alnifolia | ( psl ) watching you bloom

[ In the meanwhile, the buzz of uncertainty has fell to the wayside as Trahearne spends his morning helping a guest add to an entry. Concentrating on something, someone who needs their hand held so is an excellent way to keep his mind off the dream and what it all means.

Except that comes to an end eventually. As the guest moves to leave, Trahearne scoops up the books to return them to their rightful places. He stands and turns his gaze towards the entrance, watching the guest go, when his eyes drift...

And there's Ori.

It all comes rushing back to him. He freezes. He can't decide if the overwhelming delight to see her in his chest or the sinking dread that she's come to tell him off in the pit of his stomach is more powerful. He can't decide which one he should concentrate on. He simply looks at her in the distance, enamored. The way the morning sun illuminates her makes it seem as though she's standing in a spotlight just for her, that she is the center of the world. How brilliant she seems, the golden hue of the sunlight just the perfect contrast to the soft lilac of her skin, how her dark hair shines in the morning. The light suits someone like her so well. She belongs there, seen and loved by everyone. How could anyone like him, one who has spent his whole life in the dim, dusky corridors of libraries, who has spent nearly every waking moment in the company of death and undead, even entertain the idea of being with someone so--

"You are distracted, sylvari," comes a deep, booming voice from above him, interrupting his thought. Trahearne starts, whipping his head up to see one of his staff members--the kodan, the towering polar bear man--peering curiously down at him.

"I--"

"Do you need her?" the kodan nods outside at Ori--he's seen her, too. She is familiar to him, and perhaps that she's friends with Trahearne, but that's about as far as his knowledge goes. Trahearne opens his mouth to speak again, but the kodan interrupts him. "I shall fetch her for you."

In the kodan's mind, he's helping.

The great big bear comes to step outside, and reaches Ori in a few easy strides. His shadow casts over her as he looms over her.

"Hello. The curator asks for you," he says, motioning to the inside of the archives.

Trahearne, watching from the inside, is quietly dying on the inside as he scrambles to find something to busy himself with. If he can't physically hide, then he will create work to metaphorically hide behind. ]

[ Oriphi, on the other hand, doesn’t get the luxury of a slow-motion, well-lit first glance of Trahearne for the first time since they kissed in her dream.

Instead, she is approached rather unceremoniously by the kodan - a fellow whom she recognizes as a regular helper at the archives - his shadow and form eclipsing her entire self. She looks up at him, lips parting to say something in greeting when his voice booms. The curator asks for you. ]

Hello— O-Oh. He’s asking for me?

[ What could it mean…? That he intends for them to meet up so soon? She— She’s not ready, or is she? She has no idea!

The kodan begins to usher her towards the entrance, and as they go, Ori quickly glances over at a window to see if she can catch a glimpse of her reflection, smoothing down a rebellious section of hair before she’s whisked into the archives.

Now, it seems, is her turn to freeze. Because for all of her worrying about seeing him again, now that she’s here, actually seeing him again, her anxieties are left by the wayside. Utterly oblivious to his dying inside, he simply looks to her like he’s in his element, hard at work as he focuses on the task at hand… And she really likes seeing him like this. Surrounded by books and his work and his passions, she finds him to be breathtaking. After all, his work ethic and intellect have always been aspects of him that she admires very much, even when the former often works to his detriment when he works and works and works.

Is it selfish of her to hope that she’ll be able to help him maintain a healthier work-life balance…? Could she deign to believe that she could?

The kodan all but shoves her towards where Trahearne is, and now she finds herself standing before him, trying but failing to not look quite so bashful. ]

G… Good morning, Trahearne…

[ For a moment, Trahearne does get lost enough in his work to take his mind off his unease. But that doesn't last very long, because Ori's voice--sweet, comforting tones--almost cause him to jump, a brief clench in his chest and a smile he cannot help overcome him.

Get it together. He has done this once, he will do it again.

After a beat, he turns around, composing himself. His smile is his usual vague smile, a pleasantry. His only tell that something is off, which Ori would surely notice, is the way he hugs the books in his arms tighter to his chest. A way of trying to hide himself, keep himself normal.

Even though there is, quite frankly, nothing normal about this situation. ]

Good morning, Ori. [ His voice is pleasant as always. He can't help his smile taking on a gentler hue as he studies her. How does she always have this effect on him? He feels so...happy seeing her. Despite, well--

But his smile immediately drops as he realizes something: her flowers in her hair, twinkling stars in the curtain of night that is her hair, are gone.

His mind can only go to the worst place. Was that...his fault? ]

Ori, your flowers...

[ His brows raise and guilt immediately colors his countenance. Maybe...he shouldn't have... ]

[ Statuesque as he is, it’s hard for her not to avoid looking at him, and it’s even harder still not to pay close attention to all the little ways and tells that he unwittingly offers as he hugs his books closer to his chest, as he stares down at her.

Perhaps… He’s feeling… uncertain? About her? About them?

Just like that, the worries that had been plaguing her since she’d woke up flood back into her thoughts, though they had been momentarily lost in her delight in simply seeing him. Goodness, how does he manage to scramble her thoughts so thoroughly? ]

My…

[ It takes her a moment to realize in full what it is he means. Her hand comes up to touch her own hair, finding - well, only hair as she runs her fingers through wavy locks. ]

Oh. I forgot them this morning…!

O-oh.

[ Slowly, the corners of his mouth droop in a frown. She forgot them? This certainly can't be a coincidence. What he did must have caused her so much distress. The guilt claws at his throat, and he blinks a few times, unsure of what else to say.

In his attempts to feign ignorance, he wants to ask what happened to her that made her forget, but even he knows that would not work. He's not stupid. He should, at least...express his guilt somehow.

He swallows thick, trying to find his voice in the moments that follow. ]

...I'm sorry.

S—Sorry?

[ She blinks up at him, eyes wide in confusion. Why is he apologizing...? Why is he frowning at her so? Is he saying sorry to ask her to forget about what happened...?

Her chest feels tight and uneasy as her hand lowers to clutch at it, her lips drawing into a thin, uncertain line. ]

It's... Nothing you have to apologize for, I think...

A-are you sure...?

[ For a moment, he hates how large his mother made him--he wants to shrink, to disappear. He hugs the book tighter to his chest, hoping as though that might happen. It doesn't, of course--he just hunches more around the tome, making him seem more awkward than he usually is.

But if it's okay, then does that mean she...accepts his affections? Or that she simply forgives him for overstepping the line of their friendship?

He doesn't know. And he's too afraid to ask. ]

I--

[ And he doesn't know what to say.

There's a pause before he straightens himself, forcibly putting on his friendlier, more neutral attitude back on. It's strained, not natural. That much would be obvious. ]

Did you need something from the archives today?

[ Despite it all, he's still really happy to see her. ]

[ Given his size, it’s clear to Ori that he’s doing his level best to take up as little space as possible; such posture is very much the norm for her, besides, so she might have recognized it regardless. But still, it makes something twist in her chest again, seeing him shrinking into himself like this.

Perhaps he’s truly distraught about what happened in her dream…

She doesn’t know what to say, either. At length, she watches him scramble into his regular demeanor, but she can’t quite manage the same for herself. Shyly, she lifts a hand to brush her hair behind her ear. ]

… I just… Wanted to see you and say hello.

[ Sure, her entrance ultimately required the intervention of a third party, but still, she’s glad for it. She’d like to think that she would have come in regardless - the kodan simply expedited the process. Surely she would not have turned on her heel and walked away out of anxiety or fear of what this very exchange would be like…

Now that she’s said that, though, she has to ask. She has to know… She has to be sure that he doesn’t hate her after what happened. ]

Is that… Alright?

[ She...wanted to see him? And say hello?

Even after the dream?

His joy in seeing her, and his delight that she wanted to see him anyway, even after getting pulled in by Walking in Dreams (that's the kodan's name btw) cannot be contained. Immediately he beams, a big smile cracking across his face, and he straightens a bit.

He had been so sure he was a bother to her. ]

Of course! I'm glad you're here.

[ For a moment, he isn't sure what to do with himself, or how he should spend time with her while she's here. But in true Trahearne fashion, his idea is...very "him."

He plucks the top half of a stack of books from beside him and hands them to her. ]

[ There’s no masking the relief that washes over her face at his reaction. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she had been thinking about all of the ways that this interaction could have gone wrong. He could have turned her away and said he was too busy. Or simply not said anything at all. Instead, his face lights up and he smiles so brightly that, as she looks up at him, he could very well be glowing like the sun.

”I’m glad you’re here.”

She’s glad, too. She would say as much, but amber finds amber as they stand there for a moment, simply looking at each other. Then— suddenly, he turns away, leaving Ori to cast a sidelong glance at Walking in Dreams with a bit of a confused look on her face. The kodan, naturally, has nothing helpful to offer in his expression - although admittedly, even if he had Ori wouldn’t be able to tell. She looks back at Trahearne shortly, just in time for him to shove some books into her arms. She blinks slowly, once, twice.

Ah. ]

Oh, um… Shall I help you sort these away…?

[ instructions unclear ]

Edited (gotta pick the right icon!!) 2022-09-20 14:08 (UTC)

Yes.

[ As he scoops up the rest of the stack of books into his arms, Trahearne beams and nods with enthusiasm. Ori has been here a lot, and she knows the drill--he's even shown her the ropes a couple of times. She knew what that meant, and he trusts her to put everything in its proper place. ]

I trust you, Ori. You know where things go around here, so I'll leave you to it. Just let me know if you need anything.

[ His gaze drops again, suddenly aware of how his fingers curl around the books. She doesn't mind, does she...? She would've said no if she didn't want to, right? His thought process loops back--she has been here a lot. And for a long while, he foolishly thought she was into the processes that went behind organizing an institution like this and vetting process for information submitted by the public. Had...had she always come to see him? Had it always been about him?

When he lifts his eyes again, resting on the tiefling and all of her perfections, he can't help the elated lightness blooming in his chest, or the smile that crosses his face because of it. Suddenly embarrassed, keenly aware of the blush growing on his cheeks, he whirls around to face the shelves and starts putting things away. ]

Edited (oops i forgot (but then i unforgot)) 2022-09-21 08:31 (UTC)

[ Somewhat in her defense, she has been here in a sincere pursuit for knowledge and learning more about what the other dreamwalkers have found and written on topics around this world and other things of note... But as time has gone on, and especially as of late, the visits have had less to do with learning and more to do with spending time with Trahearne.

Today, it seems, is no different.

Digging around at the communal gardens can wait... Perhaps if she's brave enough later, she might even convince Trahearne to come along with her and help there.

As things stand, she simply starts to go about her work same as she always has whenever she visits and finds herself assisting with the various minutiae of this place. It's not work that she'd been used to doing before, but she's come to appreciate the methodical nature of it all, and the quiet that comes with dwelling in this place. Even if, at this very moment, things don't feel quiet with the way her heart is pounding in her chest.

It may be a blessing that Ori remains blissfully unaware of the way Trahearne has been stealing glances at her, caught up in her own thoughts and in the task at hand; before too long, however, she finds herself with a book that needs to be returned to a rather... elevated spot on a shelf. She doesn't want to go through the effort of bringing a ladder over, so instead she brings herself up to the very tips of her toes and reaches up... But it's not quite working. ]

Ah, I can't....

[ As the minutes tick by, Trahearne's tension visibly eases. There's a faint smile on his face as he studies a cover, makes his way to its spot, puts it away, and repeats through his stack. His steps seem lighter, and if he were the sort, he would most certainly be humming.

Ori's agreement to help him seems to have dispelled the uncertainty in his mind. He feels so lucky, and there's quiet elation bubbling in his chest. If she were to ask, he would most certainly tag along to join her at the garden. Not that, he thinks, it will change anything. She seems to have forgiven him for his misstep in the dream, and he's ready to let things go back the way they always have been.

...

Does he want that, though?

It's only when he hears Ori struggling with something that he realizes he's been staring at the cover of a book, lost in thought. Curious, he looks up to see her...trying her best...

Oh, he thinks. She's adorable.

There's a little smile on his face as he strides across the room to help her, making his presence known with just a quiet rustle. ]

Here. I'll get that for you.

[ He comes up behind her, perhaps a little too close to her, and gently plucks the book from her hand. As he leans in to reach up and place the book in its spot, he feels the warmth radiating from her. He feels his chest brush ever so slightly against her shoulder, and he holds his breath.

Oh... He's doing it again, isn't he?

The moment seems to last an eternity. And with the book in place, he reluctantly takes a step back. His voice is sheepish when he speaks up. ]

I'm sorry. I should have realised that one was meant to go with me.

[ How fortuitous, that the moment she thinks that she ought to give up and ask Trahearne for help, he’s right there.

Right there, and… Standing so close to her…

She finds herself drawing in a sharp breath and holding it, never to release it so long as he’s so close. If not for the way that he takes the offending book out of her hands, she might well have dropped it entirely from the way her mind seems to go blank, to be filled only with thoughts of how he smells like the heart of the woods, crisp and clear and refreshing.

She may not be able to feel any sort of heat coming from him, but it’s just as well. She feels like she’s burning up, in any case, and her lilac tones of her skin begin to look more rosy.

And then just as abruptly as the moment began, it ends as he steps away. Audibly, she releases the breath she had been holding, and she doesn’t know if she can look at him without imploding. Her gaze falls, instead, on the one remaining book in her hands as she lifts it up to cover her face when she turns to face him. The only features of her face that remain visible are her ears, which have reddened all the way to their pointed tips, and of course her horns. ]

It’s okay…! I don’t mind, but… This last one is supposed to go next to it, too, so…

[ Trahearne blinks, and watches her turn around.

For a moment, he thinks he may have upset her by the way she hides her face in the book. His brow knits in concern--had he overstepped again? Did that make her uncomfortable? In the pause, he studies what he can see of her. Luckily, being as observant as he is, the blush reaching her ears and horns doesn't escape him.

Humans--or human-like beings, he supposes--go red when they blush.

Something in him melts at the realization, and an impulse threatens to overtake him. But he restrains himself. It was only a few hours ago that he was earnestly regretting his actions in the dream the night before, and was steeling himself to soldier onward as normal. But things are different now, dream or no. He can't deny this. He's so, so infatuated with her that, maybe...he would kiss her again. In earnest this time.

At last, he takes one confident step towards her, and gingerly pries the book from her hand. ]

Good thing we're right here.

[ His voice is a murmur when he speaks. He peers down at her, towering over her, and much too close. For a moment, he remains in place, content to bask in the warmth that seems to ooze from her. Has he ever noticed how warm she is before? Or is this new (maybe she's ill)? Amber meets amber as he gazes into her eyes, suddenly lost in what he knows now as affection for her. The kiss wasn't a mistake. He...wants this.

It's a good thing that they're already so close to the shelves. With his free hand, he braces himself against the shelf behind her and reaches up and over her to put the final book back in its spot. They're touching. The warmth against him is solid and it's driving him mad.

With the book in place, his hand drags down the shelf, eventually coming to settle on...her. On her shoulder. The edge of his hand rests there, while his fingers just barely tangle in strands of her hair. He peels back and he looks down at her, gaze piercing, curious, and hungry.

... ]

Ori, I...

[ There is something undeniable, unmistakable about the way he closes in on her this time. With her back pressed against the shelves, she finds herself anticipating it, and though he towers over her easily she finds herself feeling safe and sheltered in the silhouette of his figure. He is strong and steadfast as ever even when doing something as simple as filing a book away, and she’s helpless against the urge to simply stare up at him in equal measures of awe and infatuation… And when the scent of the deep woods fill her nostrils once more, she has to wonder what it would be like to stay close to him like this for a while. For a whole day. Maybe even for an evening…

The touch of his hand on her shoulder is so gentle, so tentative, and without any further thought, she reaches for him, the tips of her fingers just barely brushing against his before she takes hold of his other hand. Then she gazes up at him - amber meets amber, and that spells the end for her. Because when she finds that gaze piercing down at her, and finds that unspoken question and that hunger lurking beneath… She knows. It’s just as in the dream last night - but it is not a dream, this time.

She brings herself up to the tips of her toes once more, but not to put away a book, this time. No, this time she uses her other arm to reach around him and closes her eyes as she pulls him down to press her lips against his. ]

[ Whether or not it was Ori who kissed him first, Trahearne isn't sure.

Because the moment he sees her stand on her toes and reach for him, he's already diving down, now perfectly confident in what this all means. And more importantly, what Ori means to him. She has consistently been a bright spot since his unfortunate awakening here in Songerein, one he could have never even hoped or imagined could happen to him. The cheer and delight and pure heart she brings to him and all those around her is so precious--and he can't be alone in that sentiment, he's sure--and encouraging. It inspires him to do the same. And it's no wonder he fell so hard for her.

The warmth from her lips spreads across his, over his face, and through his chest. Never has he felt this way before--pure elation beyond his wildest dreams. He gasps as he tilts his head, a tentative deepening of their contact, and presses her ever so gently against the shelf. In his momentum, dictated by both relief and a touch of greed, he presses their laced hands against the many books behind her. The shelf shudders under their weight, giving a quiet thud as his eyes slip shut, his lips part--

"Sylvari."

Walking in Dreams speaks to Trahearne, and said sylvari almost leaps back in shock, breaking all contact. Right. He's still at work. His face is flushed, vision clouded with the haze of newfound affection as his eyes dart across the room, eventually coming to rest on the kodan. There's a slight hue of shock and confusion on Walking in Dreams's face--Trahearne wonders if Ori can read his expression, if she has kodan in her world at all--and Trahearne immediately feels embarrassed. Some guests are doing their best not to stare. And he's painfully aware of how they stand in the spotlight.

He shifts, hoping his larger stature hides Ori from the curious gazes of his patrons.

"If you need to step away from your duties, I will hold down the fort."

Goodness. At least Walking in Dreams is being kind about this...very awkward situation.

Trahearne turns to look at Ori again, his chest immediately going light with butterflies. He would kiss her. Again, and again. But not here.

He gulps, a desperate attempt to find his voice. ]

...We should talk.

( psl ) watching you bloom

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