i keep on running toward the fire
George Shepherd
Thief

Age: 31 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#29

And if you feel like night is falling
I wanna be the one you're calling
Her acceptance of his intensity allowed him to relax, smiling crookedly as her hand touched against his knee. He laughed at her cutthroat view of the world, admiring that she seemed to care so little about those who would offer judgment. "Right you are," he agreed, raising his wine glass in a silent cheers.

He wasn't expecting his touch to elicit such a strong reaction, and for a brief second, he froze, desire stirring low in his belly. He might have lingered, exploring her reaction further, but it is just their first date, and she was still talking - a little breathlessly, but still. With some reluctance, he withdrew, but his eyes stayed keenly on her face, his arousal clear in his eyes.

Shaking his head to clear it, he laughed. "So you are full of surprises," he teased, referencing their conversation at the beach. "Beautiful and dangerous." Which he'd known already, but it was something else to put it into words - especially given that it was accompanied by a flare of pride. That someone like her could have an interest in someone like him - it was mind-boggling, really.

Her fear was indeed similar to his, but different, too, and a sudden surge of protectiveness made him want to take her in his arms and shield her from it. How someone like her could possibly be alone defied all logic, but he supposed that losing one's children would do that to a person. Her reserved smile, so different from the freer expressions from earlier in the evening, makes him want to cheer her, so as he considered his next question, he tried to veer towards something simpler.

"What's your favorite color?"
'Cause I believe that you could lead the way
George
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
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#30
Hotaru

Holding back on a date is not something she has ever had to consider doing before, much less put into practice, so she is rather taken aback by how hard it is. They've met three times now and each has gone fantastically well, so the rather jaded and touch-starved part of Ru's brain can't help but grit its teeth and complain over the fact they haven't taken things farther. Still, she respects that they are quite similar in many ways, but not this one. His boundaries are what keep her from indulging in the intensity that his eyes promise.

Pleased by his compliment like a preening bird, Hotaru shakes her hair back in a waterfall of gold that is all the deeper as they sit in the midst of golden hour, clearly pleased. "Why thank you," she purrs, though her amusement is clear in the crinkle of her eyes. "Though I did tell you you'd have to discover them yourself. Are you pleased with the pace so far?" Considering how swiftly he has come to know those little secrets, Hotaru is rather impressed on her end.

Grateful that he does not linger on the harder admissions they've both made, Hotaru makes an 'ooooh' of intrigue and considers her response. "Pink or orange I'd say. I like far more shades of pink than orange, so perhaps that?" Both were not only beautiful and always apparent in sunsets - thus her love of them - but both looked great on her skin, and as a seamstress that definitely sways her opinion. "What is yours? And what is your favorite drink?" Something equally easy and harmless in return.
Now you can quit, you can cave in
but just know you're not beyond saving
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
George Shepherd
Thief

Age: 31 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 2 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 16 - Luck: 5 - Int:
Played by: RayoDeSoleil Offline
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Posts: 151 | Total: 2,063
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#31

And if you feel like night is falling
I wanna be the one you're calling
George matched her amusement with his own, a crooked smile firmly in place on his face as he leaned back to support himself on one elbow, tilting his torso towards her attentively. She had indeed told him that he'd have to discover her secrets for himself, and to him, that was half the fun of dating: teasing out the little intricacies that made up a person, learning to read their idiosyncrasies, gaining a firm understanding of who they were and what made them tick - not for any sense of personal gain, as he might usually do, but from a place of genuine curiosity and intrigue. "The more I learn, the more intrigued I am," he admitted with a low chuckle.

Her favorite colors were pink and orange, and he filed that information away in the back of his mind, already browsing a mental catalogue of flowers in those colors that he could send her tomorrow after their date. "Green," he said in reference to his own favorite: the color of new life. "Although blue is a close second - like the sky on a sunny day." Though he tended to dress in darker colors to make it easier to blend in to his surroundings, his favorites were brighter and more lively, more in line with his personality.

As for a favorite drink, that was a little harder. "I don't know that I have one," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "It depends on the day, and the occasion." He pondered for a moment, reaching for a churro to take a bite before leaning over to offer it to Hotaru. "Overall, though - maybe a whiskey sour." He raised a brow at her. "And yours?"

Then, because the sun was sinking lower in the sky, George paused their game. "Have you heard the legend of the Miana Pool?" he asked, his eyes twinkling playfully.
'Cause I believe that you could lead the way
George
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
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#32
Hotaru

Winking smoothly, she mimics his pose and reclines on one arm, knees tucked towards her hip to the side as she takes another piece of dessert in her fingers. "That's the trick of it. Making it addicting." Something she has never hesitated to embody, though usually with far more deviant plans in mind than the hopeful, tentative ones they are cultivating tonight.

Listening attentively to his own answer as he offers another churro, she licks the cinnamon sugar off her lips shamelessly and hums appreciatively; whether to his chosen colors or the taste on her tongue is unclear. "So a very pale, light blue? Or more of an afternoon blue?" 'Green' is equally difficult given the thousands of variations on the color, but maybe the initial question will inspire him to expand on his answers.

"Admittedly I almost never drink." Some would consider that a dealbreaker, especially in Torchline, but Hotaru doubts George will be among them even if it might make him curious. "Though I prefer gin if I do pursue alcohol. My non-alcoholic favorite is huckleberry lemonade." A rare drink given how difficult it was to farm or harvest fresh huckleberries but all the more delightful for its scarcity.

Distracted by the sudden departure from the standard questions, Hotaru narrows her eyes slightly, lips twitching into a smile at witnessing his eagerness. "I haven't. Tell me?"
Now you can quit, you can cave in
but just know you're not beyond saving
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
George Shepherd
Thief

Age: 31 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 2 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 16 - Luck: 5 - Int:
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Posts: 151 | Total: 2,063
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#33

And if you feel like night is falling
I wanna be the one you're calling
Making things addicting? Ru, you are on the right track. Every piece of the puzzle that fell into place only served to reveal several more that were missing; each new tidbit of information was like peeling back a fresh layer to reveal even more to explore. George couldn't help but wonder if each revelation was chipping away at Hotaru's walls; he was, after all, eager to find out who she was at her core. Though he'd long since stopped wearing his heart on his sleeve, it was with a fragile hope that he regarded Hotaru tonight - a hope that, perhaps, this could be the beginning of something wonderful. Terrifying, for it had been some time since he'd had to be vulnerable and open with someone like this - but wonderful all the same.

"Mm, more of an afternoon blue," he clarified, picking up his wine glass to swirl the liquid inside thoughtfully. "And for green, something like the green of fresh grass." Grass was, perhaps, somewhat rare in Torchline, what with its sandy beaches, but he loved it all the same. The color, the feel of it beneath his feet, the smell of fresh-cut grass; there was something soothing about it all, something that felt strangely like home.

He couldn't care less if Hotaru drank or didn't, but he filed away the information on her favorites in the ever-expanding box in his mind labeled with her name. Hopefully, the information would someday be of use. "I can't say I've tried huckleberry lemonade," he said. "But I have to admit that now I'm curious." Was it as rare and refreshing as Hotaru herself?

With the departure from their game, George leaned in closer, as though imparting a secret. "Legend has it that once, a massive roc called the L'ma flew through the skies over Torchline, but it has since been cast down into the sea without its wings. They say it lives at the bottom of the Miana Pool, forced to swim through eternity rather than to fly. But it loves brightly-colored stones from the surface, and supposedly, if you make a wish and toss a rock into the pool -" And at this, he reached into a pocket, pulling out two shining stones - rainbow opals. "- it will be taken by the evening tides into the L'ma's lair, and the giver of the most beautiful stones will find their wishes granted."

He held out his palm, offering the stones to Hotaru, his eyes dancing in the dying light of the sun. "Care to make a wish, love?"
'Cause I believe that you could lead the way
George
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
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#34
Hotaru

He's not the only one hiding terror at the idea of vulnerability. Dating for the sake of true romantic entanglement is well out of her wheelhouse, but so far it hasn't bored her, something she'd often experienced in her youth. In some ways she thinks she'd prefer boredom over fear though.

"It's a rarity so I usually make it myself," she admits casually, though the way her eyes flick to his after is anything but casual as she extends an offer. "Maybe you can come visit me in Halo and you can try it?" If he declines it will tell her how he feels about this continuing on, and it will also put the ball in his court to actively demonstrate his dedication by showing up at all.

But for now she is attentive and enthralled, charmed by his picturesque storytelling voice. It's a terribly sad story in all honesty. Yet, as with most sad Caido legends, the ending is quite promising. Looking between the beautiful stones and the light of the sunset in his eyes, Hotaru slowly smiles and places her hand over both the rocks and his palm beneath. "Lead the way," she whispers, waiting on the blanket for him to rise and help her up as a gentleman should. Only then does she select her stone from his hand, already considering her wish ahead of time as they walk together to the edge of the water. "Is this like shooting stars where we can't reveal our wishes?" Amusement paints her pretty face as she lifts the stone in her hand to press a kiss to it for extra good luck.
Now you can quit, you can cave in
but just know you're not beyond saving
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
George Shepherd
Thief

Age: 31 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 2 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 16 - Luck: 5 - Int:
Played by: RayoDeSoleil Offline
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#35

And if you feel like night is falling
I wanna be the one you're calling
Somehow George was not surprised to find that she made it herself, and his intrigue only grew at the prospect of trying it. Something in his eyes softened at her invitation, and he smiled, reaching to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'd like that," he murmured, though he hated the idea of her leaving, even if they'd only known each other for a short time. It already seemed that Torchline would be dimmer for the lack of her presence.

He rose wordlessly from the blanket, keeping her hand tucked in his, the little stones like a secret between their palms. When she'd selected her stone, he tucked his into one hand while snagging her free hand with the other to walk with her to the edge of the Pool. He considered her question, a serious expression on his face even as his eyes danced playfully. After a moment's thought, he grinned at her. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he offered.

He watched her as she kissed the stone, wishing suddenly that it was him she pressed her lips to instead; he swallowed the thought as he turned back to the Pool, considering his own wish as he rolled the opal in his fingers. What did he have to wish for? He had a roof over his head, a job that he enjoyed, money to suit his whims, a beautiful woman on his arm - in this particular moment, he had all that he could wish for. Now it only remained not to screw it up.

He thought about a playful wish - perhaps for good weather when he visited her in Halo, with a wink and a crooked smile as he threw the stone in the pool - but somehow that felt wrong, and he glanced down at the opal in his hand with the slightest of frowns. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea, after all. What did he wish for?

Someone to share a life with. It didn't have to be Hotaru (although, of course, he could hope), but just someone he could trust. Someone he could love. But that seemed like too much to admit to someone on a first date, too much to admit to someone at all, too much to reveal about himself. It required vulnerability, and though that was something he'd managed to show Hotaru that evening, he wasn't sure how far that fragile trust went.

"I wish... for partnership," he said finally, feeling that that was vague enough to include anything. He could be wishing for a work partner, for all she knew. Or - and this was more likely - she would see through his ambiguity. Either way, he'd said it now, so he tossed the stone into the Pool.
'Cause I believe that you could lead the way
George
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
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#36
Hotaru

"I would too," she admits easily enough, smiling. Whether he actually shows up only time will tell, but Hotaru is willing to see how it all plays out. Right now, after the events of the last two days, that's the only plan she's got. Too much has occurred for anything long-term to have any weight.

It's a fair enough deal, though as Hotaru considers her own potential wishes she feels the same swell of uncertainty that follows as they both realize the gravity of what that entails. Hotaru is superstitious enough to not want to waste her wish on something shallow, but that means having to say it aloud to George as well.

It's true that she sees right through him when he casts his stone, but she doesn't speak a word about it. For all her desire - power, control, material items - love has always been chief among them. Even in her wildest years of youth she had chased it recklessly, forsaking so much in the hopes of attaining something real. It has always been her Achilles' heel. She would be a hypocrite to judge it in someone else.

As for her own wish, she lingers with the stone against her lips, contemplating. And when she finally extends her hand, she exhales slowly and drops the stone in. "I wish for new beginnings." With Sunjata, with George, with the Academy and life as a whole without her son. Whatever starting over might mean, Hotaru wants to see where it leads her. And then she reaches for George's hand.
Now you can quit, you can cave in
but just know you're not beyond saving
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
George Shepherd
Thief

Age: 31 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 2 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 18 - Endr: 16 - Luck: 5 - Int:
Played by: RayoDeSoleil Offline
Change author:
Posts: 151 | Total: 2,063
MP: 0
#37

And if you feel like night is falling
I wanna be the one you're calling
Hers was a good wish, and one he wished he'd thought of. Like his, it was fairly vague, but he thought that perhaps it had at least something to do with him - he hoped so, anyway. As she reached for his hand, he laced his fingers with hers, pulling her a little closer so that he could wrap an arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to the top of her head. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture, and for a moment, George felt uncharacteristically shy and uncertain.

But the moment passed quickly as the light of the setting sun flared, sinking beyond the horizon at last. His eyes, though, were on Hotaru rather than the beauty of the sunset. She really was beautiful, and he really was lucky. Even if this was all the time that he was granted with her, he could look back on it and smile.

The rest of the night passed quickly as they sat on the quilt by the Miana Pool, trading questions and kisses, slowly learning one another. It was, in George's book, one of the best nights of his life, and he could only hope for more like it when he visited Hotaru in Halo.

-FIN-
'Cause I believe that you could lead the way
George


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