addiction

What was with this forest that no one wanted to talk about it? The villagers seemed to avert their eyes or change the subject when you asked any questions about the areas surrounding Sleepy Hollow. Sounds like this place had a hell of a lot of questions and not a lot of answers for the “newcomers”.

"Well, have you seen anything sketchy out there? Seems like you’d be more of an expert on what to look out for. From the sounds of it the animals aren’t the only things to be afraid of." But with any [lack of] luck, Rayne was sure that Daire would be just like the others—being as vague as humanly possible.

Rayne put the box down in a crowded corner of the room, bringing up a cloud of dust that was probably left there for a few years. After coughing a few times and waving her hand around to disperse the particles away from her face, she walked back over to where Daire was standing.

In the end, the castle was probably his most permanent settlement, but it was the place he struggled to avoid regularly. The forest he didn't mind as a whole, but it was true that many things resided in it that would wish him harm. Daire didn't have a great rep amongst fae or humans, apparently, and he didn't much care.

Figuring he should keep the mention of supernatural beings on the down-low for now, he finally stated, "Rangers and bounty hunters like to stake out in the forest." Not a lie. "People that have lost their mind often get lost out there, too, living like animals and frightening travelers. It's simply smarter to keep on the outskirts of it."

Waving a hand as he spoke, he watched the girl set things down and peeked about. He exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to sneeze. It certainly was dusty; it'd need some cleaning before anything was really torn up. Lungs could collapse in a place like this, it was so hazardous.

‘

Oh how terrible! The look of irritation soon melts away when he sighs, turning to his mermaid companions with a slight smile. “Yes, I know him and he’s…well, a charmer of sorts. Not exactly someone I am on good terms.” Is it because he smells like a human? Faes like that are so hard to come across! But hee hee! He’s asking for your company! We’ll leave you be Blaise. Come back next time when you’re not busy.

The mermaids swim off before Blaise could utter a complaint and turns to where Daire sat. Blaise scratches his cheek and walks over to the other but refuses to sit. 

Daire watched in amusement as Blaise registered his presence fully, seeing the brief aggravation. However, at seeing him smile towards the mermaids, he feels himself lean forward a little. Ah... How little he saw such a thing on the other faerie's face! It was a refreshing sight and it suited him a lot more than that frown he sported. That frown was more a result of Daire's pestering, but that is besides the point....

When Blaise finally parts ways and starts walking towards him, Daire gets comfy on the sand and stretches out his legs. Grinning up at the brunet, he waved his fingers in a blatantly flirtatious manner. 

"I didn’t know it was safe around the forest. That’s good, at least." With that fog hanging around, everything about Sleepy Hollow seemed a little sketchy. "It one of those been-in-the-family-for-ages log cabins? I like those, they’re comfy and quiet. Can’t really stand being out in the middle of nowhere for too long though. Gets too quiet for me.”

Within no time, they had stepped onto the same dirt road where the shop was located. Rayne felt like that was becoming her residence rather than the Inn where she only really showered and slept. She wasn’t there for too long, but she kept an attachment to the place the moment she started working there.

Rayne walked up a couple of stone steps next to a faded sign that once listed off toy items sold there and things the owner could fix. It was hanging diagonally now, one side of the chain too long and the other too short.

Perking a little at her commentary on the forest, he hesitated thoughtfully before shaking his head. "It is still something to be wary of," he told her with a hint of seriousness. Sparing her a glance, he looked away again and continued, "I can't say... I personally haven't been living there for very long. Perhaps I will look into that, hm?"

He quieted after that, mulling over her new opinion of the forest. Hopefully she'd catch on to his statement and continue to view it as a danger. Fae had an easier time navigating its complicated paths and trees, especially since most were native to it. He was not, however being in the king's favor helped him move about safely.

Trailing after Rayne and observing the building they'd arrived at, he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. He was aware of some of the fading shops, but this one was probably one of the worst. It'd be nice if the girl could fix it up some.

He arrives at the beach on the opposite end of where Daire was with a bucket at hand. He removes his shoes before stepping in the water to fill it up. Ah, what was that? He heard the faint sound of giggling but not from behind and instead, before him, were two mermaids.

While he usually kept up a stubborn front, these two ladies happened to be somewhat of acquaintances of his. (He’d love to become friends with them but that requires going under the sea and he isn’t quite fond of deep waters.) “Ladies, good morning to you both.” Good morning Blaise! Is the other land dweller over there your friend? He’s rather good looking. "…huh?"

He squats down and turns to where they pointed.

And then it isn't long before his attention is diverted entirely, having noticed a new addition to the beach. Lolling his head to one side, he squinted and peered into the distance to see someone traipsing about in the water. He recognized the form even at such a distance, provoking a slow grin to form on his lips.

Of course, the mermaids soon popped up out of the water at the new arrival, and Daire was momentarily surprised to note their friendliness. He observed the group conversing with one another, figuring that he'd be noticed eventually. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long for such a thing, for Blaise's eyes soon met his own.

Resisting the urge to giggle gleefully, his grin widened in size and he lifted a hand to beckon the other over.

At Daire’s compliment, he smiles to himself a bit. Such a minuscule compliment made him feel a bit relaxed. He was glad to know that his food was indeed good to consume. “Ah, that’s a relief. I wouldn’t want you to bear a grudge against me if it wasn’t good even if I had told you in advance it wasn’t the best.” 

The blond considered this in silence, setting aside his finished bowl of soup and catching sight of Blaise's smile. Studying it with interest, his own lips curled upwards a little and he tilted his head. "Hoh? You think I'd bear a grudge over that?" he chuckled in good humor, grinning lazily and glancing elsewhere. 

Nah, this guy would more than likely just be subject to her nicknames.

Rayne hiked the box a little farther up her shoulder after it slipped a bit on the road’s decline. Even the streets around here needed work. There weren’t any vehicles that rich folk used like in the richer countries that Tuhran did business with, but somehow there were still potholes and wear on the pathways here. Rayne turned a corner and Daire still surprisingly kept her pace. It wasn’t far at all until they got to the shop.

"So correct me if I’m wrong, but you seem awfully carefree and adapt to this place. Most people that end up here seem to still be freaking about it."

She was strangely adapting too, but maybe that was just because she couldn’t remember exactly why she needed to get home so badly. She wouldn’t bring that up though. She was getting along just fine and was doing what she did best, so maybe that’s why she hadn’t made a big deal out of it yet. Yet was the operative word. It would more than likely hit her later.

Rayne took a look over to the cheerful stranger, wincing and staring more out of suspicion than curiosity. Still, it didn’t seem to bother him or change his attitude in the slightest. Normally people would be unsettled from getting that kind of look, but this guy seemed to be a totally different breed.

It was amusing. He'd have to play around with her more.

"Well, now you know it for future reference," Daire hummed, nearly cooing as he spoke. "You pronounced it correctly, and that's always a good start." Daw-ray. People often didn't think to say it that way if they ever saw it written. Of course, the faerie rarely ever did such a thing... Shaking his head slightly, the blond followed the turn and managed to keep up his step with the young woman's. 

Perking at her words, Daire couldn't help but grin to himself and rub at his chin thoughtfully. Ah, so she caught on. She was quite the quick-witted girl, and he admired that.

"I'm quite used to this place," he responded airily, waving a hand flippantly and smiling to himself. "Though I don't always hover about the village like this. Normally I stay in the forest... I have a cabin there, you see." Not exactly true, but if he asked Caelan for a place of his own, he'd probably wheedle it out of the king. This thought nearly made him smirk, but he refrained. 

Peeking back at the other, he caught the look he was being given and flashed a grin. It was amusing how she seemed bothered by his presence, but that just made him more inclined to stick around. It didn't bother him, really, he was all too used to it. 

"Yeah, you’re not the first one to tell me that." she sighed, keeping her sight on the street in front of her.

This place was getting a little more familiar day by day. That was probably the scariest part. Still, something did strike her as odd when she saw the same villagers tending to the same tasks every time she walked by, like that one old lady that was always hanging her laundry on the line down the street.

"Well when you do, I’ve got a nail file handy in my pouch if you need it, pretty boy," she snickered. Along with a hammer and nails to patch up my patience when this guy is done following me like a puppy.

She had just about everything in that bottomless thing.

Rayne fell silent for a few moments, then spoke up again. He had a point. She  could vaguely remember that she was always getting nagged as a kid when she didn’t greet guests correctly. Unlike her brother, she wasn’t really ‘Miss Personality’.

They were never that interesting to him; he had to rely on the confused individuals that wound up in Sleepy Hollow instead. Those that already belonged to the town itself were static --characters that never changed or proved to be fascinating. Before people started popping up out of no where, he often kept out of the village due to boredom.

Everyone was the same.

Eyes darting back to the girl, a grin stretched itself upon his lips and he released a low noise similar to a laugh. "I'm sure you do, and I'm even more positive that you'd be happy to lend it to me," he mused.

Abrupt, curious little human...

When she finally gave her name, he bit back the urge to smirk and nodded sagely, taking this in. 'Rayne' was a fitting name for the woman, though he couldn't quite place its meaning. He didn't want to assume it meant what it sounded like, after all.

Rayne batted her eyelids blandly for a few more seconds and walked right past him, heading a few streets down the village to the shop. 

"Sounds like a load of bull to me," she said with her back towards him. He was initially walking the complete opposite direction. That definitely wasn’t where he was going. Still, she looked backwards over her free shoulder to see him still staring at her. She stopped walking for a moment.

"But whatever. If you want to come do what you want. Just try not to get in my way in the meantime, alright? I wouldn’t want you breaking a nail or anything."

Without even responding, he hummed and trailed after the woman even though she clearly didn't ask for his company. All the better.

"You're quite the blunt one, aren't you?" he commented, keeping a few feet between them as they walked. Truly, he would call her downright rude, but that probably wasn't appropriate. He hadn't done anything outrightly awful, but his whole aura was offsetting. Even those attracted to him would know this.

Sighing wistfully, he took longer strides until he was walking alongside the girl, giving her a brief glance. "I'm sure I'll survive if I break a nail. I'll let you know otherwise."

"Maybe a little," she admitted, slightly scrunching her nose. Her gaze dropped and lingered off to the side. Something about this guy just kinda irritated her from the start. Maybe it was because everything he said seemed so sparkly and ingenuine. Maybe it was because he kinda reminded her of someone she knew from home, whoever that was. She couldn’t even remember.

Rayne matched his lean, choosing to mock him rather than flirting back. Her tone was dull, and her eyes fluttered open and closed too quickly to be taken as anything but sarcastic.

"Pity," he hummed softly under his breath, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets and looking elsewhere. Already he was under suspicion, and while this didn't bother him, it could lose him some entertainment. He wasn't about to let this opportunity pass him by, especially since it had been some time since he'd met such an... abrasive young woman. 

Catching her motion, he straightened his back once before flashing a cheeky smile. The expression she bore was not flattering in the slightest, and he had half a mind to tell her so.

Picking up supplies was a strange job— It was more like the stuff just appeared out of nowhere. The owner would send her down a specific alley next to some shop and there would just be a couple boxes of things sitting there. They didn’t buy it. God knows where it originated from. It was just there.

Rayne would have guessed someone here was able to go outside the town to some scrap yard or mines or whatever, but the old man just refused to tell her.

So Rayne took her giant box that day, heaving it above her shoulder and walked around to get back to the shop to drop it all off. The cardboard made it kind of hard to see in peripheral vision, and daydreaming in the silence, she almost didn’t notice the guy stifling a laugh that she nearly side-swiped with her materials.

"Oh crap, sorry!" she moved a few paces to the side and steadied the overflowing container, making sure bags of nuts and bolts and scraps of old tin and iron didn’t spill out.

He was already considering if he should pursue her, weighing the pros and cons. On top of that, there was the simple question of: Was he bored enough? That's usually was got him to go "chasing skirts," so to speak, but not all the time. He had his own urges, after all... A lot easier to control than those of humans, however.

For now, he would feel her out and get a sense of what kind of person she was. Right now he was simply looking for a bit of entertainment, and she'd probably prove to be just that.

"Oh? Is that how I come across?" he murmured thoughtfully, lifting a hand to tap his cheek absently. Flashing a cheeky grin, he adjusted his arms so that his hands were resting lazily on his hips. "I'm afraid I don't really pay attention to such things. It's very bold of you to point out such a thing yourself, though... Very bold indeed!"

Keeping his expression generally amiable, he studied the box she was holding before adding flippantly, "Apology accepted, nonetheless. It is obvious your load was a distraction."

"Well I feed him all the edible things in the forest. I try not to spoil him with too much sweets, let alone anything humans drop like their chocolates." He focuses on the cauldron-like pot before him. He stirs and stirs, adding in the herbs and mushrooms he’s gotten and scratches his cheek a bit. "But he is a child so anything I make must be good to him. My cooking’s the only one he’s had in a while." 

The silence between them now is much more comfortable seeing as Blaise is hard at work. While he lets the soup sit, he goes to make his rounds with the deer and stag, feeding them or giving them water if needed. They all seemed to enjoy his presence and rub against him, prompting a soft laugh from the zips. When he returns, he hands the other a small slice of bread he’s made and soon after that, the meals’ are done and he serves the other a pipping hot bowl of soup.

He went quiet after that, looking about the grove and admiring its peaceful atmosphere. His golden eyes darted after Blaise when he saw the other move to the deer, lips curling. It was peculiar how seeing the other smile around the creatures made Daire feel a little... lighter. He couldn't place it, but the zips was quite the oddity that made the gancanagh a bit more genuine in his words and actions. Few people were capable of such a thing, and for that, he considered Blaise unique.

Being small like this allowed him to thoroughly clean the plants and with his powers—although not as potent as they used to be—made things go smoothly. He glances up to where Daire was and felt even more intimidated by the other for being so big. When he’s done, he reverts back to human-size, softly exhaling as he leads the other back into the protection of the grove. 

When they’re in again, he goes off to the makeshift kitchen near the base of his home and begins to make his meal. Little balls of lights light up at each tree, one by one, giving a beautifully illuminated area. “You can watch if you’d like. My soups and meals aren’t all that great I don’t think. Felix enjoys them but I doubt my cooking abilities are that great since I am the only faerie who eats my own cooking.” Blaise mumbles out a reply before turning his back to the other a bit, fixated on making a good enough meal for his new guest. 

Watching the other shrink, he tilted his head and crouched down to watch the little man get to work. He reached his hand out and ran his fingers through the water close to where Blaise cleaned off the plants, eyes on the ripples of the clear surface. It wasn't long before the brunet shifted back into his humanesque size, and he flashed another cheeky smile before continuing to follow him. 

It’s just that he didn’t care for it.

A disinterested look passes over Daire’s hooded gaze, but it’s evident the king doesn’t wish to be hostile towards the other, for all he does is simply turn around and continue his walk through the garden.

"Very well, then, if that is the story you wish to stick by," he drawls. "As a note, though, Daire—

Too bad he didn't try hard enough.

Still, a little smile formed on Daire's lips, a mix between something genuine and a bit of exasperation. It wouldn't kill Caelan to be a little more tolerant this afternoon, would it? He didn't want to deal with this...

Moving up to fall into step beside the faerie, the blond held his hands behind his back and proceeded to murmur: