you never knew
the stars had a flavor
until you kissed him.

it turns out
they taste like ambition and ancient fire
desperation and self-destruction
determination and dark matter
and the mind-numbing fear
of being left
alone

again.

- t.s.

remember, here and now.
...breathe, zhyk.

Aether. 25+. Any pronouns. EST.

Anger was better than tears, better than grief, better than GUILT.

rules.

ooc info.

  Name.    Zhyk.
  Aliases.    The Devouring Flame.
  Age.    Late 20s to Early 30s.
  Nameday.    11th Sun of the 6th Astral Moon (11/10).
  Patron Deity.    "Menphina" (Lapsed).
  Race.    Miqo'te (mixed Seeker / Keeper).
  Gender.    Cis Male.
  Pronouns.    He / Him.
  Sexuality.    Homosexual / Demiromantic.
  Height.    5'3" | 161cm.
  Weight.    116 pz.
  Hair Color.    Deep violet, crimson.
  Eye Color.    Amethyst (r), Turquoise / Cyan (l).
  Notable Scars.    Large puncture on left shoulder. Scattered bite marks on both forearms. Heavy scarring around right leg. Axe scar on left shin.
  Notable Tattoos.    Sides of face. Nose.
  Notable Piercings.    Ears. Nipples. Navel.
  Notable Features.    Both ears are always lowered ("folded down"). Often wears a blindfold over left eye. Torso and hands are always bandaged. Persistent chill in hands and chest. Has limited sensation in both hands, can mostly only feel pressure. (Please ask for more detail if needed!)
  Origin.     The Black Shroud.
  Home.    N/A (Vagrant).
  Languages.    Common, Huntspeak, basic Auri, scant Doman/Hingan, ...?
  Occupation.    Sellsword.
  Vocation.    Arcane Blade (Modified WAR/RPR).
  Limit Break.    Aeonian Flames.
  Family.    Sehya Elakha - mother. Lucent Devereaux - mentor. Temur Iriq - once betrothed.
  Marital Status.    Widowed.

  Moral Alignment.     Chaotic Neutral.
  MBTI.     INFJ-T.
  Enneagram Type.   The Challenger.
  Likes.     Hot meals, sweets, animals, stargazing, travel, heights/parkour, botany.
  Dislikes.     Touch (circumstantial), cold, thunderstorms, extremely confined spaces, excessive aether.  Voice Claim.    Soft, often strained, moderately raspy — as if ill or from an old wound.
✦ Megumi Fushiguro [Jujutsu Kaisen] - Robbie Daymond

Who we are is determined by the scars.
Just promise you'll stay strong and carry on.

  Personality.     Known by other mercenaries for his guarded nature, Zhyk is a young man prone to rash decisions and ruled by a fickle temper. Having lived a life constantly on the road from one job to the next, his lasting connections are sparse and he keeps most at arm's length.An occasional cheeky comment reveals glimpses of a playful side hidden beneath the defensive mask he wears. After all, his loved ones would have once spoken of him as a curious and eager sort with a laugh as warm as the summer sun.  Virtues.   Strong-willed, hardworking, reliant, relentless, agile, empathetic.
  Flaws.   Abrasive, reckless, aggressive, quick-tempered, impulsive, reticent.
  Vices.   Alcohol, trigger warning: minor self-harm & death-seeking nature.
  Associated sins.    Wrath, envy, gluttony.

  Spoilers.   For those interested in more nuanced interactions, please see what lurks beneath... Be mindful this contains spoilers and should not be spoken about ICly without prior discussion!

moodboard.

  Debts Unpaid.     A sellsword by trade, Zhyk is easily hired in exchange for gil or shelter and a warm meal. However, he is loathe to find himself indebted to anyone, so those who aid him without accepting payment in return might find a persistent shadow at their heels.

  Healer in Need.     A collector of scars, Zhyk sometimes seeks treatment for his wounds. While he's extremely wary of aetherical means, chirurgeons might find him slinking through their doors and bartering for aid. He may also be found... "tending" his injuries, to his own detriment.

  Across the Ocean.     Despite oft being found in Eorzea, Zhyk's attention piques at talk of the far east. Thavnair, where his father resides. Kugane, where he was once chased from rooftops. and the Azim Steppe, where mere mention causes Zhyk to fidget with a silver ring on his left hand.

  Halcyon Days.     For nearly a decade prior to the calamity, Zhyk was once pupil of Lucent Devereaux, an Ishgardian noble. Though he spent his youth traveling to and from the city, he now tries to avoid it, claiming disdain for the endless winter. Yet rumor remains of the tragedy surrounding House Devereaux's wards.

  Keen Senses.     No matter the measures taken, Zhyk cannot dampen his sensitivity to aether nor disguise his own - unstable and unusual though it is. This leaves him at the mercy of any with strong aethersense, but may also stir his interest in talk regarding aether - whether of the body, the land, or the void.

  The Devourer.     Mercenaries whisper of the Devouring Flame, a man wreathed in azure aetherfire. Where this skill originates is uncertain, but stories warn that any who invoke his ire will burn alive. Zhyk knows these tales, yet does little to quell them considering how oft he's found conjuring the same fire that kindled such rumors.

  Alley Cat.     Recently, Zhyk has chosen to take part in a secondary line of work, one dealing with more intimate services. In spite of his questionable knowledge and lack of experience, the lure of a heavy coinpurse and the desire to fend for himself far outweigh the negatives. For a modest sum, he might agree to an evening's company.

  Name.     Darjeeling Theifera.
  Trust.     ★★★★★
  Summary.     With their comradery earned through danger and near death, he is one of few souls Zhyk trusts implicitly and fondly, willing to go any length to ensure his safety.

  Name.     Tigerlily Itto.
  Trust.     ★★★☆☆
  Summary.     After a tumultuous first encounter and short-lived "wardship," Zhyk finds himself often in Tigerlily's company, curious what the man sees in someone who is merely surviving.

  Name.     Villanelle Moon.
  Trust.     ★★★★☆
  Summary.     Perhaps it's Villanelle's sisterly disposition and empathetic perseverance that makes it difficult for Zhyk to rebuff her continued attempts at connection.

  Name.     Remiel Vilauclaire.
  Trust.     ★★★☆☆
  Summary.     Remiel continues to coax Zhyk out of his shell with offers of work and vague wound care despite the sellsword not always being amenable.

  Name.     Hérault Remiremont.
  Trust.     ★☆☆☆☆
  Summary.     Zhyk has yet to truly understand Hérault, only knowing that the bartender enjoys plying him with questions, games, and drink all in the name of shared company.

  Name.     Felixient Eclairtant.
  Trust.     ★☆☆☆☆
  Summary.     In exchange for shelter and a warm meal, Zhyk strikes an agreement with Felix to play guard for the man's carbuncle, flimsy though the contract might be.

Zhyk is bound to a voidsent, though the exact terms of his contract are muddled. Regardless of how this blood pact came about is unimportant to those who hunt the corruption, something Zhyk is keenly aware of and attempts to hide.Characters with aethersense might notice Zhyk's aether fluctuates like wildfire—volatile and fierce or dim and feeble—a brilliant cyan surrounding fading amethyst. The secondary source of aether sits nestled deep within, similar to still warm embers, faintly flickering... mimicking the pulse of a heart.Zhyk relies on glamours to hide the most obvious changes to his body—a set of horns, scattered patchwork scales, and silvery blue-white scars on his hands and chest. These scars create a persistent state of cold akin to frostbite while also afflicting him with hypoesthesia. This numb sensation is only vaguely alleviated during the casting of his aether, by fleeting external sources such as another's touch, or by directly feasting on aether.

Though Zhyk retains his sense of self, sharing his body with a voidsent incurs a multitude of issues, the most prominent being an endless gnawing hunger for aether. Food and natural regeneration dull the craving. Being in the presence of combat sates him; participating can sustain or drain him.In extreme circumstances Zhyk may enter an aetherfrenzy, during which the voidsent wrenches control over his body until certain terms of their pact are fulfilled, regardless of the consequences.

potential hooks.