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]

[Aara barely registers when he pulls his hand free.]

So... what is it like? Sailing, and being on a ship? Did you like the work you did?

[Aara looks around the table as she talks.]

What now?

[stillseecracks]

Um-- n-now, we-- we cut the pieces i-in--into s-squares.

[Xanth steps away from the table, then hunts up two pairs of scissors. He hands one off to Aara, then starts cutting a square of his own.]

Here, I, I-I'll cut this-- a-and then y-you can use it a-as-- as a g-guideline. O-Okay?

[Unfortunately, Aara's other questions got put on the shelf, but Xanth hasn't forgotten about them! Just give him a minute...]

[angha_firebird]

[Nodding, Aara watches Xanth work,leaning closer for a moment, then leaning away. She didn't want to crowd him.]

I can do that.

[stillseecracks]

O-Okay.

[Xanth finishes clipping the one square out, sets that on the table in front of Aara, and then starts cutting another square out. The dimensions are slightly different, as he doesn't have a guide, but they're pretty close.]

B-But, um, yeah. I... I-I liked it-- a-a lot. N-Not so much for-- for th-the work, but...

[He grins, lopsided but fond.]

I--I've always-- l-liked the ocean. S-So working o-out on it... th-that was n-nice.

Gah so many typoes in my last taaaaag. D<

[angha_firebird]

[Aara accepts the square when Xanth is done cutting both out, so they would be relatively even. Then she begins making careful, precise squares out of the material assembled.]

Like this?

[She listens to him talk, and a yearning similar to her want and need to fly assails her. She wants to see the ocean. More than anything. She wants to soar above the waves.]

It sounds really nice. [She smiles, trying to imagine it, but she can't. That disappoints her most of all.] One day, I will see the ocean.

i didn't even notice o:

[stillseecracks]

L--Like that.

[Xanth turns to Aara, then looks down at his work again. As there is no ocean in the Keep, Xanth doubts he'll ever see one again, and he doubts Aara will, either.

But he doesn't want to crush her hopes. And after all, maybe this would be different. Maybe the promise of their worlds being returned to them would come true.]

Wh...when you do, l...l-look for a b-beach, i-instead of just-- a p-port. Beaches are r-really nice.

Lol! In our cupcake thread. ;o;

[angha_firebird]

[She smiles, busily continuing her work, a small hum resonating in her throat. At Xanth's comment, Aara glances up from her work.]

What does a beach look like? How is it different?

[And how will she know when she finds one?]

so cute ;u;

[stillseecracks]

W-Well... a--a beach is sandy, o-or rocky, a-and it... slopes down i--into the w-water. A--A port has docks and-- harbors instead, s-so, the-- the water i-isn't great to s--swim in.

Th--there's a beach o-on the lake, here, wh-which is... k-kind of like the ocean, b-but, much-- much s--smaller.

Daaaw, you think so? :3

[angha_firebird]

[She didn't know what sand was, but she knew mountains were made of rock. Maybe she was closer to a beach than she thought!]

I live on rock!

[Okay, that wasn't exactly what she meant to say, but it would be exciting if she was closer to the ocean than she thought. Then, another word fills her with awe and yearning.]

Swim...?

[She could not stop herself. She compared everything to flying.]

You swim... in water... right?

[There was a beach here?! Abruptly Aara stands, fabric and scissors still in hand--as if she was about to go out to the lake and swim right now. Then a deep blush steals over her cheeks, and she looks at Xanth before slowly sitting back down, avoiding eye contact. Right. She promised she would help him. She would finish this first. Then she would go 'swim.' Poor dear doesn't realize how hard a time it will be.]

very yes!

[stillseecracks]

[Xanth can't hide a grin at Aara's enthusiasm, but he immediately feels guilty for it.]

Y-Yeah. You've-- y-you've never-- been s-swimming?

[If Aara were from a desert, Xanth could easily understand that. But she didn't look like anyone native from a desert... in fact, she looked more like him than any other comparison Xanth could draw.]

Hee yaaay!

[angha_firebird]

[A slow head shake.]

We--my Clan--does not take to swimming very often. [If at all.] We have mountains, and rolling green hills. A few rivers nearby.

Ah...

The girls... well... we rarely left the vicinity of the Keep. There were jagged rocks to climb, and rolling hills to race upon, but...

No swimming...

[Now, flying, on the other hand...]

[stillseecracks]

W-Well... there's-- n-no reason not to n-now, right? And-- th-the water's nice when it-- g-gets warm.

[If it gets warm.]

I-It's not-- too hard to l-learn how. And-- th-the shallows are-- p-pretty mild.

[angha_firebird]

There will be time after we're done making this, am I right? t will be worth the wait.

[She's not so worried about it being warm as she possibly should be...]

Do you swim, Xanth? Would you... maybe want to go with me? Sometime?

[stillseecracks]

[There would certainly be time after they work on the blankets. Xanth doesn't expect to work until they're finished, after all.

To whether he can swim, Xanth nods, and then to Aara's next question, he grins.]

Y-Yeah. That-- s-sounds fun. I-I've been... swimming f-for a-- a few years now, s-so...

[The offer of tutelage is unspoken, but present.]

[angha_firebird]

[Aara beams at that, heart suddenly feeling light.]

So you... can show me how.

[It was a slight question--and slightly piecing together what Aara thought Xanth had been about to say. She was excited for this, and began cutting out her squares with renewed vigor.]