[SE] Testing theories

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Once they'd finished up their mimosas and Alys had departed, Elizabeth gathered a pile of books that had sat separately from the others. "These are a few books that came to mind when we last spoke. Theory of the Human Mind. Secrets of Psychology. The Power of Thinking. And The Languages of Love." With each title, she set the book down, punctuated in the soft thud of its pages. Her hand lingered on the last one as she smiled at Iskra. "I thought you might find this one the most interesting, but the others could prove to be effective sleep aids." Her brown eyes twinkled with amusement, a slight teasing there. They might not make great pillows, but he might find his head resting there regardless, lulled by big words and convoluted concepts. 

Elizabeth glanced out the window where Goose had been exiled, casual as she began placing the books into a bag for him to carry the hefty texts. "If you're not in a rush to get anywhere, why don't we check out the new hot springs? I haven't had a chance to see how everything turned out yet, and then you could ask me any questions that have come up since we saw each other last." Reminded of how easy their previous conversation had been, her smile was warm and inviting when she looked up, the suggestion more for her than him.

Elizabeth

Setting his glass down with a light tink, Iskra picks up the first book and leafs through it, glancing up at each additional title. His smile grows steadily with every thud she delivers, like dawn does around a mountain, especially with the lingering care she places on the final one. Her tease earns a hearty laugh, all her bar-lit warnings resurfacing as he evaluates the heft of the texts. Certainly simpler to get through the slut books.

"These will be perfect," he assures her, closing the one he held with a snap and setting it on the pile with a pat. "For either purpose, though if I return them with some drool marks, apologies in advance I suppose." Interested as Iskra is in the topics, the expanding of one's mind is a bit more placid than doing the same for the body, and hitting those barriers of growth often ends in quiet retreat to slumber if only to avoid the echo of new thoughts. Might help him cut down on his alcohol bills at the very least.

He follows her gaze out the window, where Goose can be seen trotting back and forth with a particularly long stick he's scrounged up as is parading around proudly to any passerby. "That's a great idea!" he agrees as he glances back at her, "we need at least ten soaks as payback for all that digging." There's perhaps a softer edge to him than when they first met. Whether born of the growing familiarity between them, or something sharp that is getting sanded away as he faces his problems instead of runs for them, hard to say right now, but his smiles find their way quick and bright even compare to the bar. "We'll just need to swing by my house to grab my trunks, unless you've got something I can fit in?" he jests, 'brows raising in mock wonder for an answer he already knows.

 

Iskra

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Sliding the last book into the bag, Elizabeth smirks and offers it to Iskra. "I think I can handle a little drool. Just don't get any blood on it from your bleeding heart." She shivers dramatically but gives him a playful wrinkle of her nose. There's some truth in her words even if it's a joke. Blood is not her cup of tea, and as much as it would pain her, she'd probably have to burn the book if it returned in such a condition.

Her eyes follow as Goose directs the traffic of the street with his long stick barrier, earning him giggles from children and exasperated smiles from adults. Letting her laughter warm the space between them, she shakes her head emphatically. "Seriously. I could barely walk the next day, and I didn't do nearly as much digging as you guys." The magic exertion had played a major part in her own exhaustion. It always had a draining effect that left her sore and tired. All the more reason to take a soak in the hot springs. 

Elizabeth appreciates the easy jokes and doesn't shy away from the bright smiles that flow between them. "Not unless you like wearing bikinis." She tucks her strand of hair again, winking in a way that suggests he wouldn't. They may be nice to look at, but it's for the aesthetic rather than functionality, and unless he intends to wear it purely for comedic purposes, she might caution him against it. 

"Let me just change and we can head out." Then she spins on her heels to enter her room, doing her best to be quick, yet it's embarrassing how long it takes her to decide on which swimsuit to wear. She doesn't want to give the wrong impression, but she also wouldn't mind looking cute at the springs. But would that make him uncomfortable? She'd hate to lose their growing friendship. Although if he's the type to stumble through a conversation about smut books, she doubts he'll be bashful about whatever she decides to wear. 

Throwing on the chosen bikini and a warm pink jacket that falls to her knees, she hopes it will be enough to protect her until they're in the heat of the water. Elizabeth steps out to join Iskra, sliding her feet into a pair of fuzzy boots and granting him an excited smile. "Okay. Lead the way!"

Elizabeth

He laughs freely at her admittance to being crippled by the work, knowing the feeling all too well. "I couldn't even lift my arms to brush my hair." Thankfully it didn't need much, so he gave up halfway through to save the strength for yet more digging.

His 'brows lift at the idea of a bikini, part of his face scrunching up as he shakes his head. "Can't say I do. Can't say you would either if I did." He smirks at the idea, partially tempted just for a laugh, but would prefer to just settle for some relaxing hot springs instead of chafing swimwear riding up his gooch.

He glances around her house idly as she vanishes to change, fingers drumming against the books as he waits. Yet, as the time grows longer, he begins to wander, picking up various knick-knacks and inspecting them with the kind of interest born of nothing else to do. Not that he minded terribly, but he isn't normally so interested in the vases that hold flowers. When she breaks back into the room he looks up, placing the strangely shaped bauble back in its place. "Perfect, let's go," he says after a glance towards her, fetching his jacket and slipping it on before opening the door to head out.

Goose runs up to them immediately, his stick replaced for a small twig barely seen held between his teeth. He stuffs it into Iskra's side repeatedly, forcing him to squirm away before yielding and taking the tiny toy to toss it as far as he could to the side. "He won't find it," he says with a fond-annoyance as they head down the path towards his home. "He always brings me tiny things, but they get lost, and then he just stares and circles for an hour." he shakes his head, laughing.

It's a walk, but it doesn't take them long before they're standing before his hut. "Come in if you're cold, but it'll just be a minute," he explains as he steps in, leaving the door ajar for her. He sets the books down and vanishes into his room around the corner. His place is smaller than hers, and the decorations and furniture are minimal. Wood carvings here and there and various dog beds and toys, but since he mostly just sleeps here he hasn't invested much into the home itself.

 

Iskra

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Competitive exhaustion and skimpy swimwear aside, she's happy to be on their way to the springs. Elizabeth sighs dramatically, tucking her hands into her pockets and looking off into the distance like an old widowed woman might - although the playful gleam in her stolen glances gives away her teasing. "Ah. What a life. It'd be nice if all we had to worry about was finding the perfect stick." Instead of money and relationships and wars and death. It all seemed a little much sometimes, but she smiles as Goose sprints off to find the twig like it's his only purpose in life. The expression lingers as they walk towards Iskra's place, enjoying the crisp air just long enough to feel its effects by the time they arrive. 

Accepting his invitation to stay warm, Elizabeth steps inside and closes the door behind her, immediately letting her eyes roam the space. It's cozy in a lumberjack bachelor pad sort of way with most items maintaining a specific functionality or purpose other than the multitudes of wood carvings. She moves towards them, not as shy about inspecting the work since he'd welcomed her in. If he was embarrassed or didn't want her to see them, she got the sense he would have said so, but they're better than she might have expected from someone who looks like they have more gross than fine motor skills. Small intricate details give the carvings a semblance of realism, obviously crafted and sanded with the utmost care to embody the vision that he'd found in his mind. It's a rare skill to have. 

When he comes back out, she's leaning forward to inspect a half-carved piece of wood in a pile of shavings. Elizabeth doesn't look away from the work as curiosity tilts her head. "What's this one going to be?"

Elizabeth

Iskra's sly smile that grows in response to her comment gives him away as he quips back, "seems to me finding the perfect stick is exactly what many people worry about." He's not above any humor involving wood.

He hears her step inside after him, but beyond that doesn't consider much about it. Perhaps he ought to have put those dirty dishes that are in the corner in the sink, or warned her about the dog-fur-coated seating options, but he's unapologetic about his life in this one manner. Given how long he'd been on his own, it could be a lot worse.

Unlike all her time spent worrying about options and styles, Iskra owns two pairs of swimming trunks, one that's a dark green, and one that's a lighter green with some darker striping. He opts for the darker green, and after a minute pops back into view, grey sweatshirt tugged over top and a brown towel slung across the back of his neck like a makeshift scarf.

He steps towards her, leaning down to peer at the half-finished piece she's holding up. "That will be a cat, to give to Ludo next time I see it. They're its favorite." He can't understand why, dogs definitely have his heart. "I could make you one, if you like. Payback for the books," he shrugs. "I just make them in my spare time, with any bits of tree that seem a bit more interesting than usual."

 

Iskra

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Elizabeth blushes briefly at his comment, convinced he can't mean her. Whether he does or doesn't, his grin is obvious, and she plays it off with a laugh and a light slap on the shoulder. "Not everyone's mind revolves around wood like yours seems to." Although hers probably does more often than people might expect.

Like how she tries very hard to ignore how close Iskra is when he leans down, reminding herself again that he's not interested in her like that. It's the reason her tone is a little distracted as she smiles, focusing determinedly on the shape taking form in front of her eyes. "Oh! That's very thoughtful." Most would probably bring something generic, but he seems to have a knack for finding out little tidbits about people (and heralds, apparently).

Now that it won't be misconstrued as avoidance, Elizabeth stands, putting the smallest bit of distance between them. "I'd like that," she smiles, adding with a laugh, "although there's nothing to pay back." Knowledge should be free to all, and she'd stand by that firmly. As long as he didn't completely ruin the poor book, she wouldn't feel a need to charge him anything. 

Glancing to the door, she asks, "Shall we head out?"

Elizabeth

There's an art to subtlety that escapes Iskra, which is perhaps no surprise given his job is whacking very large objects with very sharp objects until they fall. There's more to it than that, but his work leaves a mark—not shaped carefully, but carved with brute force and timeless tools. So when she backs up a bit, he doesn’t notice the space she puts between them, or the cause. "Alright then, I'll consider it an advance for some time I'm sure I'll owe you." He doesn’t know what he’ll owe her yet, but odds were good there’d be something.

He stands straight at her question, his movement to the door answer enough, "yes, let's!"

He locks up behind them, and together they set off toward the hot springs. Goose rejoins them with a new prize in his mouth—an unremarkable stick he guards like treasure. He swings it dangerously close to their knees with each proud head turn, but refuses to let either of them touch it. As they walk, he glances over with a sideways smile. “So, what do you want?” He falters next to her for a step or two, his attempt to wrestle the stick from the damn dog's mouth falling short. Goose shoots back a muffled woo-woo in triumph.

Iskra waves him off with an eye-roll. "It could be anything, as long as I know it...or you draw it." Otherwise, he’d probably just make a little wooden book—not the only thing she likes, just the one he’s sure of.

 

Iskra

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Smiling, she doesn't argue that she rarely allows debts to form between her and others, letting him have this one little piece. "That works. We can pretend it's an advance on your first therapy session." The look on her face implies that it's a given, although he still has to choose a time and place. The only option for escape would be if he's changed his mind since their last meeting, and even then, she might question his reasoning. 

Elizabeth follows Iskra outside, delighted to see that Goose has found another stick worthy of his protection. While the two boys figure out who's the alpha (let's be honest, it's Goose), she considers his question with a soft hum and a tilt of her head. "Hmm. Do you think you could make a unicorn?" She'd be very happy with a book as well, but there's something about unicorns that she's always enjoyed.

Elizabeth

"That works," he laughs, although he'd still pay her. Accepting a fun little wooden carving is hardly a way to be compensated for putting up with him as a job. "Maybe next season, now that your office is set up." He's got a myriad of things he needs to finish, for Ludo, for himself, and his travels to Torchline will eat up most of his time he thinks. Plenty of time to enjoy her friendship before he lays himself bare and she realizes how abyssmal he truly is.

Ignoring further attempts from Goose to be goaded into grabbing at the stick, Iskra walks with an eye for the scenery they pass, and glances thrown her way. "A unicorn?" He smiles, nodding. "Yeah, I could make that. Surprised you're such a horse girl," he says a bit teasingly, because she rather struck him as someone who prefers the structure and order of society and all it can build over the wild tempest that is the unicorn.

As they round the next corner, he can see the rising steam of the approaching hot springs, and he claps his hands together. "Alright! Time to get payment for all our hard work before." He opens the door for her that leads into the springs, Goose slipping past too, though he eyes the water and the heat warily. He's content to gnaw his stick on the sidelines instead.

 

Iskra

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Leaving the 'payment' argument for another day, Elizabeth smiles at the tentative plans for next season. "The office is really just a formality. We could meet in the Springs for all I care." She laughs and shrugs her shoulders, having held sessions in a variety of places and atmospheres. It's really up to the client and what they want to do.

Her arms cross as she tilts her head, a teasing smirk on her lips. "I don't know if 'horse girl' is really the right term - I've never even ridden one - but there's something about unicorns that's always drawn me. Maybe it has something to do with their regal nature or their magical abilities, but I've been borderline obsessed since I was little girl." Iskra might not be wrong about her enjoyment of civilized comforts, but Elizabeth spent most of her childhood traveling and camping in a caravan, so she isn't a stranger to the 'wilder' side of life. 

But then they're stepping into the new Springs, steam billowing as Iskra opens the door. She takes a deep, clarifying breath, a content smile already starting on her face. Without even stepping into the water, she feels more relaxed, her soft chuckle echoing the whisper of her words. "Oh wow. I think this might have been worth it."

Elizabeth

"Of course it was worth it!" he scoffs, stepping in behind her and letting the door seal the steam back in as it shuts. "I didn't think you doubted that." He shakes his head in disbelief at her as he wanders to a nearby bench and tosses his towel onto it, claiming it. He kicks out of his shoes and pulls his sweatshirt overtop him, bundling it up and lobbing it next to the towel. He reaches his arms up in a stretch, groaning against the movement and the pop of joints. "Did you never visit before it was destroyed?" he glances over to her, curious, as he gradually wades into the warmed waters.

The heat is instant and enveloping, and drastic change feels almost unbearable at first. Iskra winces against it, the tops of his hands coasting over the surface as he gradually moves deeper into it, skin flushing as he does. He tips his head back against the rock edge behind him, eyes shutting for a breath. "Y'know, I feel like we need to analyze the unicorn thing. Isn't that something people do?" The initial shock is subsiding to a nice, warm glow, as the tension begins to uncoil as he sinks into just under his chin, exhaling steadily before glancing back to her. "Like, finding meanings behind stuff. Signs or… whatever. Surely unicorns are a favorite for a reason, right?"

 

Iskra

Water is a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and fears.

Laughing at his disbelief, Elizabeth shrugs her shoulders. "It seemed unlikely when I was nearly incapacitated, crawling across the floor." A tad exaggerated, but she'd had multiple thoughts of how high the bar had been set in order to make their efforts worthwhile. Looking over the dark glittering pool of water, she has to admit that she'd do it all again. The previous Springs hadn't looked nearly as stunning. "I did once, although it was a long trek."

Elizabeth follows Iskra to the open bench, starting to feel stuffy in the thick clothing she wears. She pointedly doesn't look at his stretching muscles and hopes the steam or her warm clothes will disguise the very subtle blush on her cheeks. Her boots go first then the giant jacket that hadn't hinted at the simple black bikini underneath - the overwhelming fabric followed by the apparent lack of fabric making the comparison staggering. 

She's suddenly feeling a little sheepish about her choice and doesn't waste any time slipping into the water, a soft sigh on her lips when she sinks lower into its warm embrace. Iskra's suggestion makes her laugh, easing further into the soothing atmosphere. "Perhaps..." Elizabeth smiles playfully, wading a little closer to hear his answer as she asks, "What do you think it means?"

Elizabeth

His full-on belly laugh takes every part of him, doubling him over mid-strip. He’s caught on the mental image of her dragging herself to bed by her fingertips. He'd felt much the same and could appreciate the lack of enthusiasm for the springs at that time. "Fair enough," he admits, his laughter gradually fading into just brief, heavy breaths and a wide smile.

He manages to catch an image of her before she disappears into the water’s embrace—undeniably easy on the eyes, which he seems to really register for the first time. If he's blushing, it's impossible to say amid all the other heat-born redness. The thought is mercifully disrupted by just how quickly she breaks for the water. He's clueless to her subtle discomfort and chalks it up to her being extremely excited to get the reward for all her hard work at last.

He should have guessed she'd artfully turn it around on him, but he still blinks wide-eyed at her expectant face as she drifts closer. His 'brow furrows a bit in thought and he leans back against the wall, letting the stone hold him so he doesn’t have to fight the distraction of staying afloat. "Hmmm, I mean I am not studied in signs, but if I had to guess, I'd say it means you appreciate elegance with strong will. You like life to be balanced between powerful and beautiful."

 

Iskra