takewing | (no subject)

[It's not far. A few bends, a few twists, a turn … and the forest opens up into a riverside clearing.

Somebody has been busy: there's a little shelter perched in the thick branches of a willow tree, made of dry wood and lashed together securely with vines. Below it, towards the center of the small clearing, is a banked fire.

The river is rippling.]

[well. . . this is new. does someone live out here? he proceeds with caution to the edge of the river]

Anyone home?

[. . .]

[a familiar head suddenly pops out of the water!]

[blinks]

[then stares]

[he isn't aware of her hydrophobia yet]

What're you doin', Bluebird?

[STARES BACK]

S-Swimming. Or something like that.

[Hauls herself inelegantly out of the water, hands shaking. SHE . . . is not wearing anything, but she regularly forgoes clothing, so nbd.]

[HE'S COOL ABOUT IT, this is casual nakedness, not sexy nakedness. he knows the difference. crouching down to help her out of the water, taking note of her shaking hands]

. . . you okay? Did you see somethin' down there that made ya nervous?

[Clinging a bit more tightly to his hands than she otherwise might! She relaxes significantly as soon as she's out of and away from the river, though the shivers don't abate entirely.]

. . . You, er. Don't know?

. . . no.

Should I?

[glancing around the area for a towel or something to dry her off with]

[There's no towel! But he might spot her cloak folded up on a low-hanging branch nearby.]

[Bluebird pulls up a smile, thin and utterly false.]

Ah, well . . . water and I don't mix well.

[If he has any memories of being outside of Harri's tavern, he may remember that Osnova is -- unlike the rest of Pyxis -- very, very wet.]

[tugs her cloak down and drapes t over her shoulders]

"Don't mix well." Is that an understatement?

[he doesn't, sadly. not yet, anyway]

A vast one.

[Draws the cloak closer around herself, nestling into it.]

You'd think that after centuries of life, I might have discovered the secret behind paddling.

[drawing it together in front of her, keeping his hands wrapped around the cloth]

. . . never learned to swim, huh?

To be perfectly fair, learning is difficult when the only thing on your mind is sheer blind panic.

[there's a hint of snark in there, but it's curiously . . . flat.]

[h-honey]

Then panic's what you've gotta deal with first, not swimmin'.

I've been alternating. Panic one day, swimming the next.

You never know when you might find yourself in deep water, after all.

Aha ha. . . s'true, s'true.

[lifts a hand and tugs at a lock of her wet hair]

I admire your courage.

[dips her head with the tug, with a soft huff.]

Courage? I'd call it a blend of stubborn pride and necessity, myself.

[she sneaks a hand out from under her cloak to reach for one of his own.]

Edited 2014-07-28 02:41 (UTC)

If that's what it takes for you to show a li'l courage, then I'm not complainin'.

[look he isn't even fussing her about pushing herself. wraps his fingers around hers with a bright smile]

[She tries to smile back, but once again, it falls a little flat.]

If you like. Anyway, what are you doing out here so late in the day? Hunting for the morrow?

[tugs on him a bit, heading for the banked fire.]

That was the plan, though I s'pose it might be gettin' too dark for that soon.

[following her]

What're you doin' out here?

[as he asks, he gestures to the hut she made]

Unwinding. Possibly camping, as well; I haven't made up my mind yet.

[Arranges her cloak so that she can sit on it without removing it. COLD AIR IS COLD.]

Unwinding from. . .?

[plopping onto the ground next to her]

. . .

[concentrates on poking the fire back to life instead of answering]

[. . . aaand repeating]

Unwinding from. . .?

[MY WHAT A FASCINATING FIRE THIS IS]

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