forum When night falls, when dawn breaks; the veil tears, the Earth shakes. // One on One // OPEN

Started September 02, 2019 by @croccin-champagne

tune

Jin smiled. "Oh it is." At the stomach rumble, he laughed. "Wow, for someone who isn't hungry, your stomach sure is loud." He teased.

"Uneasy. Not hungry. It's just uneasy." Miyaki lied, shifting her gaze away from his as she wrapped her arms around her gut as though that would quiet it.

"Mm, if you say so." Jin replied, raising an eyebrow a little. But he didn't pressure her about it.

There was no hassle at the gates, and then they were outside the palace walls, headed down the road that led to the village just a short walk away. The village that Miyaki had always felt just a little more welcomed in than in the palace. Because the people in the village were more accepting, and more willing to turn on their own people, when those people decided Miyaki was a great source of horrid entertainment.

"It's just a walk down that way. It'll be more quiet than it is during the morning market, and the street lights should be on. They're so pretty when the sun is setting."

Jin nodded a little. "Alright." he replied. He preferred sunset over sunrise, because it meant the stars were coming out. It would mean that his Night was coming. He had always been able to relax better under the stars.

Miyaki hummed as they walked, nodding her head side to side and getting lost in her own thoughts as she did. The light from the setting sun set her skin aglow, the markings on her face contrasting that. She looked relaxed and unguarded, like she did in the inventor's tower, or like she had that night under the moonlight during the actual lesson part of the lesson. She didn't look uncomfortable in her own skin.

Jin watched her for a long moment, eyes flickering over her, then he looked away again. He sighed. "So, how much farther?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, we're almost there. We can see the village from here." Miyaki said, opening her eyes and pointing. In the near distance, the road dipped down over the crest of the hill. They reached the hill a minute later, and Miyaki pulled Jin to a stop, gesturing out over the village visible from up on the hill. "See? Look at all the street lights! And over there is where they hold they market, and festivals like the Solstice Festival."

Jin smiled a little. "Oh, that's cool." he replied, eyes studying the village for a long moment. He glanced over at Miyaki, a faint smile flashing over his face, then he turned back to the village. "And you're sure they will be alright with the High Lord of the Night Court walking into their town?"

Miyaki studies him for a second, head tilted and eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to them. But…maybe take off a couple un necessary articles of clothing. And…here.” She reached up, standing on her toes, to muss up his hair a little bit, fingers brushing his cheeks as she lowered again. “Smile, too. If you can. A smile is the best form of greeting.”

Jin nodded. "Which articles are unnecessary, then?" he asked, raising an eyebrow a little. He gave a smile that was almost more of a grimace. "There." he looked down at her.

“On second thought, maybe don’t smile unless you can manage a real one.” Miyaki teased, shaking her head with a small laugh. “Jackets, over shirts, that kind of thing. Many Fae around her avoid shoes if they can, too.”

Jin rolled his eyes, and the "smile" vanished. "I am not removing my jacket, thank you. I don't wear clothing that isn't necessary." he ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up in curly waves all over his head.

Miyaki sighed, shaking her head. “Our Fae don’t like clothing they can live without.” She explained, motioning to her own simple enough clothing. Even the jacket earlier had been a bit much for her, but it had sort of covered the hickeys.

Jin shook his head a little. "No, Miyaki. If I stand out, then I stand out." he looked at her for a long moment, studying her, then turned away again. "I am not removing the jacket." He wore short sleeves beneath it; he wasn't going to risk taking off his jacket and showing what lay underneath. He could hide it with glamour, but that was tiring.

“Okay, okay. Hey, you can do what you want, you know.” Miyaki said, her voice dropping to a soothing sort of murmur, even as she’d taken a step back. You pushed. Whatever his reasons are, you should have shut up. You know that.

Jin raised an eyebrow a little. "I know." He replied, recovering his calm. "But the jacket stays on." He shifted, looking at her carefully. He had hid the marks on his arms last night; had kept the glamour up all night. But that tired him, and he didn't want to do it for too long.

Miyaki just nodded, gaze on the ground instead of looking at him. Her arms were wrapped around herself again, and she was closing off quickly. “Are you-do you think you’re ready?”

Jin sighed quietly. "Yeah. Let's go." He replied, running a hand through his hair again. He was a little more tense than usual. For one, there was the trouble on the border. For two, he hadn't heard from Morrigan since she left. Three…just general stress.

With only a glance at him, Miyaki started down the hill, a small smile flickering past her closed off expression as she took the hill a little quicker than she should, like she loved to do. The village started at the bottom of the hill, and as soon as she stepped foot into the thicket of small buildings, houses and shops and things, she was met with various waves and greetings in the Dawn Fae’s common tongue.

Jin stayed beside her, his face cautious and nearly expressionless, save for the faint spark of curiosity in his features. He clasped his hands behind his back, silent since he couldn't participate in the discussions. He didn't know the common tongue of the Dawn Court, so he didn't speak.

Miyaki opened up fairly quickly again, smiling warmly at the different Fae who greeted her. Children, teens, and adults alike seemed happy to see her, even saying hello to Jin best they could. Miyaki was crouched down on the side of the street, chatting with a little boy who looked absolutely enraptured by her, when she was suddenly pulled up and into a hug by an older boy with pale and shimmery hair. He rambled something happily in the Dawn Fae's tongue, before looking over her shoulder at Jin, switching languages as he tilted his head.

"And who's he? Isn't that the High Lord?" He asked, yellow eyes flickering over Jin's form as he let go of Miyaki, who nodded.

Jin nodded to the boy, recognizing the tongue now. "Indeed I am." he replied with a quick smile. "And you are?" he arched an eyebrow. He did his best not to look to scary or threatening.

"Uriah Hasworth." The teen said, stepping away from Miyaki. He was a little bit taller than her, but not by too much, though he was much thinner than her as well. In fact, most of the Fae they had seen were. That was how Dawn Fae were built, a product of the food they ate and had been eating for years. "You two out here on official things, or…oh! You're on your way to see Levia!"

Jin nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to show her some actual food. No offense. Food from the Night Court, I mean. She said that this Levia person is the only person who might know how to cook it."

Uriah whispered something to Miyaki in their language, his words making her bright red and unable to form any sort of response other than stuttered words. He grinned, apparently receiving his answer, and nodded. "Night Court food, huh? I think I saw a book like that on her shelf." A shout drew his attention, and the points of his ears gradually grew red as his eyes widened. "I, uh, gotta go. Stop by more often, Miya. You can meet Jon." And with that, he was gone, leaving a still red Miyaki alone with Jin.

Jin raised an eyebrow a little. "Can I ask what he said?" he asked Miyaki. "I don't speak that language. So I have no idea what's happening." for all the High Lord knew, she was organizing a mob to string him up. He knew she wouldn't do that, but she could.

"He uh-" Miyaki choked on her words for a moment, shaking her head. She couldn't look him directly in the eyes as she spoke, fiddling with her hands. "Said that this was basically a date. Going out to eat, with each other. It's-I can get why he'd think that, but-"

Jin laughed softly. "Mm. I don't have a problem with that." he replied, smirking a little as he looked over at Miyaki. "But I'm hungry. Let's go."

"Right, right, sorry-oh." Miyaki's words cut off as she realized what he'd said first, and she covered her face with a hand, steps faltering. "Y-you don't?"