come_sailaway | Love Does not Discriminate

Entry tags:

Love Does not Discriminate

Who: Valdis and Open with Some Closed
What: Valdis does stuff around the Serena Eterna, feel free to join her
When: February
Where: All Over
Warnings: In Starters

It takes and it takes and it takes | Erin | CW: Nightmares

She’d be lying if she said she hasn’t been avoiding Erin a little, despite their conversation at her hollow. But the woman is important to her, even if just as friends. Sometimes she thinks Erin is trying too hard to be something else, but Valdis isn’t anywhere near ready to move forward in that manner, and Erin has implied very strongly that she is willing and happy to wait. But Valdis can’t stop thinking about what Erin told her back when they first met, about her ability to enter dreams, and there’s something just outside of her reach within the nightmares that plague her every night. If Erin can help her go that extra step, then it’s worth a try, even if the intimacy of it may be uncomfortable for them both. She knocks gently on Erin’s door. It’s a little late for visits, but she can’t go another night in those hallways without knowing what lies at the end of them.

“Erin?”

And we keep loving anyway | Max Maximum | Stellar | CW: None

It’s their first actual date, and of course it’s also Valentine’s Day, which, for the first time in a long time she’s not going to spend alone. The short, tight, sequined black dress with a plunging neckline leaves just enough for the imagination that she knows he’ll be delighted to remove it later. It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before, but she loves how he marvels every single time, like he can’t believe he has her.

For once, she’s early instead of exactly on time, feeling like a schoolgirl on a date with her first crush. Childish perhaps, but the next step beyond just friends with benefits. She may never have his whole heart, but she is happy enough with just a piece of it. The memory of how he felt when he learned she returned his affections was pure magic. The one time that being able to feel what others feel is more of a blessing than a curse. Who else has the power to feel love so incredibly deeply from both sides, especially when one side is your own?

We laugh and we cry and we break | Reading Around The Ship | Open

The Library is the best refuge she has these days and she’s reading romance novels this month. The spicy kind that she’s actually hiding behind a larger book. When she’s not reading romance, she’s rereading the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, or Pride and Prejudice, or some other less spicy book. Occasionally she’s reading out by the pool, lounging in an almost sheer wrap in the sun, she is wearing a bikini underneath so not too much can be seen. You may also find her reading in the lounge or in Sanddollars.

And we make our mistakes | Just Around the Ship | Open

From trying different foods at the various restaurants around the Serena Eterna, to Sundries and the sports deck, Valdis is all over the ship. She meditates every morning on the top deck, practices sword maneuvers or works out in the gym later in the day. In one instance she is lugging a beautiful red ball grown across the ship, grumbling about how Friday needs to stop giving her dresses she’s never going to wear. In another she’s watching Aladdin on the TV at Sanddollars (she borrowed it from Klaus), and sketching cartoon versions of the passengers she’s met on the ship. When they aren’t cartoon versions, they are detailed sketches of flowers, places and people she doesn’t really want to talk about, but ask the right questions and she might be willing to tell people a bit more.

And if there's a reason I'm still alive | Palamedes | CW: Rolled a 5, so there is blood

Sleep doesn’t come easily these days, especially since opening the box with the three feathers from Friday. It’s restless, filled with images and twisted memories. Dreams. But she’s mostly able to cope without causing any issues for her roommate. Until the dreams burn into reality with a searing, stabbing pain in her side. The massive amounts of death energy seeping into the room are suddenly banished by a flash of light and soul energy. The pain increases, followed by something wet streaming down her stomach and back. Blood.

She tears off the sheets and races into the shower fully clothed, almost breaking the handle as she turns on the cold water to fight the burning pain. The pink water swirls down down around her feet. Palamedes is likely awake, that light is still so bright it might as well be daylight inside their room.

“Crap.” At least the bleeding has already stopped.

I'm willing to wait for it | Wildcard

Choose your own adventure! Valdis can often be found in the library, on the sports deck, or wandering around the ship, so anywhere you wish to encounter her works.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Valdis laughs, adjusting the dress back into both arms. "He's an idiot, but at least he's a lovable one."

She considers his offer and then holds it out to him. "Sure. You can come help me try it on."

She trusts him to help her with such things and not act weird about it. He's very easy to be friends with. A fact for which she is very grateful.

"Yeah, he really is." Don't mind the dreamy tone with the happy expression. It's fine, right?

Oh!! "Yay! This is going to be THE BEST!" Cause Klaus really does like seeing people get to wear pretty dresses. Then he can fully understand exactly how this looks. "I don't even know what kind of dress I want to wear or if I should wear a suit. I dunno. I have to see the feeling when we get closer to the wedding." Whenever it gets closer. They don't know how long they're going to wait for that. Probably not this month.

And it's true. He won't act super weird about it. He's seen Valdis naked before and sure she's still like super hot, but she's Nobunaga's adopted sibling now, so that's definitely going to be ignored.

"There are all sorts of options for your wedding! I'm sure we can magic something up somehow. I think a suit, but with a floor length jacket, perhaps some feathers or fur. A bright color."

Valdis smiles and hands him the dress before heading back toward her room, then she rethinks a moment.

"But for now, let's head to your room so I can try this on."

"Like a cape?" It sounds fun. Klaus doesn't know. They're gonna have to think about it a little longer. Maybe Dolce can help them.

They notice the change, but just nod. "Yeah. I don't have a roommate. That's probably the sensible way to do it." Unless her roommate minds? Klaus has not actually ever spoken to whoever lives with her. He couldn't even tell her what her roommate's name was.

Either way, he's excitedly following after and admiring the dress as he carries it even more than before. "This is so pretty."

Oh, she hadn't realized one of the vanished people had been Klaus' roommate. She hasn't met everyone or even really tried to. But he doesn't seem to dwell on that, instead admiring the ballgown.

"I do like the color, the deep red is very...me," a shade darker than her eyes when aroused or angry. "I have a pair of heels that might go well with it."

It still seems quite frivolous.

He's spent his time dwelling. Eddie was a cool guy. Klaus hoped that they'd be able to meet again sometime in a better place maybe.

"I mean, yeah. You and Nobunaga are very red people." They look at their engagement ring for a moment, smiling softly before looking back at Valdis. "Oh? With you? Yes! See? Now you have your future wedding outfit and you don't have to worry about it." Whenever they get to that point. Klaus isn't rushing anything. It'll get there when it does. Sooner if Nobunaga is making the calls.

Valdis rolls her eyes, but there's a smile behind them.

"I think it's the dark hair," she comments, "That whole femme fatale vibe."

In more ways than one.

"You aren't letting him do all the planning, are you?"

“Are you calling Nobunaga a femme fatale?” But Klaus is giggling at this. It’s the funniest thing.

They shrug. “I mean, I’m definitely giving my suggestions. He’s the one that’s most excited about the candy theme and it’s so cute. But I do like the colors. I never really thought about a marriage before or wedding. Except once. But we never could have been married, so it didn’t matter.”

There’s a slow breath out. “I’m sure I’ll add enough Klaus flair to make it obvious it’s my wedding, too.”

"I mean, I don't think he's mysterious enough for the title, but I certainly am. He's a little too much of an idiot most of the time."

But he's their idiot, and the affection in her tone comes through clearly.

"What are your colors?"

She turns another corner, well on her way to Klaus' room.

The giggling only intensifies. "He tries so hard and so poorly to be mysterious and like a ninja." But it's one of his favorite things about Nobunaga. It's nice not to actually have to question how he feels about him. Or where they stand.

"I don't think we have colors exactly. So much as like...wear colors because candy like Konpeito." Do they need specific colors? Klaus hopes not strictly. "I think we're still really deciding those things? I've never had to think about this before. I mean, I guess Allison had colors? I think Sloane and Luther...uh...well, the world was ending, right? So it didn't really matter."

Klaus hums softly, following after her. "I guess I can ask him if we want to pick specifics."

Those must be his siblings, she recalls him telling her about them soon after she arrived.

"Having a color scheme can be really fun. If you need any help planning, let me know."

She stops to wait outside his door, ready to take the dress back so he can let them in. Klaus no longer has a roommate to let her in by knocking.

Those are his siblings. They miss them.

"Oh. Cool. Um. Well, maybe! I'll check in with Nobunaga. I'm not sure purple and red are the combo to go with, but those are like...the colors of our rings. I'm sure we'll figure something out anyway."

He hands it over and opens the door, letting Valdis go in first before following after her.

Valdis slips into the room with the dress in her arms, freezing at the sight of the painting on the wall. She had destroyed it months ago, yet here it was, intact and hanging by what was once Klaus' roommate's bed. She opts to ignore it.

"Those two colors do clash in some circles, but some like the combination."

When the door shuts, she'll slip into the bathroom to change into the ballgown. leaving the door open so they can still talk. Even though she's not exactly shy and he's seen her before, she trusts him to not peek.

Klaus notices the freeze and looks up at the painting on the wall. "Yeah, it just showed up there a while back. Weird, right? I don't know who it belongs to." But he doesn't assume this is a weirdness from her world. Just a 'wow. What a weird thing to see' sort of thing.

"I don't know. We're kind of annoying like that."

They sit on the arm of the sofa, legs only barely kicking. "I guess we could always change it to be like...something else. But ugh." A sigh. "I wish Allison was here. I could probably ask her and she'd...probably hate it here, actually. She'd miss her daughter too much and probably go all murder happy again and that would be...well, I guess it'd be whatever here, but...I don't think she needs to get that bad."

They sigh. "I guess that means making my own decisions. Gross."

"The painting is mine, but I suppose just ripping it apart and tossing it in the garbage was being too hopeful."

But it doesn't matter now. She listens to him reminisce about his family as she changes into the dress. It's rather fluffy, but she loves the color and perhaps she could find some place to wear it. She shakes her head, she's far beyond ballgowns and princesses.

"I think you are more capable of making decisions than you think."

She can't do the laces at the back by herself, so, careful to not ruffle the dress too much more, she slips out of the bathroom.

"Can you help me with this?"

Klaus looks at the painting and her for a moment. "Well, that's definitely weird." But he doesn't know what to do now. Does she want it back? She can have it if she wants it.

They frown at the partly open door. "I think..." He sighs, trying not to say the rest of that sentence. You overestimate my abilities.

He carefully stands, moving to help her with the dresses. "This is pretty. You look totally hot in it." Friends talk to each other like this all the time, so it's just friendship flirting. But she does look hot in basically everything, so that's not really surprising to them. "Do you want your painting back or no?"

"No, you can keep it. I might destroy it again someday, but you can have it for now."

She steps away from Klaus and twirls, letting the skirt rustle and shift with the force, the bodice sits perfectly without shifting. She feels pretty, but more importantly.

"Do you think Max will like it?"

A silly question. Of course he will. Erin will too. She can't help but ask, though why in the world she would need someone to actually tell her she can't quite understand.

"Oooookay. I'll keep it for you, then. Just let me know if you need to get in for me."

They smile as she twirls, which turns into a stupidly large grin when she asks if Max will like it. "Valdis and Max, sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" It's all sing-song and clearly they're having a good time of it.

"Duh. You're on fucking fire. He'll definitely like it. I can see his blush and his dopey smile in my head already." A beat. "So when did you guys start making heart eyes at each other, then? Come on. Tell me! Teeeeell meeeee!"

Valdis rolls her eyes at his childishness. Not that she's being any better, acting like a lovestruck teenager trying on dresses for prom. It's something she hasn't felt in a long time.

"Obviously he fell in love before I did," she teases, "Most people do. But we...slept together after the trial. I thought it was a one time thing, a moment of weakness and nothing more. But looking back, I realized that I cared long before that actually happened. He got a little reckless with himself and I got upset with him and he told me he loved me and...well, I realized I loved him too. I know it sounds stupid."

Klaus would tell her if it actually was, he was that kind of friend, but even if he did, she doesn't think she could ever leave Max behind. She meant it when she said she would give him the world if he wanted it. But that is also terrifying.

Klaus thinks it's cute. Here she was all serious about stuff and now she's worrying if she'll look nice in a dress for a boy. Klaus isn't any better, though. They're always worrying if they'll look nice. Except for that time when they were detoxing and obviously looked like shit.

They are already writing the fanfiction...or they will be. Once they know what fanfiction is. "Oh, obviously." His voice is definitely not disguising the amusement at the suggestion that she didn't go and get feelings first. As if she didn't take him to a whole dance. Mmmmhmmmm. They see you.

"Psh. If anyone's going to think someone's stupid, it's me, so you're good. Max is cute and sweet. I can see how he'd get to you." Klaus is quiet for a moment, his mind wandering back. "Those ones always sneak up on you somehow."

Anyway.

"But no. It's not stupid. Love's weird like that. Just like surprises you. And if anyone deserves it, it's both of you."

"He didn't even have to try very hard."

She looks down at the dress, smoothing it with her hands and turning her head to look over her should and see what she could of the back.

"The walls I've had up for hundreds of years just collapsed into nothing. His smile turns me into a puddle. The look in his eyes, how they light up when he sees me. The absolute trust...I don't know how someone who has been through captivity like that could ever forgive others enough to fall in love."

She's not sure she's even talking about Max with that last sentence, she doesn't know nearly enough about what he went through. But she knows he's been through more than he should ever have had to, and if Erik ever shows up here, there will be words at the very least.

"You deserve love too, Klaus. Even if my asshole brother is the one who loves you, I can't disapprove of his taste. Or yours."

Aw. That's so cute. Klaus is just chinhands about this. Absolutely adorable.

"I think it's...just being hungry for affection. And I get that. We didn't get all that much affection as kids and sometimes...it just makes it hard not to always want to be close to people." He gets it.

They smile a little, looking down and seeming a little more nervous about things. "Well, I do love him and I know he loves me. I'm sure more than one person has questions about my choice, but..." There's a shrug. "Oops."

"I wish I knew more, but I suppose in order to know more, I would have to share parts of myself too."

Which she's not keen on, but if Max asked, she could never lie to him about it.

"Nobunaga is a firecracker, but we both love him. Just in different ways."

She twirls again, imagining dancing in a grand ballroom. More childish thoughts of what she never had. Thanks to Fenrir and Amos.

Klaus considers something. "When I say we, I do mean my siblings and me. I don't know a lot about the uhhh...anything on his side." He gives her a little smile. "Well, I think opening up to him is a good idea. Since you love each other. It'll come up eventually, right?"

There's a nod at that. "Yeah. I'm glad we met."

They smile as she spins around again. "You know you're adorable as hell right now, right? I don't think I've ever seen you like this. Which is cute."

Valdis scoffs, but she's smiling, "An Angel of Death is not adorable, Klaus. I am a terrifying vision of the end, who...happens to be wearing a red and poofy dress." a pause, "You would be twirling too."

Valdis stops though, not sure if she wants Max to know what Erin knows. Or if he would even understand. She has to be the one to protect him from the darkness, he can't do it himself. Not yet. Sharing her past wouldn't help him. He needed life, joy and love. Not the monsters hiding in the shadows.

"What about you, Klaus. What secrets are you hiding from the one you love?"

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