it’s sooo disheartening to only ever see me, my fiancé, and a handful of my mutuals here actually understand that not wearing a mask in public is an extremely selfish thing to do like while y’all are going “back to normal” myself and every other immunocompromised or vulnerable person can’t even go to the doctor or grocery store safely because everyone else decided we aren’t worth protecting
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[ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 ] ― sender massages receiver with a scented oil 🌕 the five senses
they hadn't thought armand was serious about the suggestion.
not when he'd entered the room wearing that truly idiotic shirt, theo nearly straining a muscle with the strength of their eye roll. but then armand had lit a few candles on the windowsill, curtains drawn, a bottle of scented oil in his hand and, well —
here they are.
theo lays on their front, arms by their sides, an intentional effort at being relaxed. orange blossom and laurel leaf drift in the still, silent air, jojoba seed on armand's hands as he warms up the oil between them, and theo tries not to jump when his fingers first land on their wrists. he starts soft, palms pressing into theo's forearms, over his triceps, fingertips curling to rub the tension out of their shoulders. it's gentler than they would have expected from him.
theo turns their head, watching him work, bright eyes caught on the locks of dark hair that drift over armand's forehead. they think at the end of this, they'll have something to say about his choice in wardrobe. something smug and well-earned.
the problems start when armand reaches their upper back.
the pads of his fingers drift gentle over the backs of their shoulders, probing for tightness; when armand finds it, he pushes into the knots worked deep into their muscles, firm and intent. a rumble rushes out of theo, as rough and deep as a purr, and they have to glance away from the smug slash of armand's smile. they think he must have been holding back, testing the waters of what he could get away with. it's smart; theo still hates him for it.
his fingers drift lower, mapping out the scars and freckles, as if searching for something. abruptly, he digs into the muscles on either side of their spine, deep into the years of strain they've been holding there, and theo's hands flex into fists, back arching. they make a high, thready noise, halfway between pain and pleasure, the smell of citrus swirling dizzily up from the webbing of armand's hands. they hadn't realized they'd been storing so much of their struggle there, blood shed and bones broken twisting deep into the muscles that carried them through the day. armand's hands smooth lower, down to where their spine dips, and his wrists turn to allow his thumbs to touch to the large fibers there. his fingers wrap around their waist, the ridges of his thumbprints working into the tension he finds just above their pelvis.
warmth flares out from the contact, and theo doesn't bother to try and bite down on the whine that leaves them. they hazily think to themselves that if armand keeps doing that, they'd let him get away with anything.
the smirk armand presses into the nape of their neck tells them he heard it loud and clear.
@godpyre
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Maybe it’s just me, but you’d think that a society that oppresses and keeps down people without abilities would be more centered around abilities. Because, from the world-building, Talentless aren’t any less capable than people with abilities (why isn’t there a name for them?).
You bring up an interesting point! There really isn't a lot of use for any of the abilities people have, they're just like a fun bonus that you need to have or else you'll get super judged and shunned your entire life.
Telepaths seem to be in fair use in regards to trying to find information and mind breaks, but those are in situations that are supposedly rare and unusual. In a truly peaceful world they wouldn't need to break anyone's mind, so it's an anomaly. There is/was monitoring of the humans via telepaths but that's not a part of their society.
There's also psionipaths who made the bubble around Atlantis, but that was a one time only situation. They haven't sank any cities since then. There's also shades and flashers who would've been used to make the illusions around the Lost Cities hiding them, but that's also a one time only situation! The illusions are set up and then boom it's there.
I think the most incorporated into their society are technopaths as they're making things that people are actually using and that have a real presence in their lives. Conjurers are similar but on a more personal basis. Their ability has everyday uses and relevance but mostly for the conjurer themself. But technopaths' inventions are everywhere!
For a species who so highly value abilities, their abilities really make no appearance in their lives at all! Socially, talentless are the same as everyone else. When someone isn't using their ability they're functionally the same as any talentless. And unless they're performing a service specifically related to their ability (e.g. Cyrah using her flasher skills to alter the starstones for Lady Gisela), they're capable of the same work and achievements.
Also there is a term for what everyone with abilities is called! They're called the talented as an opposite to talentless, but "few use the term 'talented,' preferring instead to identify themselves by their abilities" (Unlocked p. 261). Abilities are diverse and common enough that I suppose it doesn't make sense for them to all be one big group, so while there is a name for it it's hardly used. Instead they find more relation among their ability or similar abilities (e.g. elemental abilities).
But that aside, you're very right. As much as we know about the elven world, there seems to be a disconnect between the value abilities hold and their actual presentation and representation in their world.
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