[SE] stained glass windows in my mind

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

It was hot - oppressively so, with not a cool breeze to be found in all the floating city. Soh hurried towards the Plaza, dressed to beat the heat in a cropped tank top that revealed a sliver of skin at her navel and shorts that were - for her - daringly short. They still covered everything, but she was only used to showing this much skin in a swimsuit. There was something in the way she moved that suggested discomfort - but of course most of that could probably be blamed on the heat.

Her hair was up in a messy bun to keep it off her neck, but strands had caught in the sheen of sweat along her forehead and stuck there on skin tinged red from the sun. Despite her best efforts, she'd had a light sunburn for most of Longheat so far, and she doubted that it was going to go away any time soon.

She was due to meet Zavien at a local ice cream shop, and it had been something she'd been looking forward to despite the blistering temperatures - at least, until the tremors had started the day before. It seemed that a new quake shifted the ground beneath her feet every few hours, and though it hadn't destroyed anything (yet), she had a feeling that they shouldn't ignore it. Not after everything Breakers had already been through.

Spotting the Commander through the crowd, Soh called out a hello, and when she arrived at his side, she offered a strained smile. "Hey," she said, sounding a little out of breath. "Ice cream or business first?"

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

Having grown up in Stormbreak, Zavien wasn't sure he could recall a hotter Longheat. He wasn't one for shorts, but they'd become a necessity the last few days, the cargo material breathing easier than jeans or denser fabrics. The tank tops helped too, but they were often drenched in sweat before noon, so it'd been recommended to him that he stick to the darker colors - and wear plenty of deodorant. 

Zavien wiped a layer of sweat from his forehead, the black tank top failing to make his perspiration obvious beyond the way it stuck like a second layer of skin. At least he didn't have tan lines thanks to his frequent shirtless outdoor training sessions, but that didn't make him feel any better about having to weather the stifling heat, wondering if it looked unprofessional to be dressed like this to meet his Ambassador. However, spotting Soh and her outfit, he didn't feel nearly as concerned about his attire. Apparently, they were all in agreeance that protocol and public image took second place to beating the heat. 

He offered a smile when she approached, stepping forward to meet her. "Hey." Sol trilled at his side to draw their attention, especially when ice cream was mentioned. The dragon's tail wagged in obvious favor for the first choice.

Chuckling, Zavien shook his head. "It's way too hot. Let's grab our ice cream so we don't pass out while we talk." With a nod in the direction of the stand, he guided them towards the line, peeking over heads to view the menu. His mouth was already watering, and goosebumps were already threatening to form in anticipation of the cool treat. He glanced down at Soh to ask, "What flavor do you want?"

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

It was strange to see Zavien in a tank top and shorts, but Soh supposed that her own outfit was hardly a more professional one. Besides, it would be insanity to be out in this kind of weather in anything more than what was strictly necessary. Smiling at Sol, Soh dug into her pocket for a piece of jerky. It was an old habit of hers to carry treats for companions; she felt a bitter pang in her chest at the memory of Tarak, his loss still a very present wound that refused to scab over. "Can Sol have a treat?" she asked, holding up the jerky; if Zavien agreed, she would hand it over gladly to the dragon.

As for the ice cream, Soh joined the Commander in line, looking over the options on the menu. "Hmm... I wonder what they have that's new today?" she said conversationally. "Maybe something fruity? That sounds more refreshing and light than my usual chocolate caramel." Her laugh, when it came, sounded a little tired and on edge, but that was to be expected, given the state of things. "Oh, look - blackberry swirl for me, I think."

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

The question sounded extremely absurd considering the plans pulsing down the bond. Zavien chuckled, his head nodding towards the dragon. "Always. I couldn't stop him if I tried." To prove the point, Sol gave a flap of his wings, jaws snapping delicately around the piece of jerky before he gives her a proud grumble. 

Shaking his head, Zavien turned back to the stall, squinting his eyes in an attempt to read the menu. The words kept shifting, twisting in a game of tag that he'd never win. It left him with little understanding of what choices she may want, and even less of an idea of what he wanted, but he'd just do what he usually did and wait until he got to the front. 

Zavien ran a hand through his hair, the sweat making it stand on end when he smiled down at Soh. "Perfect. I'll stay in line. Want to find us an awning?"

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

Soh's lips lilted into a smile in spite of her pained chest as Sol carefully snatched the jerky from her fingertips. It was a sight so reminiscent of Tarak that her throat tightened for a moment, and she cleared it awkwardly before looking away. "I know how that is," she said, trying for levity and - mostly - managing to succeed. "But I always like to ask, just in case."

They turn their attention to the ice cream stall, which is busier than usual given the heat and the season. Soh was perfectly content to wait in line, but after she decided on her flavor, Zavien suggested that she find an awning. Glancing around, she spotted an unoccupied bit of shade and pointed it out to the Commander. "I'll be over there," she said, unceremoniously shoving a bit of money into Zavien's hands to cover her ice cream, then disappearing before he could protest.

Under the awning, she leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest, silver gaze flickering across the crowd. The tremors had done a number on a population who still hadn't recovered completely from the Family's influence, and the people hurrying through the streets had a look of anticipation about them, as though they were expecting the next quake to appear at any moment. And it wasn't like Soh could blame them. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that if she were an average citizen, she'd be wondering how many disasters Stormbreak would be expected to take - and she might just be on the next skyship out of the floating city, just in case.

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

Zavien nodded his head at the table and awning she'd picked, making note of it so he could join her after. But his concentration was disrupted by the sudden shoving of money into his hands, the intrusion causing him to reel back. He opened his mouth, a surprised "Hey!" bursting out - and yet it fell on deaf ears, the woman already beyond reach of his scolding. With no one to hear his displeasure or bear the weight of his scowl, Zavien was left shaking his head, unable to hide the bit of disbelieving smile. 

When he got to the front of the line, he ordered Soh a large portion of blackberry swirl then picked something bright yellow for himself (anyone's guess was as good as his). He even managed to secure a small cup of whipped cream for Sol, who was making laps around his legs as he carried them towards the meeting place. 

An airy laugh bubbled forth, the color of light catching on a cloudy window. "Okay okay. Calm down. Here you go." He placed the cup onto the ground, barely avoiding the overflow of cream when the dragon's muzzle buried into the treat. 

Straightening, he offered the purple and white swirl of ice cream towards Soh along with a smile he hoped looked easy despite the feeling of responsibility and anticipation slowly settling on his chest. "And for you." Zavien sat, following her gaze to the crowd to recognize the same attempts at nonchalance on other people's faces. There was a pride in how they were handling everything, the panic remaining beneath the surface as they waited to hear what was happening with their city - waiting for him. It was a little too much, the knowledge and weight of decisions weighing heavy on him, so much that he had to look away, his jaw feathering as he looked intently down at his ice cream.

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

Zavien's startled yelp brought a sly smile to Soh's face as she determinedly departed his company to secure their table. By the time he arrived to join her, two ice creams in hand, she had settled into her seat and pasted an innocent, innocuous smile onto her face. Sol's excitement over his whipped cream had her giggling, though, and she fell into a much less professional image by the time it was all said and done, taking her ice cream from Zavien with a word of thanks and a smile before leaning her elbow on the table, propping her head on one hand, and flicking her eyes out across the crowd.

"I wish it could just be ice cream with a friend," she complained softly, so that her voice might not carry across the people pressing in around them. "Just for once, that we could meet up without some crisis on our hands." Spooning some ice cream into her mouth, she studied Zavien for a moment. He looked much as she felt - only Soh could imagine that the pressure he was under was more significant than the burden she carried. After all, she was only the Ambassador. Zavien was their Commander. All these people depended on him - and from the furrowed brows and anxious glances tossed their way, it was clear that they were waiting for... something.

"What do we know about the tremors - if anything?"

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

The laughter was a little darker this time, tinged with the cruelties of life that seem to find him even in the midst of so much light and hope. "I don't remember the last time I did that." Relaxed. 

Even with Lena - 

His thoughts stuttered, catching on the regrets and unfulfilled dreams. Swallowing down the grief, Zavien dipped his spoon into the yellow ice cream, shoving it quickly in his mouth as a distraction that proved to be more than he bargained for. His lips puckered slightly, cheeks sinking in as his eyebrows folded down. Green eyes peeked through squinting eyelids to find Soh, unable to help the small bit of an embarrassed smile. "Oooh. That's lemon."

Zavien flicked his head to clear the shock, dipping in for a second spoonful of fresh flavored ice cream. He slowed at the question, the set of his jaw shifting back to that of concern. "Only that they show no signs of stopping." No matter how many people he hired or consulted, no one knew how a floating city - with no connection to the earth - was experiencing earthquakes. It made the situation sit like a boulder in is stomach, refusing to shrink or lessen with the lack of information. It felt wrong in a way that he was trying desperately to be wrong about. 

Pushing the ice cream around his bowl, Zavien sighed. "The people are getting worried" - he was getting worried - "and it might be time to seek Safrin's help. Maybe she can tell us how to make the tremors stop..." His eyes raised to look at Soh, wondering what her thoughts might be.

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

Soh didn't miss the sudden flash of grief, and she reached out suddenly to place a hand on Zavien's arm. She felt suddenly guilty because at the end of the day, she had placed the burden of Stormbreak on him, and that was before the death of his girlfriend. It was a wonder he'd yet to crack under the pressure. "Well, you know what? I think we should make that a priority soon," she said with a soft smile. "If it wasn't so hot, I'd say we could go hang out in the Eye of the Storm, but hot springs don't sound particularly appealing right now." And she knew better than to suggest an impromptu vacation at a time like this. "What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?" Maybe that could give her some ideas.

Zavien tasted his ice cream, his face puckering at what must be a sour flavor. Soh met his smile with one of her own - not judgmental, nor laughing at him, but simply accepting the situation for what it was: a much-needed bit of levity before an otherwise difficult conversation. "Ooooo, lemon! That would have been a good choice today." She took another bite of her own ice cream, humming with contentment for a brief moment. "Maybe we should make this a weekly thing," she suggested. "But with like, no work-related talk allowed."

Her thoughtful tone shifted quickly, however, as they reached the topic of the tremors. Soh made a face at the lack of information. She wished that she could offer something more than yeah, I don't know, either. "That's a good idea," she said of Safrin. "She likes you; with any luck she'll answer, and we can put a stop to it." She paused. "Aside from talking with the gods, I was thinking about visiting some of the libraries around Caido to see if there are any records of something similar happening in the past - and what, if anything, they were able to do to stop it."

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

The comforting gesture was welcome, if not a bit surprising in the moment. He gave her a sorrowful smile, shifting his ice cream to pat her hand gently despite the rough calluses. There was a subtle, appreciative nod of his head, knowing that he wasn't the only one grieving Lena, and that he wasn't the only one in his personal grief. 

Not inclined to linger on the pain, Zavien moved his hand back to hold the ice cream, trying to shift the mood to something less somber. Soh made it easier, pulling the topic towards lounging in hot springs and hobbies. His smile brightened somewhat, amusement threading into his features. "No, a hot spring does not sound enjoyable right now." There was also the risk of the bottom breaking out from under them, but those were minor details. 

Tilting his head, Zavien tried - like, really tried - to come up with an example of something he did for fun, and yet all he could do was offer a half chuckle and a grimace as he said, "Train?" It was about all he had time for these days, the only thing he made time for, but if he thought back... Zavien smiled, recalling the long days full of giggling and whirlwind adventures. "I used to play a lot of games with the kids in the Silk Houses." His eyes took on a distant look, one that turned sad when he couldn't recall having visited them recently. 

Zavien forced his smile to brighten again, offering the question back to Soh, "What about you? What do you do for fun?"

Moving to take another bite of his ice cream, the shock of flavor began to fade, turning pleasant and refreshing in the heat. Just as she'd said, he was starting to appreciate his choice in flavors. He slid another bite in his mouth, tipping the cup forward for her to sample if she wanted. "You're welcome to have some of mine." Raising an eyebrow at her suggestion, he asked around his spoonful, "Ice cream? Or just hanging out?" He wasn't against ice cream, and Erika would certainly praise the weight it would put on him, but he might come to hate the dessert if he ate it every week. 

His expression turned serious again, his spoon arm lowering to the table so he could give the gravity of the situation his whole attention. At least she agreed with his thoughts, although he hadn't expected her to argue anyways. Still, he nodded approvingly at her addition, hoping she'd have luck finding something - anything - to help them save the city. 

"That would be perfect. Whatever Safrin says might give you a better idea of what to look for." Or maybe even where, giving her a starting point for how to search the haystack. Meeting her eyes, he added nervously, "I was thinking about going after our meeting here. It might be beneficial if you were nearby afterwards." He didn't add that it might help to talk through whatever the goddess had to say. Good or bad, they'd need to make plans, and time might be of the essence. He still didn't have a good feeling about any of this.

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

Somehow, Zavien's answer didn't surprise her. He was a Dragoon, first and foremost, and from her (admittedly limited) experience with soldiering types, it seemed that all they did was train, protect, and maybe eat and sleep. So she smiled, shaking her head affectionately, her mind straying briefly from Zavien to a similarly duty-driven Dragoon from whom she hadn't heard in quite some time.

Pulled from her thoughts by Zavien turning the question back to her, there was a brief moment where Soh was like a deer in the headlights. "Uh..." she said, swirling ice cream around in her cup. The last things she'd done for fun were... maybe not appropriate to tell the equivalent of one's boss. Somehow, she thought that playing strip poker and getting drunk over LongNight were things that she ought not share. And, really, had they been for fun, when all she'd wanted was to forget for a while?

So she thought back further. "My cartography has always been fun," she admitted. "I always annotate my maps with notes and drawings, so they're a bit like functional art. Even when I was selling them to make a living, I enjoyed the work." And before that, she had spent time with Flora, and before that, there was Jude. "And I've always enjoyed time with friends. The what we do doesn't matter so much to me as the who I do it with."

Reaching across the table, she stole a spoonful of lemon ice cream before offering Zavien a bite of hers. "Hanging out," she clarified. "Although I wouldn't say no to the occasional ice cream." She hummed her approval as the tangy notes of lemon hit her tongue. "Tha's real' goo." After swallowing her mouthful, she continued. "We could, like... I don't know. Go... for a run? Hit up the shops? You know, in the interest of boosting the economy." She winked, eyes sparkling with humor. "Oh, or we could go check out the parks. I bet Sol would like the green spaces."

Unfortunately, her good humor didn't last, and she deflated slightly as talk turned to the shaking ground beneath their feet. If Zavien was going to meet with Safrin now, then perhaps it would be useful to know what was said before she went off on a wild goose chase. "I'll be glad to come," she said. "We can hammer out next steps after you talk to her."

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

Zavien knew he wasn't the most complex of people. Train, protect, patrol, and help people with minor tasks. He had little purpose in life other than providing for others. He wasn't a selfish man - to the point of neglect for his own hobbies and desires. 

Soh seemed to be the same, struggling to produce a quick answer. However, when it came, Zavien couldn't help the smile, picturing a picture book of maps and pictures pinned to the walls. "Wow. They sound incredible. I'm surprised I haven't seen one yet." Perhaps he had and hadn't realized it, although he couldn't recall seeing anything as intricate or elaborate. 

Spooning a bit of her ice cream, he tilted his head, a small smile on his lips. Now knowing that Soh enjoyed spending time with friends - no matter what the activity - Zavien was flattered he made that list; and he honestly wouldn't mind having someone to hang out with, someone who might get him out of the training ring. 

But the wink caught him off guard, his green eyes widening to a slightly cartoonish expression. "Oh - uh - yeah. That'd be nice." His thoughts lingered on the strange mix of emotions that the smallest of motions stirred, most of all confusion. He planted the smile more firmly, genuine as he added, "Maybe we can even find a way to drag Koa along." The man needed a break as much as the rest of them, and it was always nice to have a third to join in the fun. 

Shifting in his seat, he tried not to let the dread of the coming revelation weigh too heavily, but it pulled at the edges of his lips, the smile he offered coming out feeble with nerves. "Great. We can go when we're done here." He dipped his spoon in for another bite, falling silent as he tapped his foot under the table.

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.

Got no plans and I've got no money
Gone are the days of milk and honey

Soh smiled shyly. "I can show you one sometime. I have a really nice one of Stormbreak that I've been hoarding." It was always nice to find someone who could appreciate her maps, and she had a feeling that Zavien would enjoy them. She was so pleased to have the opportunity to show off her creations that she missed the almost cartoonish expression on Zavien's face - though at the mention of Koa, she blinked with surprise.

"Oh..." she said, a strange mix of emotions suddenly rising in her chest. There was the obvious flutter of something she dared not name, because gods help her but she still wasn't over the Dragoon, but there were so many other feelings that welled up that she couldn't help but shift uncomfortably in her seat. "Have you, uh... heard from Koa recently, then?" She was fishing for information, and she knew it was an obvious attempt, but hey... you can't blame a girl for trying.

There was only a little ice cream left now, and that meant that their visit to Safrin was creeping steadily nearer. Maybe there was an explanation for the tremors. Maybe Safrin would have some kind of instruction for them. Maybe this wasn't the end of the world as they knew it. Maybe their efforts in recent seasons hadn't been entirely in vain.

Maybe Tarak hadn't died for nothing.

Green eyes and a head of gold
I'll give you two dollars if you save my soul

Sohalia

Zavien

"I can't wait to see it!" It was a brightness that he didn't expect, something to look forward to that wasn't food or work. He was truly excited to see what creative masterpiece Soh had made to represent their city, to see what aspects she'd chosen to emphasize or what details she might have noticed that he hadn't. 

His mentioning of Koa disrupted the mood, although he couldn't be sure of the exact reason. Zavien watched the emotions flip across her face, unable to pinpoint or identify them before her question came. Brows furrowed in disappointment, he shook his head. "Only sparingly." Lowering his eyes, Zavien took another bite of his ice cream, recalling one of the few times he's seen Koa recently. "He came to see me after the accident." The lemon wasn't as sour after trying Soh's blackberry swirl and he subconsciously wondered if they would taste better together. It was a nice distraction from the worry and minor frustration he was feeling for his friend when he added, "But he's been busy since."

Looking up, he returned the question, "Have you?" Perhaps Koa had prioritized Soh over him, although he'd never have guessed that of his friend.

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.