[PRP] Scents and Sensibility (Llyr & Pachua)

[endejester]

Pachua sat down behind him and carefully starting moving fingers through the long hair. Separating it into sections and having Llyr hold on to sections while he held onto others to make a fairly elaborate braid. He worked free the gold ornament that held back a small portion of his own hair as he worked and wove in flowers.
No simple braid to be sure, he layered it carefully and with a frown of focus as he worked, winding in the stems of flowers that suited the taller boil and then carefully pinning it with the gold ornament and its small spray of feathers when he was finished.

“There.” He said satisfied at last, and feeling rather pleased with himself.

“Oh… bother now we have to find you a pool or a mirror to see this. I didn’t think of that.”

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

Llyr sat, quite patiently, in front of Pachua, hands loosely in his lap, his legs crossed, the toga like fabric draped haphazardly across his thighs. He seemed perfectly content to wait as Pachua's nimble fingers twisted the long dark strands here and there, and finally he heard a satisfied sound, and craned his neck to blink over his shoulder.

"It feels rather nice," he said truthfully and smiled, reaching to take Pachua's hand again. "Should we go and find water then?" he asked, clearly excited by this prospect. "Or, I can just take you to my room! There is a pool of water that I like to swim in inside my room, it is rather comforting! I am sure that I will be able to see what you have done there!"

endejester

 

[endejester]

“oh! Absolutely!” He nodded. “I should show you my own room some time, though…there are more rocks.” He flushed. “And I’m in the aviary because sometimes like to sleep in the rafters.”

He squeezed Llyr’s hand to show both approval and appreciation. “If you can not see clearly in your pool there is a mirror of obsidian in my room!” he added. “But you should be careful with it, the corner is cracked and it’s quite sharp.” He warned.

“…we make knives out of the same material.” He added with a wry tone in his voice. “But it makes a handsome mirror none the less.”

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

"Oh!" said Llyr, rounding on Pachua. "I would very much like to see you fly again sometime, it was very exciting! You are a very beautiful snake when you are in your other form, it was very nice to see you that way!"

He threaded his fingers through his friends and tugged him in the direction of the demon dormitories, scattering flowers everywhere, his newly braided hair swinging gently from side to side. "I should like to see your room," he said, face flushed with happiness at the invitation. "Though I do not know what I would do with a knife, they are very dangerous, are they not?"

Through the front door, up the stairs to the second floor, and they were at Llyr's room, which was unlocked. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, still clutching onto Pachua's hand.

The room itself was not very big, and did not have much in it save for a rather large pool of crystal clear blue water set directly in the middle. A few rocks and plants could be seen at the bottom of this pool, as well as a few lazily swimming minipets. Off to the sides, away from the water, was a single bookcase, and a few scattered pillows and blankets, as well as a few more non-aquatic minipets, all of whom were asleep in little heaps together.

"This is my room," said Llyr, peering at Pachua rather anxiously, as though uncertain if he would like it. "There is not much, but it is comfortable at least..."

endejester

 

[endejester]

“Yes…” he said solemnly. “Knives are very dangerous.” There was something heavy about those words, but it didn’t seem he had any intention of elaborating. “But don’t worry…I will do what I can to protect you from any knives or other dangerous things, alright?” He smiled.
“Oh… Llyr.” He said delighted. “It’s wonderful! Your pool, it’s spectacular, and you have mini pets!” He said delighted.

“Oh… I know a mini pet I’ll have to find for you.” He grinned. “It may take a little time but I think you will like it… I shall NOT tell you what it is though.” He grinned impishly.

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

Llyr was glad to hear that he was going to be protected from said knives; visions of his time spent away from the school, trapped in that building came swimming into his line of vision and for a few seconds he seemed quite lost, his mouth opening slightly.

But then he heard Pachua's voice, as though from far away, and Llyr dragged himself back to the present, and to the boil standing beside him. Pachua sounded happy, and that was enough, Llyr giving his fingers an idle squeeze as though to reassure himself that he was there.

"Thank you," he said, flushed with the compliments. "It is a very warm place; we could swim, if you like," he added, with a glance at the pool. He perked up a little at the mention of a surprise and smiled, cheeks pink.

"I do so like minipets," said Llyr, "and I like surprises!"

endejester

 

[endejester]

Pachua glanced at Llyr, watching the distant look appear on his face, mouth open and eyes focused on some distant place, some uncomfortable memory. He squeezed the boil’s hand to reassure him, to try and make sure he didn’t drift into that place again.

“Let’s swim, yes. “He nodded decisively. “I do like warm. “He added with a half lidded pleased expression on his face as though someone had offered him a particular delicacy.

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

Llyr was grateful for the reassurance, and he leaned over, poking his nose against Pachua's cheek almost the way a dog might nuzzle against its owner.

"Yes, swim!" he said, and without a second thought, he had slipped into the pool of water, toga and all, submerging beneath the surface briefly and reappearing a moment later, his newly braided hair sodden and heavy against his scaled back.

Llyr rested his arms on the side of the pool, looking much more at ease now that he was in his element.

"I like water very much," he said quietly, half to himself, but half to Pachua as well as he drifted long fingers through the blue liquid.

endejester

 

[endejester]

“Mmmmm” He agreed, slipping in behind Llyr in his own clothes as well, save for the shawl that he normally wore, which being of a somewhat woolen nature would have been uncomfortably heavy when damp.
“Water is marvelous, peaceful, well, it can be.” He said thoughtfully, imagining some of the bigger storms that could be tossed up. “Combine it with wind or cold or even heat and it can be quite a mess really. But times like this…ahhh…” He rolled over to spread his wings carefully in the water.

“…I love that rivers always remind me of great long serpents from high up, long blue curving snakes with feather tributaries…”

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

It was probably harder to move while still in his clothing (what little of it there actually was), but Llyr hadn't really given it much thought and had simply wanted to envelope himself within the water. The fact that he'd done that while still fully "dressed" was merely an afterthought.

Llyr drifted around for a few moments, bobbing up and down and then submerged beneath the surface again, breathing out gently. The water was just as breathable as air to him, but he liked the thinner atmosphere of the air and resurfaced a moment alter.

Pachua's wings looked almost luminous in the blue water, and Llyr slid over, reaching out to run a hand thoughtfully over the pretty, damp feathers.

"It is very reassuring, water," he said with a gentle smile. "It is what I like best. It is...comforting."

For a second Llyr seemed almost lost again, his expression a mixture of confusion and anxiety, but then it cleared and he resumed his patting of Pachua's feathers.

"Serpents are very pretty too, and water serpents are lovely," said Llyr. "Of course, you are the prettiest, but I am sure there are other water serpents, are there not?"

endejester

 

[endejester]

He gave a pleased laugh. “Most water serpents are prettier than I.” He admitted. Much brighter, purer shades of wings, scales of anything from…rich earthy brown to the most VIBRANT greens.” He said with a wistful sigh.

The feathers that Llyr touched would leave a light ‘feeling’ on his hand. A very fine oil that kept the muted rainbow of his feathers from dividing in the water.

Pachua didn’t mind the touch though, the gentle brush of fingers helped spread the protective natural coating.

“Llyr, if you ever need to… if you ever need to talk about something, to let go of something that troubles you. I’ll listen…is that alright?”

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

Llyr looked quite taken aback. "But you are clearly the most pretty," he said, in a tone of voice that indicated that any other possibility was ludicrous. "You have the most wonderful feathers, and the most colorful wings and you have such pretty markings..."

He stretched out a hand and touched Pachua's chin, fingers lingering at the color there before he drew them away, looking a little troubled. Whether it was because he thought Pachua was talking badly about himself or because his thoughts kept drifting back towards things he didn't want to think about remained to be seen.

It was probably a mixture of both. Llyr curled his fingers against the palm of his hand, eyes downcast.

"I keep...thinking of...that time," he said quietly. "That...that place where we were at, where we..."

He trailed off, pressing his lips together uncertainly.

endejester

 

[endejester]

He rolled over again and wrapped his wings and arms around the other boil.

“…If I have anything to say about it, I will never let them take you to such a place again. I will protect you, no matter what it takes.” He promised. “I will try and make sure that whom ever was behind that, never has such a chance again, and I’ll try and guard as many others as I can as well.”

“Does that help?” He offered.

kuroopu

 

[kuropeco]

Lost in thought, Llyr didn't notice Pachua move until he felt warm arms around him, a flurry of feathers pressing against his back. He grew rigid for a fraction of a second before he sank into the embrace like he had before, curling himself up against Pachua and burrowing his face into his shoulder. There were friends that he had at this school; he knew there were people who he liked, but there was something about Pachua's warmth and his easy nature that made it natural to stay closer.

"It helps," said Llyr softly, and snuggled closer out of habit. "I didn't like that place," he said, in a much lower voice, closer to a whisper. "It was...frightening. I felt wrong."

His arms had slunk around Pachua's waist in a clear indicator he wasn't ready to let go just yet. "I'll protect you too," he said decisively, and pressed an absent kiss (because kisses were meant to reassure, to comfort, to provide happiness) to Pachua's neck, which Llyr, standing with his head still on Pachua's shoulder, was currently facing. "We will protect each other."

endejester

 

[endejester]

“You first Llyr, your safety comes first…alright? Believe me please that there are things I was born and raised to do.” He ruffled his feathers so that the soft and quickly dampening down feathers were exposed to comfort his friend, returning the gentle kiss to comfort him in turn.

“Just promise me you will try to stay safe, and if someone hurts you I’ll be there for you, I’ll find a way to return it to them ten fold. I’ll…. Yes.” He trailed off, unwilling to reveal to the gentle soul much more than that. It would be too much like casting a stone into water so still and pure it looked like glass. He was too sure that such ripples would never settle.

kuroopu