So watch, we'll self-implode

[Anonymous]

Summer was a bittersweet blessing to Gemini Stone. Father spent much more time indoors around this time of the year — the sunlight irritated his condition — and as a result, the heir put up with less lectures and had a lot more free time to toy with... for better, or for worse.

Thankfully, today it was for the better. A few weeks ago he'd received an invitation for a hunt, hosting by a noble in Featherfall. Who invited him was inconsequential — in fact, if the name hadn't been inscribed on the card, he would've forgotten it by now. The heir was simply glad for a chance to get out of the House, and a hunt, on a fine summer's day as this, sounded like a better way than any to pass the time.

It was only for occasions like this, really, that Gemini bothered keeping a falcon. Rye, taciturn as it was, seemed to sense the business-like relationship between the two. The falcon could stretch his wings for a bit by attending these functions, and in return, it kept out of Gemini's hair.

At the picnic, the bird, on cue, left the heir's falconer's glove and took to the skies, knowing full well to give his master some space. It seemed as if the picnic had just begun; he had arrived comfortably on time. It would probably be best, before he did anything else, to thank the host of this event for the invitation — if he could remember their name... or recall what they looked like. Gods, his apathy for formalities would one day be the end of him.

[Anonymous]

Eirnin enjoyed a good hunt. Getting out into the warm sun, ride for a bit. And he always had a knack with birds. He had brought his hawk today, a sleek brown and cream female, large but still agile, her name Shaith.

He absently stroked her back, calming her as he watched one falcon take flight. The owner was a pretty boy, Heir to the House of Stone, though his name, Eirnin couldn't recall. He glanced over to ask his wife before he remembered she was at home. Hadn't been feeling well, which suited Eirnin just fine.

He took a seat near the purple haired boy, settling Shaith, "You aren't much of a falconer, are you?"

[Anonymous]

Gemini took a quick glimpse as Rye stretched his wings out into the sky, before focusing his attention back at the party. He preferred to be free of the bird's company whenever possible; having it rest on his hand wasn't the most pleasant of sensations, and he was sure Rye hated to be cooped up by his side anyway. They were both better off this way.

His crimson eyes were still scanning the picnic's landscape, in the hopes that one of the faces would trigger the memory of the name he'd read on that invitation, but, to no avail, a name didn't come to mind. What brought him out of his thoughts was a man with long, dark hair, who promptly sat next to him. At his astute observation, Gemini grinned.

"You're right about that," he noted, placing his left hand over his right, the one which donned his falconer's glove. "What gave it away?" The bird's standoffishness? The relieved expression that crossed his features when it had taken flight? This one seemed a lot more at ease with his hawk — he almost envied that kind of seamless relationship.

[Anonymous]

"I would say the general disdain you two have for each other. Not that I can blame you." Eirnin smirked, gesturing to the other people, "Most of these people wouldn't know how to deal with a bird. They spoil them, but you can see the fear on most of them."

He stroked Shaith's feathers, "Personally, I think how a man handles his bird says a lot about them."

[Anonymous]

"Ah, so you've seen through me — and so quickly, at that!" the heir said, with a grin, placing a hand over his heart at the stranger's observation. "We aren't fond of each other, no." He paused, casting his eyes skyward. "I find it difficult to hold affection for a tool."

Gemini had not paid much attention to the other nobles yet — he still had not introduced himself to the host, after all — but he glanced over at the lot of them when the man mentioned how the others treated their birds. "Why a man would fear a bird is beyond me," the heir noted, scanning over the faces of the nobles.

It was true, really — they did seem uncomfortable around their birds that sat close to them. While Gemini may not have been particularly chummy with Rye, he at least felt no fear having him sit by his side. A hint of a smirk etched itself onto his features. "I suppose the lengths some people will go to in order to show off are endless."

"Personally, I think how a man handles his bird says a lot about them."

"Do you think so, truly?" A grin tugged at his lips. "If a man shows disdain for his bird, then what does that say about him, I wonder?"

[Anonymous]

"You must not pay attention. Why do you think there are so many one-eyed handlers?" Eirnin shook his head, tisking, "You really should use your eyes better. And the man who shows disdain for his bird is simply a fool."

How dull. Pretty, but fluffy and stupid like the rest of the party. Eirnin felt a little disappointed and scratched the back of Shaith's head, "What's your name, if I may ask?"

[Anonymous]

Ah, he hadn't bothered to notice before — the many one-eyed handlers who took care of their birds. Granted, Gemini was not the most observant person when it came to other nobles — as a whole, he could care less about them, despite coming here to socialize with them.

Even now, the topic didn't interest him. "You've captured my attention for the moment," he said lightly, dismissing the others with a wave of his hand. "Forgive me if I've been tuning everyone else out."

A fool, he'd said. He should've seen that one coming from a mile away. However, he'd been called a fool by too many people — Father, his training instructor, most of his fellow Fallian knights — for it to ever faze him in the slightest anymore. It took far too much to rattle him, in these days.

That grin of his was still intact, if not smaller and more pensive than before. "And how you treat your bird?" he asked. "What does that say about you?"

The heir had to blink back in surprise at being asked his name. Why, didn't he already know who he was? He was kind of a big deal. This was the second time now he'd ran into someone and had to introduce himself. The heir smirked, and his usual self-assured aura emanated off his form once again.

"Stone," he told him, simply. "Gemini Stone." He paused, taking a moment to examine his nails, letting his reputation introduce himself. "And yourself?"

[Anonymous]

"It says that I know how to spoil the ones I love." Eirnin smirked, though he thought for a moment at the name, "Oh yes. Rhys little boy. I've heard a few things, though I'm surprised to see you at this party."

He glanced around, the nobles not having suddenly done something interesting in the last few minutes, "I'm thinking I might just leave soon. A hunt sounded fun, but this crowd was not quite what I had expected. Ah! Name, I got carried away there. Tyrell. Eirnin Tyrell."

[Anonymous]

"Little boy?" Gemini scoffed, furrowing his brows disapprovingly. He was not a little boy, for one, and secondly, he was not sure why it would be a surprise to see him here. In fact, it should be a surprise if Gemini Stone was not at a party, in his not-so-humble opinion. He wasn't able to inquire why, and wasn't able to object to being called a 'little boy' — though he did furrow his brows disapprovingly at the word — since he claimed he was just about ready to leave.

"Not your type of scene? I can imagine why." This sort of thing wasn't exciting enough for Gemini's taste either — maybe that's why he was surprised to see him here? He couldn't say. "This crowd is lifeless as ever." He wasn't normally so quick to judge a party, of course, since it didn't take much to entertain him. Just meeting a few pretty people was enough to make his day.

Gemini didn't recognize the name, but smiled nonetheless. "A pleasure to meet you then, Eirnin," Gemini noted, with a grin. "If you know of anywhere better to waste time for the day, please, don't keep a secret." Hunts were not really Gemini's thing anyway — it seemed more like a gathering of animal enthusiasts to him, really.

[Anonymous]

"I was thinking of finding a real hunt. Anything better than more mindless chatter." Standing, Eirnin brushed his hair our of his face, the bird on his wrist shifting at the movement, "Or maybe we can go find something better back in the city."

[Anonymous]

Gemini regarded the options laid out before him, pondering, placing one hand on his hip in thought. "We've already gone through the trouble of bringing our birds out for the day," he noted. He turned his eyes toward the sky, held his right hand up, and snapped his fingers – Rye, noting the signal, swooped down, sitting blankly on the heir's wrist.  

"So, why not find a 'real' hunt?" With verbal air quotes around 'real' because Gemini Stone had no idea what constituted a 'real' hunt, not really.

[Anonymous]

"Because you don't seem like the type that would like a real hunt. You have to actually get your hands dirty." Eirnin grinned, smoothing his clothes before scratching his hawk's chest, "Think you're up for that?"