ioduanlogs | (no subject)

Characters: Enki & Valdis
Date: Early February
Location: Aifaran
Situation: Cleansing... ritual
Warnings/Rating: None!

"A what?" He looks up with a frown at the nearest Igheeri, weighing on taking a step back - though there's a wall only a few steps behind him, and there four Igheeri around him.

"Cleansing ritual." She frowns down at him, angled, regal, and disapproving. "You bend the updrafts the wrong way, turn the winds for yourself," she says, voice snippy, reaching out to pointedly almost brush the faint freckle on his forehead - he ducks away in time, but it's a little unsettling she went so unerringly for that spot, and Rokuta scowls.

"Look, I'm sorry, really, but I---"

"It won't take long. Come." She tries to reach for him again and Rokuta skitters back, can feel Yokuhi about to burst out of his shadow and he really wants to avoid that, especially in the middle of a street, but the four Igheeri box him in, and no one else seems to be (or want to be) paying attention.

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"Maybe it'll be different whenever you go home again," Rokuta said, frowning a little. No one should have to hide like that, though, of course, that didn't mean it didn't happen, for various reasons. Just because it wasn't right, didn't stop it. "Though at least you do got people here."

The question, though, prods a bark of laughter from him, though there's an edge to it, however genuine the amusement.

"Trust isn't the problem," he said, glancing up at Valdis sideways, then lowering his voice, "you wanted to do something earlier. Something violent. Just for a second or two."

He pauses, just watching her for a beat, then shrugs.

"I'd still tell you, 'cause I believe you wouldn't use that against me. I don't really think anyone here would do something. I just got less protection here."

He was at least old enough, with enough experience, to leverage that against his inner nature, even if it seemed rather ridiculous to think anyone here would actually care... Yokuhi's insistence he be careful helped, too.

Valdis shook her head. She wasn't so foolish as to hold out hope that her world would change. She looked at him without turning her head when his voice lowered and he explained that he had sensed earlier. It was interesting to know that such a brief moment had been sensed by someone else, Enki hadn't outright said it, but such an ability might be similar to her own. Something to pursue at another time perhaps. At least he didn't seem too alarmed by what he had sensed.

She sighed, "I assure you, as long as I am myself, no one has anything to fear from me."

"Like I said, I'm not worried," he said with a lopsided crack of a smile, waving it away, "and hey, if you already know you need to keep a leash on yourself..."

The shrug was nonchalant, but there was a sympathetic edge to his voice. He didn't know what that was like, but it sounded like it'd potentially be exhausting.

"And I'm sure I will have people I can trust, the longer I end up staying." Though... that made Rokuta frown, gaze dropping down to his feet for a few steps. He wanted, and needed to be home, not here, for as much as it was curiously freeing to be here. He wasn't sure what to do with that, honestly.

"It's not myself I'm keeping a leash on," Valdis replied, "If it were, it'd be easier."

At least she had people to help balance it, and someone who was capable of destroying it if it came to that. Hopefully it never would, she didn't really want to put anyone she cared about through that.

"I'm sure you will eventually," she said, noting how Enki suddenly seemed downtrodden, "Being here can be both a gift and a curse, but there are people who are willing to stand by you through anything."

She had firsthand experience with that.

"Huh." He nodded in acknowledgement, shooting a sidelong look up at Valdis and raising an eyebrow, but didn't actually ask what she meant by that. If she wanted to tell him, she would, but in the meantime, that was her secret. No matter if Yokuhi was probably displeased.

"Getting tossed together like this is pretty interesting," he agreed, chewing his bottom lip, "don't really mind, since there's no effect on home of us being here, but..."

But being without his solid center was... unsettling. If nothing else he knew exactly where he had Shouryuu, and what they were. What he'd do.

"It usually is." She didn't care about her home world, however she knew that most people did.

Looking ahead, Valdis pointed out the turn that would take them back to the Dreaming Bridge.

"The Dreaming bridge is around that corner."

Turning to follow the way she pointed, Rokuta felt some tension leave his shoulders and he grinned.

"Thanks for the escort. Think I can go the rest of that short distance without having to worry 'bout ambushes, especially this close to the Dreaming Bridge."

And hopefully tomorrow or in another two days, they'd have forgotten about it or just decided to let it lie and he could go back to wandering the city as normal. Or just pay a bit more attention.

Valdis managed a smile, "Good, I'll leave you here then."

She had other things to do in the city.

"You may wish to be a bit more careful in the future with you abilities. Not everyone will understand them."

"Guess I'll have to, yeah," Rokuta huffed, shaking his head, "I thought leaving in the middle of the night would be good enough, but I guess I should go to the city's outskirts first..."

A shrug. That was his problem to deal with, and he shot her another smile, "I'll figure it out."

With a parting wave, he walked off, and could admit that it was a bit of a relief when he got inside, even if he wasn't planning on staying and practically hiding in here.

Valdis watched, making sure he made it all the way to the building before turning and heading back into the city.