Fable - Ask Anything But Normal

[Ispir Sione]

In a restaurant in Vel Anir......


Ispir would, by now, have perked up considerably during his walk with Zinnia to Vel Anir. Specifically he had sought out somewhere known for it's steaks and seafood after some secret consulting of Seri on what kind of food Zinnia enjoyed. How exactly Ispir had interrogated the haterpillar about such details? Only he and Seri would know. But so it was that Ispir would find himself sitting beside Zinnia, head turned toward her with his cheek resting on a palm, elbow braced on the table and eyes glimmering in the candlelight as he waited for her.

He had already ordered, knowing exactly what he had wanted, and as his drink was provided to him he would take a sip and glance sidelong at Zinnia. Pausing to giggle and look at the haterpillar with amusement before teasing her gently.

"Does she always take so long, Seri?"

Ispir would gently run their hand over Seri's head, making sure not to ignore their new friend, and even scratched a particularly enjoyable spot for Seri before perking their head up as some music began to play. Giving their head a tilt Ispir would count the beats, feel the rhythm and even tap his foot gently as he took another sip and gave ZInnia a look. Waiting to see if she had decided what to order yet....

Spoiler: Time With You

​

 

[Zinnia]

"Mmm...alright, okay, th-that one, please! And NO TOMATOES!...Please!"

Zinnia hadn't seen any in the descriptions of the meals on offer, but one could never be too careful when it came to the Red Menace. Those things were like little culinary landmines, waiting to explode their horribleness into an unsuspecting victim's taste buds.

"Sorry, sorry. I just gotta m-make sure what I'm ordering is on the same level as the stuff I make for myself, you know? Otherwise what's the p-point?" the gold-eyed girl explained herself as she closed her menu and handed it back to the waiter.

"You were quick to order though. And you're following the music well...d-do you know this place already?" she asked, taking the time to start loosening the straps on her bracers. They'd likely be spending the night in town, so there was no reason not to doff a fair amount of her armor at this point.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would, without thinking, bite down on their lip from the inside. Barely stifling a giggle as Zinnia was very umm..... ADAMANT about their being no tomatoes on her food. Despite this he did understand the reaction. Ispir, himself, couldn't handle a lot of heat on his food. All it did was make his eyes water and hurt his tongue. But when Zinnia mentioned the food she ordered being 'at least as good as her own' he would smile and tilt his head, his twintails swaying in the air, before he asked.

"Oh! So you're a really good cook huh? Maybe I could try some of it someday?"

In truth he only meant it as a joke, mostly. Though at Zinnia's mention of him knowing this specific restaurant he would blink, eyes widening a bit, and look around as if actually SEEING the place for the first time and then giving Zinnia a sheepish smile. Explaining bashfully.

"O-Oh no not.... not this place specifically. I just umm... spend a lot of time in inns and taverns. I hear a lot of music and order food a lot more than have it cooked for me."

He gave a gentle shrug, setting his cup down, and watched Zinnia take off bits of her armor before offering.

"Do you want some help?"

As he turned to more fully face her in his seat.​

 

[Zinnia]

Would she call herself a "really good cook?" Hmm...

"I hate to b-brag, but...yeah, kinda. When you work out as much as me you have to eat a LOT. And I decided I like to t-taste what I'm eating, so I make a ton of food," Zinnia answered, feeling a bit of extra circulation run back into her fingers as the straps around her wrist loosened. She flexed her fingers, feeling some satisfaction in the small release. "I'm happy to sh-share sometime while we're on the road."

She nodded along as Ispir explained his situation. Whatever parts of him he lost by wiping his own memory, his love of music seemed to be so core to his existence that it followed him wherever he wandered. It was kind of admirable.

"Do you want some help?"

Oh no. Was this what it was like interacting with people as Kilien? A moment of confidence and wit seized Zinnia, an opportunity she couldn't pass up. The edges of her lips curled upwards.

"Offering to help me undress? P-pretty bold, Ispir. Aren't boys usually supposed to wait until the end of the night for that kind of thing?" she smirked uncharacteristically as she slipped a bracer free.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would blink at her earnest response. Not that he didn't believe her about the cooking, far from it! No it was the 'working out' part that confused him. Sure Zinnia was taller than him, which didn't mean much all things considered, but she didn't LOOK that strong. She was hardly straining her armor with massive muscles, after all, and so Ispir tilted his head and asked genuinely.

"You.... work out a lot? I couldn't tell..."

He didn't quite realize how that may have sounded like an insult but that thought didn't have ANY time to be mulled over Zinnia slowly grinned at him as he took a drink, and in the same moment he thought it was incredibly charming on her he was hit with a metaphorical frying pan to the head and nearly spit out his drink. Choking on it and coughing as Zinnia smirked at him. His face turning BEET red in the process and he was suddenly reminded of being back at Crobhear Keep, being propositioned by one very bold komodi woman.

Swallowing thickly and quickly setting his cup down Ispir's eyes were as wide as dinner plates as he sputtered.

"I-I n-.... I m-mean that's not....."

Out of pure reflex did his eyes sweep lower, roving over Zinnia's armored torso, her chest, before snapping back to her eyes and he....... hiccuped. A small, shy noise that made him bounce in his seat as he drew his legs up and tugged up his cloak in a futile attempt to hide his face from her. As if the gaze of her golden-sun eyes was actually giving him a sunburn in the moment.

Spoiler: Embarrassed Beyond Belief

"I-I didn't mean to... t-to.... ahhhh....."

His mind was all static and confusion. Too much to say, no words that fit, and he actually SHIVERED noticeably as thoughts unbidden of Zinnia in significantly less clothing suddenly crossed his mind. Another shy, tiny hiccup leaving him as he continued to only half-conceal his face. He had never, ever considered such a thing about anyone actively before. What's worse is that he liked, very much so, everything his mind conjured up and as he met her gaze Zinnia could note with some satisfaction that the blushing bard's irises now widened considerably when he looked at her. As everyone's eyes did.... when looking at something they found beautiful.~

 

[Zinnia]

Such a reaction! Genuine, emotive, and frankly, cute in ways that Zinnia had difficulty describing. Her own cheeks warmed a bit, a soft tinge of pink forming beneath her freckles.

Alright so there may have been something to this whole teasing, flirting thing that Kilien was so adept at. She'd never been on the other side of it before, only just barely being able to play ball, as it were, with Kil and Silas in the past. Zinnia liked it, as scary of a thought as that was.

Oh, and then there was Ispir's hiccups.

"Oh, hey, I used to do that too. The n-nervous hiccupping thing," she said with a soft smile. Leaning forward, she reached out and plucked the hat off Ispir's head before giving his hair a ruffle, then replaced the hat. No judgments, just good fun. "You're fine. I know what you meant, I just couldn't resist!"

Zinnia giggled girlishly and openly, a gesture she so rarely found herself making. Sometimes it was surprising even to herself how much being out in the world was allowing her to open up and change.

The gold-eyed girl reclined back into her seat and began to work off more of her armor.
"To answer you though, yes, I'll need some help with my breastp-plate at some point. My pauldrons can be a little tricky, too. After this stuff is off you won't be able to deny the workouts! I'm l-lean, but I'm pretty proud of my dedication."

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would grumble audible, pouting noises under his breathe as Zinnia mentioned his hiccupping only to THEN admit that she KNEW he hadn't meant what she insinuated! He would pout at her for maybe a heartbeat before she giggled and his pout melted away. He wasn't exactly truly UPSET just embarrassed and, now, unsteady. He hadn't thought Zinnia of all people would make a joke like that and he was absolutely not prepared to deal with the thoughts they conjured.

As she then added that she would need more HONEST help with her armor he would nod quickly and, equally quickly, slam back another drink before she insisted she was dedicated to working out! This earned a small grin from Ispir who, after thinking about it, would nod.

"I believe you. You gotta be pretty strong to use your hammer after all. I... I umm...."

Ispir would avert his eyes and look down at himself, awkwardly clearing his throat, before adding.

"I'm not."

As if he was revealing some big secret and not something someone could tell just by looking at him. But he didn't have time to add anything else before their food arrived and he beamed brightly, paused for just a second, and grinned playfully at Zinnia.

"Last one to finish pays the bill?"

He bit his lip conspiratorially, his look positively mischievous, and he even gave her a flamboyant wag of the eyebrows.​

 

[Zinnia]

"I'm not."

"Pfft!" she failed to hold in a laugh. "Well, yeah, you're not a f-fighter. And there's nothing wrong with that. You think I could sing or p-play music the way you do?"

Proctor Evangeline D'Amour was the only Dreadlord that Zinnia knew who could come anywhere close to Ispir's skill musically, and that woman was a machine. Zinnia didn't understand how she found the time or energy to teach, train, and practice her hobbies with the level of dedication that she did.

But Ispir was not a Dreadlord, and he didn't need to be. He just needed to be himself. Zinnia liked him for that.

"You know, so far as Dreadlords go, my magic is...well, it kinda sucks. That's the m-main reason I work so hard to be strong. Makes up for the mediocre magic...and academics..." she laughed more weakly this time, rubbing her shoulder. "P-point is! We all have our strong suits."

"Last one to finish pays the bill?"

Zinnia's normal smile returned, and she quirked a brow.
"Do you m-make a whole lot doing bard stuff? I can cover us both, you know."

If there was one thing being a Second Level Dreadlord and a Stalker did wonders for, it was making sure Zinnia was well paid. She didn't have a whole lot of free time, but Anirian stipends were nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir was nothing but grateful as Zinnia reassured him and complimented his musical skill. Causing his heart to flutter a bit in response. He didn't think her magic sucked though he couldn't speak about her academics. Her point about everyone having their strengths and weaknesses was appreciated though. Though when she quirked a brow and asked him about how much he made as a bard he would blink. Genuinely surprised at the question and fidgeting in his seat a bit.

Rubbing the back of his neck he would shrug.

"U-Uhhh well to be honest I don't know what counts as 'a lot' of coin. I can cover when I eat, when I stay at an inn, and have enough left over to buy food for cute girls like you."

He had, it seemed, taken her advice during their walk to heart and this time he didn't stutter or falter in complimenting her. He even met her gaze and, taking a deep, fortifying breathe he would whisper softly.

"I-I can umm... even be romantic.... i-if you want?"

He offered softly. His heart hammering in his ears, electrifying surges of adrenaline spiking as for once Ispir tried his best to be bold.​

 

[Zinnia]

First came the compliment; Zinnia had already known that Ispir had something of a crush on her. After all, he'd admitted as much very early on in their time on the road. It had been several days since then, and the two were getting along like two peas in a pod. Ispir was far from the usual type that Zinnia seemed to go for, but she found him both cute and endearing as well, and she enjoyed his company greatly.

Then came his whisper.

Zinnia's smile waned, then faded, her pupils dilating a bit, her cheeks burning.

Caeso she'd admired, but her admiration had only ever been one sided.

Silas had once expressed such interests and had treated Zinnia to a nice date, though he'd wound up being one of her greatest sources of heartbreak when his philandering was revealed.

Kilien had been charming and Zinnia had, in the most vulnerable moment of her life, given him her complete trust and her whole self...but she'd not seen him since, and she doubted things would ever be more than physical with him.

No one, no one, had ever so openly admitted to romantic interest in Zinnia before. If it had been anyone else, Zinnia would have seen it for a trick or a joke and been annoyed over it. But Ispir was not anyone else.

So it was that she made one deliberate scoot towards Ispir, leaned down, and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

"You're really sweet, Ispir," she said back to him softly. She leaned back once more and gave his hand a little squeeze. "How about this: you can cover me, and I'll c-cover you. Sound good?"

 

[Ispir Sione]

At first Ispir almost felt himself choke, seeing her smile fade, worried that he had messed up being forward like she had asked. But then her eyes... changed and she blushed! Aside from taking it as a good sign he also thought it was incredibly beautiful, not that he would ever be able to put that into words for the foreseeable future, but still.... the thought existed all the same.

He wasn't sure what went through her mind in the handful of heartbeats afterward, what secrets those two golden suns concealed. All he knew was that if flying too close to the sun was known to burn your wings, then he would have to get used to being on fire. Because as Zinnia made a deliberate move toward him and... and.... and kissed his cheek he would blink rapidly!

With his heart going a million miles per hour, his blood rushing so hot it mat as well have been lava in his veins, he quickly nodded at her suggestion. His tongue currently stuck in knots and unable to form a coherent sentence. But, then he had an idea. In the same spirit as what Zinnia suggested and so he would scoot toward her as well, their knees bumping awkwardly before he moved even closer and, of all things, he reached toward her plate and gingerly used her fork to pick up a piece of her food.

Giving her a soft, mischievous smile he would then hold the fork up near her lips, not saying a word.

He didn't need to.​

 

[Zinnia]

Zinnia let out another laugh as Ispir raised the fork. A cheesy move, but perfectly on brand for what Zinnia had learned of him so far.

"C-consider yourself lucky for this..." she said, satirically scolding.

With a good-natured roll of her eyes she leaned down and opened up.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would nod at her scolding. He did, in fact, consider himself VERY lucky for getting to spend time with her. So the nod he gave was surprisingly earnest even if her scolding was not. The fork would move forward gently, feeding her slowly, before being removed just as gingerly. Only for him to purse his lips and avert his eyes, giving a small, nervous chuckle as he used his free hand to rub the back of his head.

"I-I umm...."

Waggling the fork a bit for emphasis he would extend it to her before admitting shyly.

"I don't know what to do with this now....."

His eyes would return to her own, sheepish and lost, since Zinnia actually had more experience with this sort of thing than he did. At least more experience than he could remember having had anyways.​

 

[Zinnia]

The gold-eyed girl enjoyed the bite, politely putting it down before glancing back at Ispir, who'd somehow gone even more shy in the last few seconds.

She quirked her head at the waggling fork.
"Afraid of c-cooties? We can trade if you want," she offered, sliding her silverware set towards him.

Initiates at the Academy had never been particularly fussy with these sorts of things, but then most of them were probably fraternizing with each other as well. Zinnia was not among them, sometimes to her chagrin, but using the same utensils or drinking off the same container was often just part of the average mission.

For a boy with no memories, though...well she supposed it made sense why he'd hesitate.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would also tilt his head as Zinnia quirked hers, heads tilted in opposite directions, Ispir would blink and ask in confusion.

"C-Cooties....?"

Ispir would then look VERY confused as Zinnia pushed her remaining knife and spoon toward him, her fork still in his hand, and then glanced between their plates as if seriously considering something. Only to look back at Zinnia and state with startling sincerity.

"We can share but.... I don't understand. I've never seen a cootie before."

His expression remained absolutely, completely serious in it's confusion. Despite the absolute hilarity of his words Ispir was not, in fact, playing a prank or joking with Zinnia. Though he would mimic her in offering his own silverware to her despite his confusion, waiting for her to explain what these "cootie" things even were.​

 

[Zinnia]

Blink, blink. Well, Zinnia knew Ispir had lost most of his memories, but she didn't realize he'd erased that much. Then again, maybe not every culture had a concept like cooties?

"It's...an Anirian phrase. They're like, um, imagin-n-ary little creatures that are supposed to be 'icky' and live in your mouth. Little boys and girls like to tease each other about having them, b-before they...you know, develop interests in each other when they get older."

She played the explanation as straight as she could, given Ispir's obvious confusion, before gingerly accepting the used silverware from him.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would simply stare, eyes wide and earnest, as Zinnia explained the concept of cooties to him. At first his face would twist in confusion, then morph into understanding, before he blushed and gave a hurried nod.

"O-Oh! That's odd, but funny!"

Feeling suddenly very self conscious for not knowing what was effectively a childhood joke Ispir would avert his eyes and rub the back of his head sheepishly.

"I-I guess I'm kinda the worst person to use those phrases on, huh?"

For a brief moment he chuckled, then his smile fell, as his own words genuinely struck a bit of a soft spot in his heart and he would bring his hand down to his lap, stare at the floor, and go.... silent. His lips pursed in thought as a sudden low, smoky wave of vague sadness washed over him. A stark, choking, awkward reminder of just how.... different he was.​

 

[Zinnia]

Well that wasn't the intended effect of her tease, nor her explanation. A little pang of guilt shot through her chest as she saw Ispir go sullen. Zinnia was well aware of how little points of sensitivity could get to a person. The odd tease about her hood or stutter had been enough to put her in a bad mood in the past. What would she want someone to say in that situation?

"Hey, it's okay," she intoned softly, squeezing Ispir's arm and sliding a bit closer to him. "I didn't m-mean anything by it. And you're learning. There's nothing to be ashamed of, okay?"

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would nod as Zinnia reassured him, being silently thankful he could anchor his perceptions on the soft squeeze of his arm, though it didn't quite drive away the smoky feeling in his chest that made the inhale he took slightly awkward. Stuttering, uneven, but not painful. When she moved closer and her lap entered his view he would roam his eyes slowly up Zinnia not in any sort of inappropriate manner, only out of a newfound sense of sluggishness as he met those reassuring golden eyes and gave a weak smile.

"Thank you Zinnia. I... I know you didn't. I just umm...."

He paused abruptly, fidgeting in his chair enough to cause it to scoot on the floor, and the hand on the arm she was not holding would cross over to gently lay on her squeezing hand. Soft, warm, thankful and gentle as he shrugged.

"I guess I'm just not used to feeling different. Sometimes I forget that I'm just not like everyone else when I'm making everyone smile and enjoy music. Everyone can appreciate a good song s-so.... I feel a lot less like I don't belong when I'm playing, ya know?"​

 

[Zinnia]

Zinnia offered Ispir a sad smile and a knowing nod, her fingers softly rubbing across his. Using music as a coping mechanism was far from the wildest thing she'd heard. Not every initiate she knew could handle the stresses and traumas of being raised as they were. But loneliness, difference, the eternal ache of wishing someone could truly relate...

"That feeling is an old friend of mine, and it n-never really goes away. You just learn to live with it a little better," she replied. It wasn't the most comforting thing, but the truth rarely was. Adapting and enduring was what forged the strongest people.

The gold-eyed girl swallowed dryly. Ispir had no ties to anything. He wasn't Anirian. He had no one to tell and no reason to care. They'd only known each other for a few days, but trusting him was coming remarkably easy. Maybe if he knew more, he could feel a little more comfortable...

"We're...we're staying here tonight, right? At this inn? If we do, I have s-something to, um...to show you. It might make you feel a little less different."

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would give Zinnia a sad look. One only someone who empathized with a very certain kind of sadness could share. The soft brush of her fingers over his own brought him a lot of comfort, the faint sparks of that bubbly feeling welling up in his stomach again, and he would blink rapidly at her sudden question. Having not even thought about it himself.

"O-Oh! Right! I can go ask about rooms and umm.... it... it will distract me for a bit."

He gave a bit brighter smile now, standing up between their chairs, before suddenly giving Zinnia a gentle hug and whispering against her ear.

"Thank you Zinni. I'll be right back."

Before he released her and scampered off toward the barkeep. If Zinnia watched him she would see him call out to the barkeep, voice unheard but expression mostly bright, the barkeep then gave an answer, then Ispir looked confused, paused, and asked another question. The barkeep would then give another answer and nod, hold up a finger, and Ispir would stare at it for a moment before nodding... slowly.

When Ispir did return his eyes were focused on the single object in his hands. Held before him almost like an apology present. A single object. A single room key as he blushed deeply and averted his gaze while explaining shyly.

"They.... o-only had one room left...."​

 

[Zinnia]

Zinnia returned the hug and smiled as Ispir traipsed away. She took the time in solitude to scarf more of her meal down. She hadn't been kidding, food was generally a huge concern for her and it often felt like she was burning through more calories every day.

Then Ispir returned, brandishing a single key and acting like he'd just caught Zinnia stepping out of the shower.

Only one room left.

Her eyes widened a bit and that familiar burning in her cheeks returned.

"O-oh, w-well, um...no big deal, r-right?" she stammered out, feeling much like her old, less confident self. It really wasn't a big deal, or at least it shouldn't have been. They'd been sharing camp for days now, and if Zinnia was to do what she was planning then they'd need to be in the privacy of the same room together anyways.

"D...doesn't bother me if you're okay with it."

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir couldn't even lie about it being no big deal to shake his head or make a joke. He simply gave a nod when Zinnia asked if he was okay with it. Which, in one way, he was. True it wasn't THAT much different than sharing a camp but in the way that it was, an intimate way, was the real problem. Or if not a problem then at least the reason for his blush and current silence.

Sitting back across from Zinnia he would gently nibble at his food for a moment before extending the key to Zinnia, doing his best to actually look at her, and nodded.

"If... if it really does bother you Zinni you can have it. I'm used to traveling and sleeping outside. It's okay."

He insisted gently. At least pretending to be chivalrous instead of timid in the moment.​

 

[Zinnia]

"No, really, I mean it. You're n-not sleeping outside," Zinnia replied, then nudged Ispir's shoulder with her knuckles. "Besides, Vel Anir's a big p-place. If it were really that much of an issue we could just, you know, find another inn."

She laughed, having not even thought about her latter point at first. There was no shortage of places to stay in a city like this, this one was just convenient.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would give an anxious giggle as Zinnia nudged them. Rocking gently along with the motion before feeling SIGNIFICANTLY more embarrassed as he also hadn't even considered going somewhere else. Plus he has already paid for the room. This taking a deep breaths, and encouraged by Zinnia, he would venture a small smile and stand up.

"Well.... I guess we can at least go look at the room, R-Right?"

He idly spin the key around a finger, eyes meeting Zinnia 's only briefly before shyly flicking over to the stairs leading up to the rooms.​