What a surprise!

[Anonymous]

Thaylias gave a soft laugh as his actions implied that he had missed something. But he had missed something. She had simply made a comment, but that's okay. Most of her comments went over people's heads merely because of the fact that she left alot of the important, miniscule and detailed fragments out. She breathed out softly, letting a smile trace her lips as she tucked her arms behind her, folding them neatly as she leaned against the building.

She stared into his sparking blue eyes and a rather uncanny chill crept alone her spine, for reasons she did not understand. Maybe it was because she simply got the chills looking at a persons eyes. They always said they were the windows too a person's soul. Right? Or maybe another blissful lie, but it didn't seem so. At least not this time.

"That's good you're good," she said quietly, smiling lightly despite a flickering pain in her skull.

It was like electricity all of a sudden, burning in her skull as it stung and spiraled, dots of indigo, violet, emerald, ebony, ivory all danced in front of her bright green eyes. They made a mesmerizing tango, twirling as she slowed and pressed her back against the building, as if trying to escape the dots. She closed her eyes for a moment and looked to the star-filled sky, down to the ground and flickered them back to Kael's blue eyes.

[Anonymous]

He continued to study her, but knew it probably unnerved her. For some odd reason, extended eye contact bothered most people. Sometimes strongly. Kael often wondered about this; maybe at the core, everyone was meant to be an isolated. Or maybe eyes really were a window from the soul like the old wives' tale, and looking away was supposed to protect your innermost thoughts. Whatever the reason, eye contact could be a powerful tool.

Even though he didn't look away, he relaxed against the wall, producing an air of casuality. But almost immediately he tensed again, as a warning flickered in his head. A moment later, Thaylias's eyes widened, then closed. She seemed to be in a great deal of pain, and he hated it.  Concern gathered in his eyes, and he closed the small distance between them in a couple of steps. Lightly, tentatively, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Steady now," he said in a low voice, never breaking away from her emerald eyes.

[Anonymous]

She felt nearly imobilized by Kael's gaze. She wanted to retract from his touch, but only for a moment. She didn't want him to see her so vulnerable but soon she just accepted the fact that her skull was being nearly electricuted where she stood, like spiraling bolts twisting in her head. It writhed, painfully so. As she sighed softly, her eyes even larger and luminous in her delicately constructed face. Thaylias's legs felt weak, wobbly, very unsteady beneath her. She felt her legs tremble and her mind pursued an irrelevant thought. I knew I should have worked off those last few pounds, earlier! She thought to herself.

His hand rested on her shoulder and she allowed her face to bare the smallest of smiles, a brow raising slightly to show she was okay. But it didn't do well, her face already turning deathly, sickly pale as her eyes were slightly hazey. Those colors... they never rainbowed his face before. She inhaled a deep breath, barely hearing him but nodding slowly. The world seemed to blur and she could do nothing but withdraw a hand and put it over Kael's hand on her shoulder, as if trying to make sure he was real and she wasn't suddenly going into hysteria. That was exactly what she was doing - as the world bubbled and blurred, a derranged configuration, she could do nothing but rest her hand over his, if only to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. He was like a hold on to reality as she endured bout after bout of shocks travelling through her skull, and a tight constriction in her chest. Well, the fun had quickly drained from this situation...

[Anonymous]

Alarm jolted through Kael, electrifying every nerve in his body. He continued to talk to her, meaningless, reassuring words, worry generously lacing his voice, now tense,

"It's ok. We'll find that.. that flower. A white one, right? Ok. Don't worry, we'll find it. Hold on. Can you hear me? Thaylias, can you hear me? Hold on."


Concern no longer clouded his eyes, but it concentrated, making them sharp, clear. Even after her eyes got that filmy sort of look over them, he kept his gaze locked. Somehow, some superstitous part of him thought that as long as he kept eye contact, she would still hear him, be here. Soon it became one of the only things in his mind. He continued to babble, gripping her shoulder tightly now. The other thing in his mind was, I dunno exactly what's wrong with her, but hell, it has to be bad. What kind of white flower does she need? Did she go into detail? What did she say? He tried frantically to remember all of that, while chanting his mantra.

"Hold on. Hold on..."

[Anonymous]

Thaylias gritted her teeth together, vaguely hearing his reassuring words. She could only stand there, hand over his own gripping one. Her back was pressed hard into the wall, the rough stone brick felt through the fabric of her shirt as the world continued to whirl, blur, and bubble before her. It was speckled, shadowed, dappled with colors she never knew existed. She wanted to laugh but stifled it keenly - it'd not only hurt but might scare Kael. He seemed so worried... about her? That was insane! He shouldn't worry, she'd be over this in a few minutes.

Her legs trembled, tremors running through them as they quivered beneath her weakened body. She leaned her head back, eyes still focusing on his lovely blue eyes, trying to keep her breathing steady and deep, having to concentrate hard to stop shallow breathing. She felt her knees bend and she struggled to stop slumping along the wall. The pain stabbing and tearing into her chest and skull made her want to scream but she had the feeling that it would only hurt immensly worse.

Her legs folded beneath her and she slid to the ground, wincing as she met contact with the ground. She whimpered softly and wanted to close her eyes so bad... but his blue eyes was what she focused on. Either to keep her sanity or conscious she didn't know yet.

[Anonymous]

Kael felt it as Thaylias's shoulder tensed, then slumped, then tense again. He, too, gritted his teeth. However her wasn't in pain-- just really confused. He couldin't, of course, just drop her and leave her there. It would contradict practically every rule of his upbringing just by considering it. So what else was he supposed to do? She could die, and by the looks of her now, she didn't look to far off. It was rather frightening, really. Well, for him, at least. He didn't know if she could see or hear or even think.

He felt, he knew when her knees gave out. quickly, almost too fast, he withdrew his hand from under hers and slid them under her arms to catch her. He couldn't just hold her like this, though. It wasn't helping much, and besides, it was awkward. So he lowered her slowly, carefully, to the ground, bringing himself with her, so to maintain eye contact. Soon she was sitting, he was squatting.  Even through this, he kept their eyes locked. He still didn't know if she could see, but she seemed to be able to register that. At least, he hoped so.

"Thaylias?" he said softly, tentatively. "Can you hear me? If you can.. I need you to tell me, is there somewhere you can go for the night? You don't have to speak.." Stupid, he told himself. If she could speak, she would have done so already.  He shook his head, and continued. "Andway, give me a sign. Er.. shake your head, or nod, or soemthing."

[Anonymous]

Slowly her head tipped forwards, rather drunkenly as it slowly lifted upwards, the entire time keeping her green eyes focused on his blue eyes. She gave him a woozy sign that she could hear, but shaking her head in a 'no'. Thaylias's eyes suddenly enlarged, a dark streak running through the emerald gems. She gave a soft yelp as her chest constricted, knots forming as sweat broke out along her brow as she gritted her teeth. She hated Kael seeing her like this, simply because of the fact it wasn't a nice thing to do to someone... And she wouldn't give into the pain here. She was so close to getting that flower... and Kael would make it impossible to do so. If she was die it'd be alone and quiet. Maybe floating downstream or cremating herself. Of course she'd have to do each with a little bit of life inside her. Maybe that's what scared her the most. That she'd be the one doing it.

Thaylias whimpered, pushing hard against the rough stone wall as her head pounded and her chest gripped at her heart. The pain shot inside her,  a constant stabbing into her body. The electrifying currents merciless as they floated inside her delicate head. She wanted to scream, run, or somehow get rid of this pain. But the only way was to find that beautiful flower her cousin had told her about.

Kael was being so nice.. He had made her journey to the ground less painful. And he was trying to do something. She sighed softly, her eyes focusing on his as she swallowed the pain without shedding a tear. Besides the slight watering in her eyes she refused to cry. She could feel it subsiding and wasn't sure if it was because she was going unconscious or because her pain was really subsiding. She breathed softly out as she let her head loll slightly.

"I'm.... s-sorry," she said in a barely audible voice, jsut a soft whisper.

[Anonymous]

Kael jerked sharply, as that sense of alarm that he had felt earlier returned. It was like someone dragging a shard of metal against a sheet of glass. Whatever it was, it struck an extremly unpleasant chord in his mind, and he fought the desire to panic. The feeling he had earlier was just a subtle underlay, a wrong note in a scale. This was a glaring error, and felt much stronger. Whatever made it wasn't sneaking around any longer.

Suubek ahrim, he thought suddenly, suprising himself. the words had emerged from his subconscious somehow, from an ancient language that he only knew fragments of. Still, he clung to them. In their orginal culture, they were said to be wards gainst evil and sickness. Or part of a ceremony to banish the same. Or something of the like. In any case, The slightest bit of help was much welcomed.

"Suubek ahrim," he said again, to both himself and Thaylias. However, he didn't even know if Thaylias could hear him. Then he heard her whisper, jsut a wekak hiss of air.

"It's alright," he said, trying to sound comfortingly, unsure of what the result was. "Nothing to be sorry about. Just have to find some place.."he trailed off, unsure of anything ahead, really, or how he was mixed up in it.

[Anonymous]

Thaylias watched him, tipping her head in a drunken nod. She breathed outwards, her breathing beginning to get rather shallow as she stared at him with luminous emerald eyes. They enlarged and began to shadow as some thoughts that she didn't appreciate flickered inside her generous green gems. What if she had been alone? What if Kael wasn't here? The thought of being alone made a chill creep up her spine and she shifted, unsteadily forwards and wrapped her arms around him.

She let her arms just settle around him, the first time breaking eye contact. She didn't care if her world upset around her - she just felt better hugging him. And she wanted to reassure him that she wasn't going to die in front fo him or something. She sighed softly, trying not to throw either one of them off balance.

Her arms slowly pulled from him as she slumped back against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment and letting them flicker open. She still felt the aftershocks, which were rather as painful as the major pain from earlier.

[Anonymous]

Kael tensed for a moment, then relaxed, still feeling slightly awkward. He didn't really tend to hug people, or be hugged at all, really. Of course, these didn't seem to be normal circumstances... but still. Physical contact was nice, but rare. And  her arms were so weak, she was so light.. it was like holding a child, or a feather. It was disconcerting, eerie, almost. Still, he tried his best to.. erhm.. feel comforting? He didn't want to make her feel any trapped by wrapping his arms around her, which is what he wanted to do- comfort her. He wan't sure at all that she was going to be alright.

After a minute, he felt her arms withdraw from around him, and he tensed again slightly, afraid she was going to collapse again. However, she only feel back a little, and he started, but was too slow to catch her this time. Still, he hovered nervously, like some kind of mother hen. he watched her eyes flicker, and carefully lifted her wrist to check her bloodbeat (aka: pulse..). It was slow and sluggish, with quick beats occasionally that unnerved him.

"Have to get you somewhere.." he said, mostly to himself, looking around at the now deserted village, and out to the shadow smudge of the trees against the moonlit horizon. Something was out there. Maybe closer, now. Maybe too close. "But where?" he murmured, slouching against the wall, close to Thaylias.

[Anonymous]

When the world begins to shadow and memories are suddenly all that's seen something is not well. Something is not right when the world is made of a kleidoscope of darkness. And she felt how close she was, at least this time. How she was falling into an abyss as the world continued to sway. She dropped her lower jaw slightly, inhaling deeply as she let her emerald eyes flick upwards to the sky as she felt the beginnings of teardrops swell inside her eyes.

Thaylias swallowed the knot twisted in her throat as she choked softly as pressed her back hard against the wall, her spine grating against it as she shut her eyes tight against the swelling pain and tears. She tried to allow her eyes to open, and somehow, someway... the world began to darken further, and soon she could barely see anything. And she hated it. She hated not seeing what was in front of her, she hated not seeing what was around her. She couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand it because it made fear crawl inside her, like a worm it slithered and she despised the feeling. And she slowly extended a hand outwards to what she could not see and opened her hand, palm facing upwards as she focused her energy, a sweat breaking out on her face. Suddenly, a slver flame danced in her open palm, igniting as it cast a silver glow all around.

Finally, she could see.. She glanced to Kael who was now alongside of her, it casting a silver glow along his rather delicate features. She let her shoulders slump, aware of the exhaustion that followed, fingers closing around the flame as her hand dropped and she sat there, panting for a moment or too. Finally, the pain subsided - either that she was numb. She opened her eyes and stared, oblivious, forwards.

"I'm sorry to be such a bother. My disease strikes whenever it pleases. And I'll be fine. Really," she said, wincing sharply as electricity flared inside her skull again.

[Anonymous]

He looked at her very skepticly, one eyebrow arched vighly and his mouth sublty tiled to one side in sort of a reverse smirk. For a while he was silent, taking in her starkly pale features, her widened eyes, and change from a rigid, brittle stance to an almost-helpless slump. He hadn't the faintest idea what kind of pain she was going though, but it must have been more than he could ever imagine. He himself wdidn't have a very high pain tolerance. He would complain about the slightest injury, tended to bleed profusely, and, embarassingly, he had been known to faint in some situations. Thaylias, however, was holding on for everything, despite the fact that it looked like it was costing her a lot to do so.

"A bother?" he said, laughing grimly. "If anything, m'dear, I'm the bother. I feel like a useless oaf, helpless to do anything." He turned back to her, and soemthing unreadable flicked across his eyes for a split second. "Are you sure? Has this happened before on.. such a scale?" Disbelief was evident in his voice as he crouched down to be eye level with her.

Slowly, he reached for her hand, dangling limply at her side. He took it in both of his; it was pale and frightengly cold. Then, he felt it again, the warning in his head. This time, though, it simply flickeredand left, as if taunting him. He looked around furtively, not evxpecting to see anything, and he was right. Nothing. He looked back to Thaylias, worry still present in hisfeatures, despite her ressurations.

[Anonymous]

The sudden envelope of warmth that clapsed her icey hand made the luminous, foresty orb-like eyes scry around her to settle on her destination. She watched him with a bland expression, one which see only in mourning for the dead. It was nearly chilling on her face, her eyes shadowing slightly, but they soon lightened, the shadow depleting from the already-dark color of her eyes. A grim smile vanguished the line her lips had made, now tracing them into a dry-humored smile. But with his words as he belittled himself made a flame spark inside her eyes, dancing a fiesty tango inside the gems.

"You are neither a bother or a 'helpless oaf'. Just because you can't take the pain away doesn't mean you're not helping me," she spoke in her fierce lingo.

Her slender fingers curled around his own hand, a soft and weakened squeeze to reassure him. While he asked of her pain her gaze fluttered above to watch the monotonous darkness hang it's solemn veil neither brighten or darken. The stars that glimmered, lost in the folds of the shadows did not give her solace. But the warmth in her hand offered her miniscule comfort. Still, it was comfort.

"I'm.... alright. And yes, this has happened before," she let unravel from her soft lips, although a sharp intake indicated another unholy wrath of pain wreathed her skull again.

But this would pass - she could feel it slowly seep from her body. Like darkness it began to emerge from her body, slowly crawling away. Once again, that shadow of hell had failed to take her life from her. She gave a vague smile of triumph, but her body was worn. Exhausted from her ceaseless efforts. What could she do?

"I.. think it passed," she breathed from between her lips, leaning her head back against the rough stone.

[Anonymous]

Kael watched her carefully, slightly alarmed at her blank expression. It was like watching the face of a child's abandoned doll. It was rather disconcerting, really. The moment quickly passed, though. Then she smiled drolly, and offhandedly tossed away his self-degrading words. He scowled slightly.

"Well, yeah, but it doesn't feel as if I'm being all that helpful. It's mostly just me sitting here worrying like a mother hen oven something I can't control and I don't know anything about!"

His voice had risen significantly over the short tirade, and his eyes were flashing when it ended. Then they widened as he mentally retraced his words.

"Woah. I'm.. really sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that I mean.. yeah. I'm not great with words, either, most of the time." He looked away, feeling guilty in a sense. The night was silent, and so her sharp intake of breath was apparent. He snapped his head back up to look at her.

"Well, this one's gone. But how long can you live like this? _Can_ you live like this?"

His eyes once again connected with hers, his were deep pools that seemed to ripple, like wind blowing waves across a quiet ocean.

[Anonymous]

Thaylias eyes had fluttered at his outburst, but a smile had traced her lips as it ended. She had already forgiven him, before he had even apologized. She sighed softly and nodded, absently and to herself. A sigh escaped her, and it seemed to last forever, stretching over an eternity before it finally came to a whispering close.

And, once again he spoke, his pleasant blue eyes cast upon her forest ones. Her luminous eyes fell into his, drawn in by the fathomless blue. She couldn't help that her eyes were slightly childish, despite her efforts to appear at least, somewhat, like an adult. But, at the moment, she was too tired to really care.

"I will live like this for as long as need be," she responded softly.

That was true, she would live like this for as long as she could. She would find her cure and rid herself from this nuisance. She would be able to live like a 'normal' person. Her tolerance for this disease was growing short, and she hoped another side effect of this just wasn't insanity. Because she could swear that sometimes, that's how she felt. Utterly and absolutely insane.

[Anonymous]

Kael said nothing, just continued to look her in the eyes. After a moment, he spoke, and his voice was soft, controlled, but with an unexpected stronger undertone. He barely recognized it as it formed the words that left his mouth.

"But how can you?" he said. "Can you really stand to live like this, in pain with brief periods of lucidty?"

He continued to meet her gaze, feeling suprisingly calm.

"I don't envy you, Thaylias. But I want to help you if I can."

It was just then he realized her hand was still in both of his, which was kind of past the point of lending necessary comfort. He blushed very slightly, and hastily removed one hand to tuck his hair behind his ear.

[Anonymous]

Thaylias watched him, almost startled by the sudden strength that meandered into his voice. And the calm that emnanted from him just coaxed out one of her best, and true smiles, despite it's soft shadow of fatigue. It was almost nice to be worried about - although she didn't see why he was worrying about her of all people! She thought it was downright silly - but that was how she always thought when people worried about her.

"I'll have to. I will find the cure. I will because I have to. Because I believe I will," she responded rather strongly.

"I wont stop you if you want to help," she said, struggling with conflicting thoughts.

It was her problem and he shouldn't get involved.. But she didn't want to be alone anymore either. So that the only thing she felt she could say without brushing each thought off. It was easier to let him decide for himself instead of she doing it. She had given him permission if he did want to help... But what he decided he didn't want to help? The thought mind her eyes stray - but barely. They only shifted, surprisingly, and strongly locked onto his own.

Thaylias had also forgotten about her hand being tucked between his two hands. She only noticed when he went to tuck his hair behind his ear. Then it was clear why he blushed and her cheeks heated with their own blush. But she didn't move her hand.. She wasn't sure she wanted to move it. Oh, dear Lord! Thaylias, what are you thinking? she thought to herself, wondering.

[Anonymous]

"I do," he said, quickly and descisively. Then added, hastily, "Want to help, that is. If I can. And you don't think I'll be, well, an oaf." He looked at her curiously, expectantly.

Awkward silence.

Kael hated awkward silence. It had plagued him since his adolesence, and seemed to come back now. Just for a visit. So he sat there, her hand resting in his. Suprisingly enough, it wasn't that bad. The silence could be taken as contented, companiable, even. Or so he hoped, because he really couldn't think of anything to say. And since Thaylias was keeping her hand there, well, it gave him an excuse to keep his there, which was fairly pleasant.

He also noticed that her eyes still bore into his, like fiery emeralds. Quite used to this by now, he held her gaze, steadily. He smiled slightly, without realizing he did so. It was a game, almost, between them, but with an unspoken more seroius undertone. Still, he kept silent, afraid to splinter the fragile bond their gaze made. Briefly, Kael entertained the surreal thought that each person's line of sight made a beam of colour, and that when two met, they blended, like paint, to form a new one. His smile quirked as he thought of this, and wondered where the thoughts in his head came from.

[Anonymous]

Thaylias didn't comprehend why she felt comfortable, just sitting on the ground with her hand in his and staring into his eyes. With that mere thought of how 'romantic' that sounded, a blush flushed her face hotly. Her forest emerlad eyes didn't waver, though. They continued to hold his own brillant blue eyes, but she glimpsed the smile, no matter how slight and it was contagious. It infected her promptly, tracing her lips as she listened to the utter silence.

It was so quiet, and to her it was content and companiable. But she knew he wouldn't be an oaf. No matter how delayed, she decided she could answer. For the sake of keeping some words alive.. because she didn't want to think about the girlish half of her brain. Of what it was contemplating and moaning about.

"Of cours you wont be an oaf," she said with a soft laugh, still smiling while her eyes continued to descend into his.

She tried to pull herself out, but she was falling, rather quickly, into the blue. It took her a few moments to collect her thoughts as she let go of a sigh, coaxed from her gently. For what seemed like the thousandth time she recaptured herself, pulling herself from the safety of his eyes..

[Anonymous]

Kael's thoughts had wanderred into the realm of daydreams, but quickly snapped back with the sound of her sigh. For a thousandth of a second he was alarmed, but quickly realized there was no danger. Well, no immediate danger, anyway. He mentally grimaced, not particularly wanting to think of the future at the moment. His lips echoed her smile, which had originally been his.

It seemed like they sat here for enternity, and Kael privately thought he could sit here for a lifetime more. Each moment was like a syrupy sweet on a summer day. Lazily, Kael stretched, and reached back to scratched his shoulderblade. Unable to reach the awkward place, he readjusted the angle of his arm and stretched it until he found the spot that had been itching. Concentrating, he scratched it, but to no avail.  He made a frustrated noise and dropped his arm, wanting to pout. Wisely, though, he didn't, remembering quite well this time how unflattering it was. Well, unflattering if he didn't want to look like a young girl. Which he didn't.