#hakuryx

Threadbare and dark branches allow gobs of powdery snow between their winter-brittle bodies. Ice treacherously skirts the cement steps that lead him away from campus -- hastily scraped away as a service to its students though the handrails still remain glossed and slippery; dangerously translucent. Judar wrenches his fingers away with a scowl, curling frostbitten and red-tipped fingers into the limited warmth of his opposite palm. 

Thankfully, the destination isn’t far. He makes his way through the uppermost parking lot; quickly beats the path of winding sidewalks over frozen earth, and while his heart doesn’t quite pound with the anticipation of showing up for his newly obtained job Judar can at least look forward to a heated building for the remainder of the afternoon. The campus bookstore moonlights as a student café and comes into view at the foot of a particularly slushy set of stairs - as the soles of his shoes skid over an unseen sheet of ice, he murmurs aloud that maybe “looking forward” couldn’t be less of an understatement. 

The door chimes as he lets himself in. Judar notes the heavy festive bells tied to the knob on the inside, takes the place in as the central heating immediately permeates his miserable pores. Behind the counter, he notices, is another young man around his age - mismatched eyes and a watery mouth that softens as he politely beckons the last of his customers from their place in line. Cute, he supposes, if a little sad. His lips curve upward in a catlike grin as he slinks over, waiting for the customers to take their leave, wider as they finally walk away.

[text] I think a six year old just hit on me. I’m scared.

To: Meredy’s Dork

[text]: And here I thought the big bad dragon slayer wasn’t afraid of anything

Send a ♚. Your character falls asleep on mine, I’ll reply with what mine does

As Sting’s head had slowly shifted to rest on her shoulder Cana had chosen not to disturb him.  Being a guild master was hard work, and she supposed he could use all the rest he could get.  That is until she heard the murmuring coming from the sleeping dragon slayer.

“Don’t wanna.”

At first she had thought that he was talking to her, but the mumbling off afterwards indicated he was merely in a vivid dream.

“Rogue... No...”

That got Cana’s attention.  Now that her interest had been peaked she listened as hard as she could to Sting’s mumblings, trying to understand exactly what was going on in his mind.

“Don’t wanna tap dance...”

Tap dance.  Why would Sting be dreaming of tap dancing, and her boyfriend forcing him to do so.  The fidgeting of the man next to her betrayed just how agitated this dream had made him.  Grumbling sounds could now be heard, and Cana believed she could make out the word “paperwork” in the midst of them.

“Don’t wanna tap dance Rogue!”

A hand was held up to her mouth as she tried not to burst out into laughter.  She could only imagine the scene in her head, Sabertooth’s master being forced to tap dance.  Cana would pay to see that happen.  As the twitching increased the card mage would choose to have some sympathy on the poor dragon slayer next to her.  She had learned how to soothe Rogue’s nightmares, and so would use some of those same skills on his teammate.

“It’s okay Sting, you don’t have to tap dance.”  The words quietly whispered to him as her hand gently stroked his hair.  

“Mmmmmmmmmmmm-eredy.  Love you.”