

[About a week after the disastrous mountain trip that ended in fighting and tears and terrible silence... Out of nowhere, she'll receive a picture of Ponchik. The dog's chin rests between his front paws on Nikolai's lap. (Presumably Nikolai's lap, judging by the birds-eye angle of the picture.) His big wet puppy eyes stare up at the camera.]

Ponchik misses you.

[solmate]

It must be tough to be left alone all day.

[ She graciously does not type all night, because although she has already heard Nikolai has company in bed she knows he likely stays in their... his own bed each night (and while she does not blame Matt, she is some unidentifiable emotion adjacent to jealous). Didn't she say something to that effect when Nikolai had brought up the idea of a dog? That it would be tough with his social butterfly tendencies.

And they still settled down and brought home a puppy anyway. Fools.

Not Ponchik's fault though. Especially not with those big adorable ideas and the memory of snuggling him after their daily walks. ]

Do you have someone come by at lunch? He needs the exercise otherwise he gets restless around 3 and starts chewing on things that aren't dog toys.

text | un: konoha

[lumberlady]

greetings ALINA
is konoha

is alright to speak?

[solmate]

Hi Konoha.

Yes it's fine.
What do you need?

text. » un: creepfest

[underage]

( a blind man reaches for the light in the dark. too many things have happened for him to make heads and tails of the delicacies in his emotions — once nonexistent now painfully there — but there's one truth he can always rely on. one guiding star he can always follow home.

alina. the only thing that matters in this world or any other. )

Come over.

( you owe me he wants to say, but — really, she doesn't. she doesn't owe him anything. )

I don't want to be alone.
Will you? Come over?

[solmate]

[ Sleepless and tangled in her sheets, she's too hot. Or too cold. Or too restless with a pillow shoved between her legs that doesn't really offer any relief.

She squints at her phone when it lights up. Two words that she sneers at. She doesn't want to give it the dignity of an answer, not worth the two letters that are top of mind. And then another message follows. Her head tips back against her pillow, looking at it.

Is that the truth? Or a carefully manufactured vulnerability meant to lure her like bait. She wishes she wasn't foolish enough to bite. ]

Give me half an hour.

[ Because she doesn't want to be alone either. ]

text | un: everapple

[greenbriar]

Between you and me, royals make for terrible husband material, on the whole.

[ Which is to say, You go girl, good riddance, etc.

Look, Cardan does not have a lot of experience consoling people over breakups. ]

How are you faring?

[solmate]

I appreciate this more since I know you can't lie, but I should let you know he was the one who always was more eager to rush down the aisle.

It's odd.
You would think learning I don't become a martyr should be good news on the whole.

@volkvolny (during the march event)

[reznikolai]

You were radiant tonight.

Send my regards to whomever picked out that dress.

[Haha.]

[solmate]

[ She shouldn't indulge him when there are so many unknowns and when they have only just begun the slow and careful process of trying to mend the cavern between them.

But he had helped her find a spectacular dress. And she had felt wonderful confident in it. And she had maybe needed to play coy when she was almost caught staring at him from across the ballroom more than once this evening.

What are they? She doesn't know. Friends, maybe. Friends could be a place to start. ]

I thought you would have spent the whole evening flirting with your own reflection to notice me.

[ A joke that's more affectionate than malicious. ]

text; @zowa

[greedalwaysworked]

[The text comes ABSOLUTELY out of nowhere. No lead up. Nothing.]

So...
Haven't seen you around the house as much lately.
Whatcha doin'?

[Never let it be said Jesper ain't a nosy bitch, mmkay?]

[solmate]

Do I have a curfew now?

@volkvolny

[reznikolai]

[What pops up is an old picture of Ponchik, from when he was just a fat little ball of fluff toddling around.]

One year ago today. 🥺

[solmate]

I can't believe we ever thought to let him sleep in the bed.

[ She sends a selfie, lounging next to him. He's taking up most of her bed at the crow's house. ]

text | un: konoha

[lumberlady]

greetings ALINA
is well?

i have question
but is of utmost secret importance
can keep secret?

[solmate]

Hi Konoha!
I'm doing well.
I hope you are too!

Of course you can trust me with a secret.
What is it?