Song of the Sea [Juno]

DragonSong · June 23, 2018, 09:43:58 PM

Ash smiled, almost despite herself. "I missed you too," she told him. She gave a little squeak of surprise when he "hugged" her again, but it...felt nice. She burrowed against him for a few moments longer, sighing quietly in relief.

"You're warm," she murmured, almost in a tone of realization.

Juno · June 23, 2018, 11:12:05 PM

'Warmer than the fire?' That surprised him, but perhaps it shouldn't have given how well she'd traveled upon his back in only a nightgown.

Yan set the blanket down gently, pushing it towards her. 'You'd be warmer if you changed,' he reminded her, adding sheepishly, 'There's also some plants...foods? I thought you might know how to prepare them.'

DragonSong · June 23, 2018, 11:16:46 PM

Her smile widened and she knelt to open the bundle. "Oh...Yan." She looked up at him with some combination of guilt and gratitude on her face. "Thank you so much, but...how did you get all this?"

Juno · June 24, 2018, 12:18:37 AM

The dragon crouched low to the floor of the cave, huffing and looking away with guilt at her question. He knew he'd stolen, but he'd tried his best to minimize the impact it would have. 'I found a village...there were things outside but the people were asleep.'

DragonSong · June 24, 2018, 05:49:55 AM

Ash looked down at the clothes and food, bit her lip, looked back to Yan, then sighed and let her shoulders slump.

She wasn't exactly in a position to be picky. And he'd only done it for her, he obviously felt bad about it, which made her feel guilty in turn.

"Okay." She started gathering up the warmest looking clothes and smiled up at him. "Do you remember where it is? After all this we can go visit and leave some coin or something..."

Not that she had any on her. Or knew where she could get some. She'd worry about that later.

Smiling again, she patted Yan's chest gently as she stood and gave him another quick, one-armed hug before she hurried back into the shelter of the cave to change into the warmer clothes. "Just gimme a minute."

Juno · June 24, 2018, 09:49:15 AM

Yan's eyes brightened at her acceptance, relieved he wasn't going to get a scolding for what he'd done for her. 'I remember... I can take you there,' he assured her, having no idea what he could do for the people he'd stolen from but knowing it was at least right to try something.

He turned his head, following her with his eyes as she left him, uncertain why she was moving away at first until he caught sight of the clothes she'd gathered. He'd remembered her sense of modesty then, a low rumble of understanding echoing through his chest.

The dragon turned himself around to grant her some privacy from his eyes, looking out instead towards the sun still climbing over the horizon to spill light into the cave.

DragonSong · June 24, 2018, 10:52:42 PM

The half-selkie girl sighed with relief as she shrugged gratefully into some proper clothes. "Alright, ready!" she chirped, almost skipping back toward Yan with her now thoroughly ratty nightgown bundled up into the little pack he'd made. She held some sort of root vegetable-- she didn't recognize it, but she was starving-- in her other hand, munching on it.

Juno · June 25, 2018, 10:04:35 AM

Yan turned his head to watch her approach as soon as she'd spoken the words. He eyed the vegetable in her hand curiously and watched her jaw as she chewed. Bowing his head to her he nudged it gently with a soft snort as he inhaled the earthy scent.

Without giving much thought he assumed his human form, leaning in close to study it at a more comfortable level. "May I try some? I've never tasted these before," he murmured, his voice a little rough from disuse.

DragonSong · June 25, 2018, 10:22:03 PM

Ash had to bite back a squeal and jerked her head back as he leaned in, suddenly very aware of how close they were standing.

"Um, y-yeah. Sure." She held the vegetable out to him, feeling her face heat. "You, um...aren't you cold, like this?"

Juno · June 26, 2018, 10:02:56 AM

He took a small bite, not wanting to take too much of her food when he could easily hunt for himself. Chewing slowly and delicately to savor it and learn the flavor he arched a brow at her question and briefly turned his head to look out at the island just outside of their little hideaway.

"A little more than normal, but I can manage. Skin is different from scales, but...still have my fire," Yan reminded her with a lighthearted smile, reaching out to press the back of his hand against her breastbone for a moment so she might feel it for herself.

"That tastes good, though...I should find where they grow. Or maybe they can't without human help."

DragonSong · June 26, 2018, 09:05:10 PM

((I'm sorry I completely forgot— does Yan have clothes right now??))

Has just stared at his hand pressing against her chest, suddenly completely at a loss for words. "Um...y-yeah," she squealed our eventually, eyes wide as she snapped them back up to his face. "Right. You can be a gardening sea dragon."

She was babbling suddenly, and she didn't quite know how to stop.

Juno · June 26, 2018, 10:40:23 PM

((Yes!! Sorry, I forgot to say. He keeps his clothes with transforming.))

Yan snorted and chuckled, shaking his head gently as he let his hand fall away from her. "Is that what it's called? I have so much to learn still," he lamented mildly, not bothered in the least if such lessons would come from Aishling.

"Did you have a garden back...home?" he questioned, uncertain if he should really have been calling where she lived with her father home if the girl was still feeling cross with her him. Yan found himself staring into her eyes, though, and studying her with a quiet intensity he was oblivious to.

DragonSong · June 26, 2018, 11:06:12 PM

She smiled and nodded as he pulled his hand back, relaxing a bit now that he was no longer touching her. What the hell had that been about?

"Yeah, a little one." She shrugged. "Mostly some herbs and stuff. Not a lot of flowers really grow back-- back home." She stumbled over the word herself.

Juno · June 26, 2018, 11:56:37 PM

He tilted his head thoughtfully, eyeing the bundle he'd brought for her. There were several different plants inside, but he didn't know enough about them to tell exactly what any of them were. He mostly just knew it wasn't grass.

"Did you want flowers?" he asked sadly, lifting his head to meet her eyes again. "I could go back and try to find some."

DragonSong · June 27, 2018, 12:02:02 AM

"Oh--!" Ash blinked, then laughed and shook her head. "No no, that wasn't what I meant," she chuckled, reaching up to pat his shoulder without thinking. "You've already done enough, Yan, really."

Juno · June 27, 2018, 06:25:22 AM

The young dragon stared at her for a long moment, his lips pursing slightly in indecision before he nodded in acceptance. Lifting an arm he settled his hand to cup gently over her own smaller hand upon his shoulder. "You would tell me if you did?" he pressed, desperately wanting to make sure she would have whatever it was she might need while she was under his care.

DragonSong · June 27, 2018, 06:29:53 AM

Gods how was he so sweet?

With a little shake of her head, Ash leaned forward rather impulsively to peck his cheek. "I would," she assured quietly. "But you're my friend Yan, not my servant. You're already doing so much for me, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to pay you back!"

Juno · June 27, 2018, 07:33:10 AM

Yan froze at the contact, the touch of her lips feeling much different against skin than it ever had with scales. His cheeks went quite red as he listened to her, nodding along in agreement and then shaking his head with a small huff.

"I...don't want you to pay me back," he reminded her. "I just want to take care of you."

DragonSong · June 27, 2018, 07:35:53 AM

She blinked at him. It wasn't the first time he'd said that, but...

"Okay, but why?" she pressed, tilting her head. She wasn't even entirely sure why she asked, she just felt like she should. "You've done more for me than— well. Than anyone. I get that you want to help me because we're friends. If our places were switched I'd want to help you, too. But you're doing more than just helping me, you're...guarding me. Guiding me. Caring for me. Why is that so important?"

Juno · June 27, 2018, 08:47:24 AM

The dragon studied her face for a moment, tilting his head thoughtfully before dropping his eyes away in frustration. It was so difficult to understand or even explain why his instincts were driving him to do what he'd been doing for her all along. He had his suspicions, but nothing had really settled in as ringing true yet.

"Something here...tells me I should," he tried to offer, settling a hand over his chest as if he could simply show her. "Does it...bother you? Should I stop?"