002. (v2) [audio]

[stillseecracks]

[A recent conversation with Kairi led to her finding a skirt in his nest of clothing on Xanth's bed.

He was using it as a blanket, honest. It had just been so much simpler to bed down in clothes instead of having someone make blankets. But he doesn't want a repeat of this event, so...]U-Uhm, uh, s-so

Comments

[angha_firebird]

Xanth? We...met at the stables. I don't know if you remember...

I know how to sew. A little. [A very little.]

I would be happy to help, if you still need it. I might not be able to sew very fast, though...

[angha_firebird]

Hi. [Aara smiles back, grinning until Xanth comes to her aid. Her eyes widen and she blushes, mouth opening to voice protest but not sound comes out.]

You don't have to-- [But it's too late, and Aara presses her lips together and ducks her head]

Thank you.

So. How can I help?

[stillseecracks]

[Xanth flashes Aara a quick grin, then sets his half of the clothing on a table.]

F-First, uh, we-- w-we sort it, th-then we... c-cut it into s--squares. Th--they don't a-all have to be the s-same size, but th--that would be good.

[He spreads the clothes out, seeing what Aara has found.]

[angha_firebird]

[Listening carefully, Aara nods, then looks over all the material gathered before moving to place her armload next to his.]

It may be easier to make a few larger squares of the same relative dimensions, so the sewing will go faster.

[She peeks up at Xanth curiously to see what he thought of that.]

[stillseecracks]

Y--Yeah, [he replies with a nod. That said, he starts spreading the two piles and separating the clothes.]

S-Sort by fabrics, s-so maybe i-it'll be... y-you know, a-- a little even, a-at least.

[He flashes Aara a quick, sheepish grin.]

[angha_firebird]

[Nodding herself, Aara sets to work helping Xanth sort, and offering his certain fabrics that were in piles closer to him. She was smiling, imagining an uneven blanket and Xanth's expression if he saw something that wasn't quite what he had in mind--even with limited resources. She couldn't help it as a breathy giggle escaped.]

How cold do you think this place can get?

[stillseecracks]

W-Well, uh, it-- i-it might... not get c-cold? I-I was in a-- a place k-kind of like this, o-once before, and... th-the weather didn't change m-much at all.

[Granted, there were some changes to the environment, but they were rarely changes to the weather.

He shrugs.]

Th--then again, this-- this place m-might be different.

LOL almost responded as ChloeAara pffft

[angha_firebird]

[Aara considers his words quietly, listening with interest and tilting her head to one side.]

You were in a place like this before? [Her heartbeat starts beating more rapidly, though she isn't sure if it's from fear, excitement, or something else entirely.] So... so was I. What was it like? Living there?

[Was Xanth... angha? Could it be possible? Was he the same as she? Pale where others were... dark?

Do you... get cold easily?

[stillseecracks]

[Xanth opens his mouth to reply to Aara's original question, but she catches him with another. He can't help a quizzical look - if he didn't get cold easily, he wouldn't need extra blankets.

Well, that, and he likes to nest.]

U-Um-- not... s-super easily, b-but... w-when I sleep, y-yeah. Wh--why?

[angha_firebird]

[Aara ducks her head, moving to tuck her hair behind her ear as she does so.]

Oh. No... I was just--

[She presses her lips together, as if in an unconscious effort to hold the words back, then sighs and finally glances up at him.]

Sorry. I was getting ahead of myself. But... please. You said you lived in a place like this one?

[stillseecracks]

[Biting his lip, Xanth nods again.]

Y--Yeah. It... i-it wasn't a castle, i-it was a sh-- a ship, b-but it... i-it was a... a place be--between worlds.

[angha_firebird]

Oh.

[It wasn't a castle? Could it still be a place where she was born?]

A place between worlds?

[stillseecracks]

Y--Yeah. I-I mean I-- I-I wasn't b-born there, but that's... w-where I was f-for the last... y-year or so.

[Xanth frowns thoughtfully down at the clothing, but he hasn't stopped sorting.]

[angha_firebird]

Oh.

[Well there went that hope. Her expression falls as she looks down at her lap.]

Where were you born? If you do not mind my curiosity...

[stillseecracks]

U-Um... a-another world. My-- m-my home world. I-It was... s-sort of like this place too, b-but, in-- i-in a-- a different way.

L-Like, we had c-castles, and-- c-cobbled roads, and torchlight... a-and the-- th-the fashions were... n-not that different, e-either.

[Xanth holds up a shirt. It's still soft and woolen, but it's more elaborate than some other pieces. It's so ruffly.]

[angha_firebird]

[A soft smile finds Aara's lips as she listens to his description of it.]

Sounds similar to my home. I grew up in a place like this, too. Or... for as much as I remember of it. I like the torchlight. It... comforts me. Reminds me of warmth--the sun on a warm day. Hope. Familiarity.

[Few things about this place brought along that warm feeling, however. Most of her memories brought along mainly guilt, and sadness.]

The...fashion... of where I am used to living was usually pretty simple. [She motions down to her pale cotton dress.] Mostly like this. My clan... they kept to themselves.