A Change of Scenery [Haze!]

[Juno]

Having spent most of her time in the south lately, she was glad to be back on the road again. It felt more like a home to her, even though it certainly had its difficulties. She could see that the path ahead of her was a bit sloped and that it was a long, straight shot before it would curve off and disappear behind dense brush. Knowing she still had quite a ways ahead before she would reach civilization, she decided to take a break.

Looking above, she scanned the trees for a sturdy-looking seat. Choosing a younger tree with lower branches right along the path she'd been on, Dacia carefully tucked a foot against the trunk and lifted herself up to climb a bit higher. Her pack weighing her down a bit, she winced at the pulling sensation along her shoulders as she hoisted herself along. Finally sitting herself along a branch about halfway up the tree, she slung her legs over the side to dangle in the air.

After taking off her pack and removing a small apple from it for her lunch she fastened the bag to a smaller branch off the one she was sitting on, allowing it to hang below her. More comfortable now that it was off of her back, Dacia glanced around to observe the few animals nearby as she took a satisfying, crunchy bite out of her apple.

[Haze]

The sun was out, the birds and animals chirped and snuffled, making it all for a very pleasant day. He was in an unsurprisingly good mood. He hummed a tune and he danced down the path, feet shuffling from side to side, head popping to the music in his head. His eyes were half closed as he sang "oh, yeah, I'm the man. Oh yeah, you know you want me, yeah yeah yeah-"

Dorian continued to dance his way along the winding road, every now and then glancing into the trees lining the road, when something caught his eye. A foot. The tall man frowned, and stopped his shuffling and innane singing, taking a few steps closer to the tree. He looked up, and with wide eyes thought Yes!

"Hang on, milady!" He called out, one hand cupped to his mouth to make his alread booming voice travel faster, "I'll get you down!" Hastily throwing down his weapons and travelling pack, he launched himself into the tree, scrambling through branches, until he was just below the stranger.

It never occurred to him to think that she might not actually be in trouble. Women didn't climb trees, as far as he was concerned.

[Juno]

Everything was peaceful, or rather, it had been. Dacia stopped mid-chew and stared at the stranger coming down the road. She thought he looked quite ridiculous. Rolling her eyes and then looking away from him on the ground, figuring he would just carry on, she continued eating her apple. She could hear him singing and chuckled. He probably thinks he's alone.

Then, she heard him shouting up at her. What is wrong with him?! she thought, frowning because she'd wanted to simply take her quick lunch in peace and be on her way. Wait, get me down from here?! Her eyes widened, hoping he wasn't going to crazily rip her from her perch. Looking down at him as he threw his things aside and started going up her tree, she began to panic. "Wait! No, wait! It's a small tree, you're going to break something, stupid! What are you doing?!"

Eyes wide, her apple tensely gripped and not even half-eaten, she looked down with worry at the stranger on the branches just below her. "Are you crazy?!"

[Haze]

She's frightened. Dorian thought to himself, beaming with the pride that came to him everytime he was doing something heroic. Look at her eyes - that's panic right there. Yessir, I knew I was doing the right thing. Hold up - Stupid? Who's she calling stupid? How rude.

"I'll just ignore you calling me names for now," Dorian replied, peering up through the few branches between them. "It's okay, I'm here now. You don't need to be scared. Shock does strange things to people. I'm sure you're usually a lovely young lady." He reached out a long-fingered hand towards her. "Come on, I've got you. I wont let you fall-"

He made an attempt to take her hand, but as he did so, the branch under his foot creaked. His eyes widened comically, and for a split second he stood on air. Crashing to the ground beneath, he landed with a thud.

[Juno]

Her eyes narrowed at his initial comment. As he continued speaking what she considered nonsense, though, she couldn't help but visibly roll her eyes. "Pfft, shock he says."

When he reached a hand out to her she winced, looking to the branch his feet were planted on.  "Ah, you really shouldn't be leaning like tha- Oh my..." He'd fallen. He'd fallen and the solid noise as he hit the ground was quite telling. Sighing and shaking her head, she figured she should at least check on the poor, mistaken fool. She stuffed her apple back into her pack before dropping it onto the ground below. Then, she lowered herself from the branch she'd been on to allow herself a softer landing beside him.

"Hey, are you, um, are you alright?" She looked down at him, cocking her head to the side a bit. She contemplated brushing the toe of her shoe along his ribs, wondering if any would be cracked, but she figured that would be quite cruel for this stranger that seemed desperately mistaken in trying to rescue her from a tree.

[Haze]

The wind was knocked out of him, and it took him a moment to realise that the the hilt of his sword was digging into his back. He groaned I couldn't have landed on my pack? Opening his eyes, he saw Dacia peering over him, and he leapt to his feet. "Oh, you're out... you didn't fall to did you?" His words were tumbling, tripping over themselves to get off his tongue. He stopped suddenly, a sharp pain raking aross his chest, and he doubled over.

Bent over, he put one hand palm out towards Dacia, and mumbled "I'm okay, I'm okay." He stoically straightened up, wincing as he did so. He wasn't about to admit defeat though, and carried on with a forced, yet sunny smile. "You're not hurt though, that's the main thing. I must have got some branches out of the way for you." He motioned to the tree's broken apendage at his feet.

"I'm Dorian, by the way."

[Juno]

"Um, no, I'm capable of actually getting out without hurting myself. Um, are you...okay?" She looked at him quizzically as he bent over, assuming he was in pain from something. She thought he might've bruised himself up pretty good, but seeing as he insisted he was alright she figured that could be ignored for now.

"No, I'm not hurt." She looked up at the tree to the messy nub where the branch had snapped and frowned. "Well, I didn't really need your help. At all. You messed up the tree and I wasn't asking to be rescued or anything, you know." She sighed and glanced over at his torso, wondering if he was hiding some pain he might be in.

"Dorian, hm? You're quite the dancer there, eh?" She laughed, elbowing him gently in the side, guessing she'd get some sort of reaction from him for it. "I'm Dacia...who doesn't need saving," she said with a smirk.

[Haze]

Didn't need help? Didn't NEED help? What was wrong with this picture? Oh that's right, she was supposed to be swooning. And fawning all over his heroism. And being just a gushy woman in general.

"Well, I'm sorry for trying to be a gentleman," he bit at her, his green eyes narrowing into cat-like slits. This was unknown territory. "But I'm glad you're not hurt." His eyes relaxed a little, until she made a comment about his dancing. Then his eyes narrowed again. She was laughing at him. And - ouch!

As Dacia jabbed him in ribs his face turned ashen white. A hot bolt of pain radiated across his chest, and it was almost as if he could feel his ribs moving. The blood seemed to drain not only from his face, but from his entire body as black splotches appeared in front of his eyes, the world spun, and his knees wobbled. A soft moan escaped his lips that sounded like "Hello, Dacia." His knees wobbled a bit more, before finally giving way. He crumpled to the ground, somewhat gracefully, with a "I'm actually not okay." And the world became dark.

[Juno]

She noticed his wobbling and the unfocused look in his eyes. She wondered if he was in pain as he seemed to be holding something back. She didn't quite catch his mumbling and leaned in a bit, trying to hear him better, but then the tall, crazy man went and collapsed on the ground.

Startled by this, she stepped back for a moment. Looking down at him, she figured he actually had been hurt somehow, which he confirmed with his short statement before blacking out. "Ah! Hey! Hey, no, don't do that!" Panicked, she knelt beside him and tried to sit him up. "Um, what happened?" she asked, helplessly failing at trying to hold up his dead weight. "Heavier than he looks," she complained, voice almost inaudible.

[Haze]

"There... is... something seriously... wrong... with this picture." His eyes opened glazed over with pain. Dacia was trying to hold him up, and if he hadn't been in so much pain, he would have leaped up and spun the woman into his arms, dipping her back daringly, maybe even...

He gave a woozy smile, before trying to sit himself up a little more, aware that he wasn't a light man. He was thoroughly embarrassed. It was demasculating. With another small groan, he lifted himself into a sitting position, and wrapped one arm around his chest. "I ... I think my rib is cracked. I have some uh... strapping in my bag, would you mind..." He gestured with his free hand to the pack nearby.

Very, very carefully, Dorian slipped an arm out of his sleeve, and then brought the shirt over his head. Looking down, there was a definite red splotch with a hint of bright purple bruising showing through. His eyes flickered over to Dacia, then down to his well muscled chest, then over to a rippling bicep. Which he flexed. With a wink.

[Juno]

She thought he didn't look too good, almost as if he might get sick at any moment. As he lifted himself up a bit more she hovered an arm around his shoulders in case he fell again. Frowning in a concerned way as he admitted his injury to her, she shook her head. "I knew you'd probably done something, that was quite the fall."

Nodding as he asked for her help, Dacia glanced over at his bag and back to him before reach her hands out to pull his bag over. Opening it and going through it, she found what he needed after just a few moments and pulled a roll of cloth from within. By now he had his shirt off, which startled her once she looked up. She blinked, just staring at him for a moment before averting her eyes when she noticed him flexing and winking at her. Flushing, she shook her head and closed up his pack before turning her attention to his injured side.

"Um...here, let me help you, Dorian," she offered, moving a bit closer as she began unraveling the material in her hands. I hope he didn't see...

[Haze]

"Um...here, let me help you, Dorian," she offered, moving a bit closer as she began unraveling the material in her hands. Dorian grinned as he caught sight of the flush in Dacia's face. Oh yes ... I still got it.

Very carefully, Dorian lifted both arms. "Thank you," he said, offering a smile. "You need to start here." He took her hand holding the cloth, and placed it over the bruise growing on his chest. "You have to hold it there, with that hand... then wind it around." He lowered his voice, almost crooning. "Kind of tight. But not too tight."

He was sure there was no need to be so, physical. In fact he still hadn't removed his hand from hers. And he was leaning in slightly closer than was necessary. It was... it's had just been a long time. He smiled

[Juno]

She hadn't noticed his grin, being too busy trying not to look up at his face, but she didn't miss his painfully unsubtle physical contact and closeness. His instructions were unnecessary and she couldn't help but notice the changes in his voice. Dacia couldn't tell if he was teasing or not, but either way she frowned a bit and rolled her eyes at him.

"Dorian, thanks, but...I got it from here. I've tended a few wounds before." She didn't brush off his hand, hoping she might be able to make him feel awkward on his own for touching her so much. Instead, she began wrapping the cloth around him, stretching her arm carefully around him each turn as she tried not to touch his bruises directly as she went.

Once she felt she'd made the wrap thick enough she held down the end she wanted to make against his back as she tore it away from the rest of the roll. After securing the loose end of his wrap she tidied up the remaining material and then reached to replace it in his pack. "There we are," she said with a satisfied sigh. "I hope that holds. Um, it isn't too tight, is it?"

[Haze]

Dorian just grinned rakishly as Dacia rolled her eyes and began and he obligingly sat still as she tended him. He'd lifted his hand, only as she made the second wrap around, so that she could continue. Her touch was light, and he only winced a few times, not letting his contented smile leave his lips for long.

He didn't move once she'd finished, and watched her as she put the cloth away. "It's not too tight." He lifted both arms to test the security of the binding, and nodded "It'll hold too. Good job." He glanced over at his shirt, discarded beside him. For a moment he went to put it on, but then was struck with a marvelous idea.

"Ooh... ouch. Do you think you could help with that too?" He cocked an eyebrow at her quizically, a boyish charm sparkling in his eyes as he held the shirt out to her, and lifted his arms again.

[Juno]

She watched him testing his range of motion and smiled at the slight praise he gave her. "Oh, it's nothing," she insisted, glad that it would do for him. Watching as he reached for his shirt, she grew a bit worried at his short "ouch."

"Oh, are you alright? Did it pinch you?" She didn't know what he was up to and took the bait. "Yes, yes, sure, of course!" she replied hurriedly, snatching up his shirt. Rolling it up a bit so she could easily slip it over his head and arms, she put the garment back on him. Careful not to touch his bruised side, Dacia smoothed it out for him as well. "There."

"You know," she started after a moment. "I kind of feel bad that you fell and hurt yourself like that just trying to help me." Her nice moment started to go south quickly. "But, come on, you shouldn't have been climbing that tree anyhow, who knows how unstable it was! It could've just tipped over for all we know and then you would've knocked me down, too. Just...try to think a bit more careful next time you go trying to save or help someone, hm?"

[Haze]

Oh, she is fine. Dorian thought as the woman lifted the shirt over his head. And I reckon she likes me. Yessir. He felt a slight shiver as she smoothed the shirt down, but he sat like a good boy.

And then she began berrating him for his foolish behaviour. He hung his head, and tapped his fingers against the ground, feeling a little like a little boy being scolded by his mother. But he quickly snapped his head back up, a fire in his eyes.

"Don't you go telling me what I should and shouldn't do." He scowled, "I am my own man. And if I choose to climb a tree, I will. And the main thing is, you weren't hurt, and I would gladly take injury in your place." He sighed huffily, his shoulders rising and falling. But then he looked across at the woman with a glint in his eye.

"I suppose I should repay you for your kindness." And with that, closed his eyes, leaned over and planted a kiss on her.

[Juno]

She didn't like all the stubbornness he was putting out, it was absolutely grating at her. "Oh, don't go saying that, who's to say you could've done anything about it if I wasn't stable and I just fell when you clambered up the tree like that?!"

"And," she continued, "I doubt you would've climbed it on your own anyhow, prancing about and dancing around like you were!" She scowled at him, looking away in frustration.

She thought he might've been mocking her, which she didn't like. "My kindness? I wasn't being kind, I was just doing what was ri-!" But then he'd kissed her. She was totally caught off-guard. She started freaking out.

Eyes widening, Dacia squeaked at the contact of his lips and immediately scrambled backward. "WHAT...ARE YOU DOING?!" she demanded, face entirely flushed with both embarrassment and the sensation of unexpected intimacy. "Don't just go...doing that!" she hissed, turning her head to the side.

"He really is crazy," she mumbled to herself.

[Haze]

Dorian quirked an eyebrow so it arched high. He looked bewildered. That has never happened before. Hmmm... Has this woman never been kissed before? He continued to watch in silence as she scrambled back, but as he watched her flip out, a new feeling washed over him, replacing the confusion. She looked a little like a bullfrog, eyes bugging out, and heaving indignantly.  His mouth twitched, and his hand lifted to cover his quivering mouth. The sensation was entirely painful, with his shoulders shaking as he fought back a laugh.

"I'm ... I'm sorry." He said through his hand, eyes crinkling. "I didn't know you'd react... like ... that!" and he lost the plot. He doubled over again, holding his cracked ribs, and laughed and laughed and laughed. "Ooooh... ouch! hahahaha! Ouch! ... eee... ahhh... Oooo..." the laughter aggrivated the pain and he was soon white again and covered with a glossy sweaty sheen. But he was happy.

"Dacia, I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I wont do that again." He tried to calm himself down, but a few snorts of laughter still escaped him as the raucous guffaws subsided. He stood to his feet slowly, and extended a hand.

[Juno]

Oh, now he was laughing at her?! Dacia was thoroughly embarrassed, turning her face away as he began cracking up. "Oh, come on....it isn't funny!" she pleaded, frowning as she saw he was even laughing on through the pain of such a fresh injury.

"I...how was I supposed to know you were going to do something like that?! Crazy man!" Even as he stood up and offered to help her up, she stubbornly got up on her own. She absolutely hated the little snickers and snorts she heard seeping through his defenses.  Snatching up her pack from the ground where she'd left it, she slung it onto her back and began walking in the direction she'd been going before this whole incident. "Sorry or not, that's just plain rude, Dorian!" she hissed, glaring back at him. "I'm sorry I helped you now! What a cruel sense of humor...don't be so crude with women and expect them not to be frightened! Go find someone else to suck face with!....BRAT!"

Honestly, she didn't mean all of it. Mostly she just didn't like being laughed at, especially about something so sensitive to her. In all her life she hadn't had a man kiss her and then this one just stole her first kiss like it was nothing! And laughed at her, to boot! Dacia was huffy now, to say the least.

[Haze]

Dorian looked like he's been slapped with a wet fish. "I'm not a brat!" he shouted indignantly, his mouth gaped open as he followed Dacia's angry movements. He was well and truely silent now, and looking sheepish. What!? She's going... good going man, you're an idiot. He dropped his head into his waiting palm with a smack, and shook his head in dismay. Idiot, idiot, idiot! "Wait!" He called out after her retreating form. "Dacia, wait!" He hastily scrambled around collecting his sword and bow and arrows, slinging his pack over his should with a sharp intake of breath.

He raced to catch up with her, biting back every jerky movement that hurt his ribs. "Hey, look," he touched her on the shoulder tentatively. "Dacia, I'm sorry. It was totally uncalled for, you're right." He'd never grovelled to a woman in his life. His face turned soft. "I'm sorry I laughed at you. I'm sorry I kissed you," he paused, maybe not that sorry "but I'm not sorry I climbed that tree, and I'm not sorry that I fell, and I'm not sorry that we met." He hung his head sheepishly, and peered at her through his long eyelashes with big eyes that pleaded forgiveness. "I'm glad we met. Please forgive me?"