Pavlova Cookie is a bit annoying with his penchant for sticking his nose into everything with little regard for if it’s wanted or asked for, so that is something that people may want to avoid, but the main reason for this opt-out is his primary ability. Pavlova has the ability to essentially look into a person’s heart and see their relationships. This is not limited to romantic relationships, as he can see both romantic and platonic relationships, as well as being able to sense if a person wants certain relationships. If it has to do with their relationships in any form he can find it out from poking around long enough. From unrequited love to lies people tell themselves in relation to their perception of their relationships, he can see it all. If he focuses hard enough he can even read the story of a particular relationship. It’s a very specialized power, but it’s also very powerful. So I’d like to know if for one reason or another you’d like him to Not Do That. Or if you’d like to opt out of interacting with the little shipper entirely. The descriptions offer suggestions for people opting in, but opting out is always alright, and you can just put “No” into all of the sections. You can also just put what he can sense and nothing else if there are parts and pieces you don’t want him picking up on.
Opt out: Yes/No
Relationships he can read: This is the fun part! Tell me aaaaall about your character’s relationships. All of the important ties they have! This can be as detailed or simple as you like, or as you feel befits the importance of the relationship. If your character has a billion and one friendships with npcs, you can just say that. Have fun with it!
Beliefs they hold: Essentially, what parts of their relationships are they misinterpreting or lying to themselves about. Have they been willfully ignoring someone’s advances because they’re nervous the other isn’t serious about it? Have they been arguing with a friend over a total misunderstanding? Do they think that a relationship they want won’t work out for some reason? Do they want romance but don’t think they’re cut out for it because of their occupation or situation or something? He can sense that! Put it in!
Tropes: He is the CRK equivalent to a kid who reads fics on Ao3 to stave off depression. If you want him to call your character cringe I can see what I can do to make that happen. He’s already wrapping his head around Shadownilla Toxic Yaoi. This is also a less intensive option for those who don’t want him peeping their whole romance.
How does their heart look: I often like to embellish my writing with things like this, so sometimes I might refer to a character’s heart as though he is seeing a representation of it tangled in its relationship strings. Are there a bunch of severed ones hanging there? Are the strings squeezing it too tightly? Are the strings threatening to break? Loose? What are the strings made of? What does the heart itself look like? Is it like glass? Literally walled off? Drained of color?
Additional considerations: Anything you think is important that might not fall under the prior sections! His "knowledge of relationships" is very vague in it's scope so if you'd like him to learn something specifically to call them on it, this would be a good place to note that.
May I contact for more info: Yes/No. This is just here in case things change organically over time and/or i’m writing something specific and want to double check about the specifics of something mentioned above. “No” is for those who only want him referencing what is mentioned and nothing else.
"Canon" Relationships: -Kiera Canorus Aurelius: Luca's sibling. He found them in the middle of a heavy snow, believing them to be a lost child. For over a decade, he maintained that belief, never once doubting their sibling. He fought to fiercely protect them like any good big brother would. When he did learn of their betrayal, Luca left Renova. While ultimately he did not leave because of their allegiances, but rather his own grief and guilt, he's well aware of how things looked to them. For a long time, both he and Kiera were on poor terms.
The development of Luca and Kiera's relationship is a divided one now that Luca has regained memories from home. Back home, Kiera would stubbornly stick by him even as he insisted that he was not worth loving. When they learned of his intent to work with the Emissary Alazon to end his life, they struck a deal of their own, asking for time to find another solution. Kiera's stubbornness, in tandem with Alazon's presence, would eventually break Luca free of his shell. They would stand by his side when he struck down the Phoenix once and for all.
However, in Sticks, Kiera continued to challenge Luca's beliefs, ultimately breaking him down and convincing him to spare Zonari. In Luca's own words, this changed everything for him, allowing him to steadily warm up to the idea that maybe he was still worth loving. Nevertheless, for a time, he resented Kiera as he believed they were doing nothing to prevent his misery under the Phoenix. He was entirely unaware that they had attempted to make a deal with the Phoenix to accept its Blessing in its stead. After Luca's canon update, he and Kiera are working on shoring up their relationship and reestablishing their trust.
- Cyrus Aurelius: Luca's father. Having been shunned from his own family due to his poor health and lack of Blessing, Cyrus spent many of his early years whoring around and determined to undermine his family's authority. When his brother abruptly died, leaving him as the only heir to the family, he took the latter responsibility to the next level, determined to reshape Renova by emphasizing the importance of the common man. At the same time, his former habits of sleeping around would result in his son, Luca.
Having seen the worst of what his family name and Blessing could bring, Cyrus was determined to raise his son like any other child. Thus, Luca was taught to respect everyone, regardless of their station. At the same time, he was kept out of many of the early, court-faring responsibilities that a young heir might typically be involved in. It was only once Luca showed his own interest in taking on that responsibility that Cyrus allowed him to do so. His love for Luca was so deep that he willingly stepped in front of a blade meant for his son, succumbing to a terrible poison before Luca opted to end his misery.
Never once did Luca doubt in Cyrus's love for him. Every day, he aspired to be like his father and guide Renova right. Thus, after Cyrus's death, he felt that he had ultimately failed the man — not just for failing to protect him, but because by allowing his death, he watched several families crumble, and the very peace and prosperity he fought to protect fall apart. He continues to agonize over Renova's grief to this day, as well as the senseless loss of his father.
- The Phoenix: Luca's "god," so to speak. Luca's world is ruled by five Beasts, with each of them distributing a fragment of their power as a "Blessing." The Renovan Beast is the Phoenix, and unlike the others, its gift is not distributed at random, but strongly aligned with a single bloodline. As the last remaining Aurelius, the Phoenix had become deeply overprotective of Luca. At times, it would painfully punish him to prevent him from acting, or even deny him power outright.
For the first seventeen years of Luca's life, the Phoenix kept its ultimate gift a secret — it could revive Luca should he die. After Luca fell through ice and drowned, he woke to find himself sopping wet but unharmed. Later, when an assassination attempt was successful, Luca yet again woke up unharmed. He confronted the Phoenix, finally learning of this gift, and ultimately coming to realize that his father had died in vain. This awoke a deep resentment of the Beast, which only grew with each time that the Phoenix kept its powers from Luca, or otherwise punished him.
Luca became determined to kill the Phoenix at all costs, even going as far as seeking out an Emissary's help. Though these efforts failed, they would ultimately attract the attention of another Emissary, one that Luca was deeply familiar with. Desperate, it hijacked Luca's body and attempted to race away from the Emissary. They were caught, however, ultimately leading to the Phoenix's demise. Even now, he wonders if he did the right thing, and continues to grieve his loss of innocence and trust in the divine.
- Emissary Alazon ("River"): One of the seven Emissaries of Cataega, the agents closest to its queen and the only Blessed in the country. River resembles a Lionfish, especially when in his aquatic form.
Luca and Alazon met in a bar, introducing themselves as Luke and Alexei respectively. After a brief affair, they went their separate ways. Several weeks later, Luca would learn of Alazon's true identity, resulting in a bloody fight that Luca lost. Over the course of several years, Alazon and Luca would butt heads, becoming vicious rivals. These fights would culminate in the Emissaries joining up with Alazon against his will, seemingly killing Luca. However, when Alazon returned to investigate the body, he realized Luca had disappeared. Thus, he chased after him, leading him to Renova, which was already playing host to the Cataegan peacekeeping embassy.
In the name of diplomacy, Alazon would request to work with Luca closely, something that head Councillor Aquila Caelius would have to accept so that Cataega did not believe they were working against them. After another bloody fight in which Luca willingly allowed himself to be killed, he tried to convince River to kill him. Alazon agreed to do so if he ever grew bored, and instead insisted they work together.
Over the course of planning security for the upcoming harvest festival, Luca and River grew close to one another, with Luca eventually developing feelings for him. However, after a brutal murder meant to resemble the death of his father, Luca began to doubt their relationship, especially as he learned of several crimes that may have implicated River in working for not just Cataega, but Castilla as well. Luca confronted him angrily, and his attempt at killing the emissary was witnessed by a number of guards, who dispatched the information to Cateaga. Though the two made up, it was far too late, as another Emissary was dispatched to deal with the issue. River would be the one to rescue Luca after the Phoenix hijacked his body, though he was unable to avoid a confrontation with Meretrix. After Luca gained the ability to confront the Beast once and for all, River stood by his side and even offered his weapon up for Luca to finish the deed.
Shortly after, Alazon left the country, leaving Luca unsure of their future, but filled with a sense of longing. Even now, he misses River, and frequently has to do double-takes when he passes in the vicinity of Callan.
- Aquila Caelius: Luca's childhood best friend. At one point, her father had attempted to arrange a marriage between the two of them. Cyrus quickly put a stop to this, after both children confessed they had no interest in the opposite gender.
Both grew up to be chivalrous knights in their own right, challenging each other to grow stronger and stronger. When Cyrus's death would inevitably lead to her father's own execution, Luca couldn't help but feel a deep level of guilt, feeling that he had failed his best friend by not being able to save his father. If he had simply prevented the assassination, everything probably would have gone much better.
Returning to Renova was difficult, as he continued to believe that Aquila would not want him around. He was no longer the boy she grew up with. However, Aquila was adamant that nothing had changed. Luca is secretly relieved that she inherited his role as head Councillor due to his absence, as he wants nothing to do with his father's old role.
- Caius: A young Renovan knight. Luca felt a budding attraction to him, but it was quickly overridden by Alazon's presence. Nevertheless, he felt deep guilt when, after being all but rejected by the Aurelius, he left the harvest festival and was promptly murdered.
- Laurentia Aurelius, aka Meretrix: An extremely powerful Emissary, bearing traits of a Lion's Mane Jellyfish. She was dispatched to Renova after word of Luca and River's fight reached the Queen of Cataega. She captured Luca after he attempted to flee, and used her abilities to both impart her memories and temporarily brainwash him, overriding the Phoenix's control. With this, he was able to reach the Phoenix and kill it. As of right now, he is unsure if he should resent or be grateful toward the Emissary, who returned home just as swiftly as she arrived.
- Giselle: Luca's surrogate mother figure. Part time nanny and part time nurse for Cyrus due to his ailing health, she was a prominent figure in the Aurelius house, and played a heavy role in raising him. He has not made an attempt to contact her since returning to Renova, feeling that she would hate the man he had become.
Sticks Relationships: - Zahliya: One of Luca's first friends in the Grove, and currently his ex. The two bonded over cheese and singing, eventually flirting with and falling for one another. However, Luca secretly bore resentment toward Zahliya as a form of self-sabotage, forcing himself to believe that the gargoyle was intentionally neglecting to help Luca with the Phoenix. This came out after Clive's disappearance, and after Luca accused Zahliya of not caring as much as the former did, Zahliya ended their relationship. Though Luca would apologize after his canon update, Zahliya asked for time and space. Luca feels... unsure how to proceed, regrets his actions, and heavily doubts that he'll ever be able to mend that relationship. - Mamika: Luca's baby sister, at least in his eyes (he hasn't said this to either her or Kiera). Initially scoffing at her innocent world view, during the events of Zahliya-quest 2, she managed to convince him to stay his hand. Much like with Kiera, he credits her with being the first to convince him to change his ways. He owes a lot to her, cares deeply for her, and hopes to be able to protect her from the evil of the forest. He wants to ensure that her view of the world is never shattered like his was.
- Ain: Luca's catty gay best friend. The two love to gossip with one another. He's pretty worried about Ain of late, but isn't sure he's the best person to help bring him out of his funk.
- Livio: HE HAS A CRUSH ON EVERY BOY.
- Zonari: Luca still holds a level of distrust for Zahliya's sister, especially the closer she and Kiera get. He's pretty convinced she's plotting something, and even outwardly attacked her during the Clive crisis
- Clive Rosfield: A former client of Luca's bar. At first, Luca was only interested in his aesthetic appeal. However, between his endearing obliviousness to Luca's flirting and his determination that Luca was not doomed to his fate, Luca found himself falling for him. Clive would ultimately be the first person to take a step in freeing Luca from the Phoenix. Luca was certain that he was in love with the man and preparing to tell him just that when he disappeared, leaving him devastated. Though his canon update would quickly belie some of these feelings, a hole still exists in his chest where Clive once occupied.
- Joshua Rosfield: Clive's brother, and arguably one of Luca's best friends. Once, he had a crush on the young man (yes at the same time as Clive. He inherited Cyrus's whoring leave him alone), but ultimately chased friendship as he pursued Clive instead. In the wake of Clive's disappearance and Dion's death, Luca feels an obligation to protect Joshua and keep him afloat. He knows just how devastating loss can be, and he doesn't want to see Joshua's bright spirit be shattered.
Beliefs they hold:- Luca believed for a long time that Zahliya and Kiera didn't truly care about him. Neither of them seemed to be taking action to save him as he suffered because of the Phoenix. - He truly believes he has bungled the relationship with Zahliya entirely. - Due to his back to back widowing/breakups, he thinks he isn't meant to love. - He suspects Alazon is hiding something from him. Maybe more than one thing.
Tropes:ENEMIES TO LOVERS! TOXIC YAOI! HURT COMFORT.
How does their heart look: Luca's heart is bruised and wreathed in a shield of protective flames. His heart is criss-crossed with damaged and severed strings, as well as ones that have been patched together. Only some of these strings have managed to cross the flames without issue. Others were destroyed by the very flames themselves. The color is a bit washed out, as if once it were greyscale but is now steadily allowing itself to bloom once more.
Additional considerations: There may be a faint flicker of something within Luca's heart that isn't his own. Sometimes it looks a bit like a fledgling bird. Other times it looks like a dragon hatchling. Strange!
May I contact for more info: Absolutely! Please do!
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lovelyredthread) wrote2025-05-11 11:34 pm
no subject
Relationships he can read:
"Canon" Relationships: -Kiera
CanorusAurelius: Luca's sibling. He found them in the middle of a heavy snow, believing them to be a lost child. For over a decade, he maintained that belief, never once doubting their sibling. He fought to fiercely protect them like any good big brother would. When he did learn of their betrayal, Luca left Renova. While ultimately he did not leave because of their allegiances, but rather his own grief and guilt, he's well aware of how things looked to them. For a long time, both he and Kiera were on poor terms.The development of Luca and Kiera's relationship is a divided one now that Luca has regained memories from home. Back home, Kiera would stubbornly stick by him even as he insisted that he was not worth loving. When they learned of his intent to work with the Emissary Alazon to end his life, they struck a deal of their own, asking for time to find another solution. Kiera's stubbornness, in tandem with Alazon's presence, would eventually break Luca free of his shell. They would stand by his side when he struck down the Phoenix once and for all.
However, in Sticks, Kiera continued to challenge Luca's beliefs, ultimately breaking him down and convincing him to spare Zonari. In Luca's own words, this changed everything for him, allowing him to steadily warm up to the idea that maybe he was still worth loving. Nevertheless, for a time, he resented Kiera as he believed they were doing nothing to prevent his misery under the Phoenix. He was entirely unaware that they had attempted to make a deal with the Phoenix to accept its Blessing in its stead. After Luca's canon update, he and Kiera are working on shoring up their relationship and reestablishing their trust.
- Cyrus Aurelius: Luca's father. Having been shunned from his own family due to his poor health and lack of Blessing, Cyrus spent many of his early years whoring around and determined to undermine his family's authority. When his brother abruptly died, leaving him as the only heir to the family, he took the latter responsibility to the next level, determined to reshape Renova by emphasizing the importance of the common man. At the same time, his former habits of sleeping around would result in his son, Luca.
Having seen the worst of what his family name and Blessing could bring, Cyrus was determined to raise his son like any other child. Thus, Luca was taught to respect everyone, regardless of their station. At the same time, he was kept out of many of the early, court-faring responsibilities that a young heir might typically be involved in. It was only once Luca showed his own interest in taking on that responsibility that Cyrus allowed him to do so. His love for Luca was so deep that he willingly stepped in front of a blade meant for his son, succumbing to a terrible poison before Luca opted to end his misery.
Never once did Luca doubt in Cyrus's love for him. Every day, he aspired to be like his father and guide Renova right. Thus, after Cyrus's death, he felt that he had ultimately failed the man — not just for failing to protect him, but because by allowing his death, he watched several families crumble, and the very peace and prosperity he fought to protect fall apart. He continues to agonize over Renova's grief to this day, as well as the senseless loss of his father.
- The Phoenix: Luca's "god," so to speak. Luca's world is ruled by five Beasts, with each of them distributing a fragment of their power as a "Blessing." The Renovan Beast is the Phoenix, and unlike the others, its gift is not distributed at random, but strongly aligned with a single bloodline. As the last remaining Aurelius, the Phoenix had become deeply overprotective of Luca. At times, it would painfully punish him to prevent him from acting, or even deny him power outright.
For the first seventeen years of Luca's life, the Phoenix kept its ultimate gift a secret — it could revive Luca should he die. After Luca fell through ice and drowned, he woke to find himself sopping wet but unharmed. Later, when an assassination attempt was successful, Luca yet again woke up unharmed. He confronted the Phoenix, finally learning of this gift, and ultimately coming to realize that his father had died in vain. This awoke a deep resentment of the Beast, which only grew with each time that the Phoenix kept its powers from Luca, or otherwise punished him.
Luca became determined to kill the Phoenix at all costs, even going as far as seeking out an Emissary's help. Though these efforts failed, they would ultimately attract the attention of another Emissary, one that Luca was deeply familiar with. Desperate, it hijacked Luca's body and attempted to race away from the Emissary. They were caught, however, ultimately leading to the Phoenix's demise. Even now, he wonders if he did the right thing, and continues to grieve his loss of innocence and trust in the divine.
- Emissary Alazon ("River"): One of the seven Emissaries of Cataega, the agents closest to its queen and the only Blessed in the country. River resembles a Lionfish, especially when in his aquatic form.
Luca and Alazon met in a bar, introducing themselves as Luke and Alexei respectively. After a brief affair, they went their separate ways. Several weeks later, Luca would learn of Alazon's true identity, resulting in a bloody fight that Luca lost. Over the course of several years, Alazon and Luca would butt heads, becoming vicious rivals. These fights would culminate in the Emissaries joining up with Alazon against his will, seemingly killing Luca. However, when Alazon returned to investigate the body, he realized Luca had disappeared. Thus, he chased after him, leading him to Renova, which was already playing host to the Cataegan peacekeeping embassy.
In the name of diplomacy, Alazon would request to work with Luca closely, something that head Councillor Aquila Caelius would have to accept so that Cataega did not believe they were working against them. After another bloody fight in which Luca willingly allowed himself to be killed, he tried to convince River to kill him. Alazon agreed to do so if he ever grew bored, and instead insisted they work together.
Over the course of planning security for the upcoming harvest festival, Luca and River grew close to one another, with Luca eventually developing feelings for him. However, after a brutal murder meant to resemble the death of his father, Luca began to doubt their relationship, especially as he learned of several crimes that may have implicated River in working for not just Cataega, but Castilla as well. Luca confronted him angrily, and his attempt at killing the emissary was witnessed by a number of guards, who dispatched the information to Cateaga. Though the two made up, it was far too late, as another Emissary was dispatched to deal with the issue. River would be the one to rescue Luca after the Phoenix hijacked his body, though he was unable to avoid a confrontation with Meretrix. After Luca gained the ability to confront the Beast once and for all, River stood by his side and even offered his weapon up for Luca to finish the deed.
Shortly after, Alazon left the country, leaving Luca unsure of their future, but filled with a sense of longing. Even now, he misses River, and frequently has to do double-takes when he passes in the vicinity of Callan.
- Aquila Caelius: Luca's childhood best friend. At one point, her father had attempted to arrange a marriage between the two of them. Cyrus quickly put a stop to this, after both children confessed they had no interest in the opposite gender.
Both grew up to be chivalrous knights in their own right, challenging each other to grow stronger and stronger. When Cyrus's death would inevitably lead to her father's own execution, Luca couldn't help but feel a deep level of guilt, feeling that he had failed his best friend by not being able to save his father. If he had simply prevented the assassination, everything probably would have gone much better.
Returning to Renova was difficult, as he continued to believe that Aquila would not want him around. He was no longer the boy she grew up with. However, Aquila was adamant that nothing had changed. Luca is secretly relieved that she inherited his role as head Councillor due to his absence, as he wants nothing to do with his father's old role.
- Caius: A young Renovan knight. Luca felt a budding attraction to him, but it was quickly overridden by Alazon's presence. Nevertheless, he felt deep guilt when, after being all but rejected by the Aurelius, he left the harvest festival and was promptly murdered.
- Laurentia Aurelius, aka Meretrix: An extremely powerful Emissary, bearing traits of a Lion's Mane Jellyfish. She was dispatched to Renova after word of Luca and River's fight reached the Queen of Cataega. She captured Luca after he attempted to flee, and used her abilities to both impart her memories and temporarily brainwash him, overriding the Phoenix's control. With this, he was able to reach the Phoenix and kill it. As of right now, he is unsure if he should resent or be grateful toward the Emissary, who returned home just as swiftly as she arrived.
- Giselle: Luca's surrogate mother figure. Part time nanny and part time nurse for Cyrus due to his ailing health, she was a prominent figure in the Aurelius house, and played a heavy role in raising him. He has not made an attempt to contact her since returning to Renova, feeling that she would hate the man he had become.
Sticks Relationships:
- Zahliya: One of Luca's first friends in the Grove, and currently his ex. The two bonded over cheese and singing, eventually flirting with and falling for one another. However, Luca secretly bore resentment toward Zahliya as a form of self-sabotage, forcing himself to believe that the gargoyle was intentionally neglecting to help Luca with the Phoenix. This came out after Clive's disappearance, and after Luca accused Zahliya of not caring as much as the former did, Zahliya ended their relationship. Though Luca would apologize after his canon update, Zahliya asked for time and space. Luca feels... unsure how to proceed, regrets his actions, and heavily doubts that he'll ever be able to mend that relationship.
- Mamika: Luca's baby sister, at least in his eyes (he hasn't said this to either her or Kiera). Initially scoffing at her innocent world view, during the events of Zahliya-quest 2, she managed to convince him to stay his hand. Much like with Kiera, he credits her with being the first to convince him to change his ways. He owes a lot to her, cares deeply for her, and hopes to be able to protect her from the evil of the forest. He wants to ensure that her view of the world is never shattered like his was.
- Ain: Luca's catty gay best friend. The two love to gossip with one another. He's pretty worried about Ain of late, but isn't sure he's the best person to help bring him out of his funk.
- Livio: HE HAS A CRUSH ON EVERY BOY.
- Zonari: Luca still holds a level of distrust for Zahliya's sister, especially the closer she and Kiera get. He's pretty convinced she's plotting something, and even outwardly attacked her during the Clive crisis
- Clive Rosfield: A former client of Luca's bar. At first, Luca was only interested in his aesthetic appeal. However, between his endearing obliviousness to Luca's flirting and his determination that Luca was not doomed to his fate, Luca found himself falling for him. Clive would ultimately be the first person to take a step in freeing Luca from the Phoenix. Luca was certain that he was in love with the man and preparing to tell him just that when he disappeared, leaving him devastated. Though his canon update would quickly belie some of these feelings, a hole still exists in his chest where Clive once occupied.
- Joshua Rosfield: Clive's brother, and arguably one of Luca's best friends. Once, he had a crush on the young man (yes at the same time as Clive. He inherited Cyrus's whoring leave him alone), but ultimately chased friendship as he pursued Clive instead. In the wake of Clive's disappearance and Dion's death, Luca feels an obligation to protect Joshua and keep him afloat. He knows just how devastating loss can be, and he doesn't want to see Joshua's bright spirit be shattered.
Beliefs they hold:- Luca believed for a long time that Zahliya and Kiera didn't truly care about him. Neither of them seemed to be taking action to save him as he suffered because of the Phoenix.
- He truly believes he has bungled the relationship with Zahliya entirely.
- Due to his back to back widowing/breakups, he thinks he isn't meant to love.
- He suspects Alazon is hiding something from him. Maybe more than one thing.
Tropes:ENEMIES TO LOVERS! TOXIC YAOI! HURT COMFORT.
How does their heart look: Luca's heart is bruised and wreathed in a shield of protective flames. His heart is criss-crossed with damaged and severed strings, as well as ones that have been patched together. Only some of these strings have managed to cross the flames without issue. Others were destroyed by the very flames themselves. The color is a bit washed out, as if once it were greyscale but is now steadily allowing itself to bloom once more.
Additional considerations: There may be a faint flicker of something within Luca's heart that isn't his own. Sometimes it looks a bit like a fledgling bird. Other times it looks like a dragon hatchling. Strange!
May I contact for more info: Absolutely! Please do!