Oh the words that piled up on his tongue at Rory's joke, words sweet and foolish and sincere in a way that should have terrified him more than it did. Thief of poets' souls and hearts both, he might have said. Though can you really steal what has been freely given? But his tongue tied itself in knots at that, afraid of pushing too far, too fast, too soon when just sitting side-by-side and leaning on each other was a gift, a treasure, beyond price.
And so, uncharacteristically silent - though grinning with a flush to his own cheeks - he parted ways from the hunter so they could gather their tools and the materials of their trades. Reuniting was even sweeter for the momentary parting, especially when Rory's laugh danced along the back of the wind and set Isuma chirruping with shared joy. "I'd rather walk at your side than lead you anywhere," he teased back, but it was a bit too honest for teasing.
And it was a little ruined by his need to go ahead so he could lay the hides down - side by side, with a bit of overlap, so they could sit together again, close enough to touch, to lean on each other... An idea sparked in the bard's mind, a flicker of shy warmth as he unpacked his lapharp and began to tune it. "I was told the festival will have music and games and food," he said, head bowed and attention seemingly on his instrument - though he stole glances up from beneath pale lashes until Rory joined him on the ground. Gods most fortunate, the man was a force of nature, with the way he wore the sunshine like a mantle and spun from aching cold shadow to breath-taking light. "Is it the sort of thing one can attend... with a partner?" His voice was diffident, his question perhaps just a little hesitant, though Isuma was far less reserved as she romped around the pair and stuck her face into a stray tulip that had bloomed nearby, in the name of curious investigation.
And so, uncharacteristically silent - though grinning with a flush to his own cheeks - he parted ways from the hunter so they could gather their tools and the materials of their trades. Reuniting was even sweeter for the momentary parting, especially when Rory's laugh danced along the back of the wind and set Isuma chirruping with shared joy. "I'd rather walk at your side than lead you anywhere," he teased back, but it was a bit too honest for teasing.
And it was a little ruined by his need to go ahead so he could lay the hides down - side by side, with a bit of overlap, so they could sit together again, close enough to touch, to lean on each other... An idea sparked in the bard's mind, a flicker of shy warmth as he unpacked his lapharp and began to tune it. "I was told the festival will have music and games and food," he said, head bowed and attention seemingly on his instrument - though he stole glances up from beneath pale lashes until Rory joined him on the ground. Gods most fortunate, the man was a force of nature, with the way he wore the sunshine like a mantle and spun from aching cold shadow to breath-taking light. "Is it the sort of thing one can attend... with a partner?" His voice was diffident, his question perhaps just a little hesitant, though Isuma was far less reserved as she romped around the pair and stuck her face into a stray tulip that had bloomed nearby, in the name of curious investigation.
