An Unexpected Meeting
Nov 4, 2020 18:31:30 GMT -5
Post by Zenith on Nov 4, 2020 18:31:30 GMT -5
Zenith had expected any number of words to come out of the drow’s mouth, but ‘respect’? Was abso-fragging-lutely not on the list. The mere thought of a doofus like him earning the respect of someone as calm and cool and collected as Halrae was laughable. It was impossible. It was the kind of slag that showed up in penny dreadfuls and nowhere else.
It made him a little giddy, if we’re being honest, but ‘giddy’ and ‘Zenith’ went together as naturally as peanut butter and jelly.
Alas, his glee was fairly short-lived. The conversation turned yet again, and even relative noncombatant Zee could all but feel the shadows of the past gathering around them. This, he knew right down to his struts, Was Important. Important to Halrae, important to the people she’d once shared her life with, important to who and what she had become. It behooved him to shut up and listen for once in his life, no matter how badly he itched to reach out and gather his new friend up in a tight hug.
Later, he told himself firmly, Later. There will be time for hugs later. Right now you’d likely get stabbed for your efforts.
“I’m sorry,” He apologized, his tone and body language visibly sobering. Even his wings drooped a little, a perfect mirror of their owner’s emotions. “I didn’t think that one through all the way. That one’s on me. I’ll make sure I don’t do it again. Or... well. I can’t promise I’ll get it right, but I’ll do the best I can.”
See Zee. See Zee fumble and flail and try really fragging hard to do this ‘making friends’ thing the right way.friends are hard, man
Still feeling awkward, Zee glanced away and settled back on his heel thrusters. There were, as Halrae herself had realized, two conversations going on simultaneously here. While both revolved around the same word, they involved two vastly different concepts. Not for the first time- or the fiftieth, for that matter- he found himself wishing organics were capable of understanding electromagnetic ‘field-talk’. It would be so much easier to have this conversation when there was a clear distinction between home/place/dwelling and home/cohort/place-of-belonging.
Language: it’s hard, folks.
“I’m always happy to talk,” He added, wings hitching up a notch or two. “About just about anything, but, uh- I’m glad some of it’s been useful. I don’t think you’ll need to worry too much about surviving here, though? I know it’s probably hard to imagine after the Underdark, but no one really seems out to get anyone else here. It’s a lot harder to justify taking a swing at someone who may or may not have six dragons ready to breathe fire at anyone who messes with their bondmate.”
That was the theory, at any rate, and like any theory it didn’t always pan out. He was just... gonna ignore that little detail for the sake of brevity.
((Just Making A Few Preparations, 'gather', 490 words.))
It made him a little giddy, if we’re being honest, but ‘giddy’ and ‘Zenith’ went together as naturally as peanut butter and jelly.
Alas, his glee was fairly short-lived. The conversation turned yet again, and even relative noncombatant Zee could all but feel the shadows of the past gathering around them. This, he knew right down to his struts, Was Important. Important to Halrae, important to the people she’d once shared her life with, important to who and what she had become. It behooved him to shut up and listen for once in his life, no matter how badly he itched to reach out and gather his new friend up in a tight hug.
Later, he told himself firmly, Later. There will be time for hugs later. Right now you’d likely get stabbed for your efforts.
“I’m sorry,” He apologized, his tone and body language visibly sobering. Even his wings drooped a little, a perfect mirror of their owner’s emotions. “I didn’t think that one through all the way. That one’s on me. I’ll make sure I don’t do it again. Or... well. I can’t promise I’ll get it right, but I’ll do the best I can.”
See Zee. See Zee fumble and flail and try really fragging hard to do this ‘making friends’ thing the right way.
Still feeling awkward, Zee glanced away and settled back on his heel thrusters. There were, as Halrae herself had realized, two conversations going on simultaneously here. While both revolved around the same word, they involved two vastly different concepts. Not for the first time- or the fiftieth, for that matter- he found himself wishing organics were capable of understanding electromagnetic ‘field-talk’. It would be so much easier to have this conversation when there was a clear distinction between home/place/dwelling and home/cohort/place-of-belonging.
Language: it’s hard, folks.
“I’m always happy to talk,” He added, wings hitching up a notch or two. “About just about anything, but, uh- I’m glad some of it’s been useful. I don’t think you’ll need to worry too much about surviving here, though? I know it’s probably hard to imagine after the Underdark, but no one really seems out to get anyone else here. It’s a lot harder to justify taking a swing at someone who may or may not have six dragons ready to breathe fire at anyone who messes with their bondmate.”
That was the theory, at any rate, and like any theory it didn’t always pan out. He was just... gonna ignore that little detail for the sake of brevity.
((Just Making A Few Preparations, 'gather', 490 words.))