Closed A Secret Admirer (Sosicly Magnolia)

[Vyvian]

Fall 58, 513 AV The morning cave dew dripped from Vyvian's hair softly, like elegant tears. Brushing his soaked hair to one side Vyvian looked up through the side of his fringe. He sat on the side of a stalactite, half hanging there like some greater drop of dew on the stalactite's glassy surface. In front of him, through his fringe, was a small housing area of Kalinor. More importantly however, was Sosicly's house. They'd met twice before. Once at the... fish woman.. and yesterday at the masquerade. Pouting as he thought, he drew his hood further over his head. On both times she seemed to have... Well to be frank it seemed that she actually cared about him. Before now everyone he had met had seemed cold.. distant. He neither understood them or they him. Yet Sosicly.. she was like him. Her speechlessness had forced her apart from the world in the same way his lack of understanding had. Vyvian looked down at the vast, dark floor of the cave, stretched out in shadow. His bone white hair flopped down over his eyes again. She cared about him because she could sympathise? But Vyvian narrowed his eyes. Back in his early childhood people often took advantage of his desperate loneliness and pretended to befriend him. "Meet me behind my house tonight Vy.. I'll listen to you then I promise" .... Of course that only led to all the childeren in the neighbourhood being there to watch him get laughed at for bringing a stupid gift to the girl who invited him. He had made her a little statue of a spider from wood. Soon after it was careening into the depths of the cave floor below. A fire lit in Vyvian's eyes as he stared angrily at the houses around him. Why did people insist on being so cruel to him.. Or maybe it was just he was such easy bait for jokes.. He shook his head. He just never understood people, let alone when they were joking or teasing him. He wondered if Sosicly had ever had any similar experiences. His face hardened.. Assuming she isn't doing the same thing on him. This is why he was here this early in the morning. He wanted to see what she was genuinely like, how she acted around strangers, on her own. A real tear slid down his cheek, before disappearing into the depths. Perhaps it would meet the wooden spider. Maybe... just maybe someone he admired would take an interest back..

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly woke around the teth bell of the morning. Earlier than usual when she had no pressing tasks for the day or when she had been late from the night previous. With a wide yawn she stumbled out of bed, absently tying her hair in a knot and not surprised to see Enasis had left her a still warm cup of Sosicly's tea. Lazily she sunk into her chair and nursed her tea, surveying the houses usual chaos for any new damage. As far as she could tell things were average. When she finished her tea she left the cup on the table but her stomach growled in protest. With a little sigh she looked around for food but found none. A good stretch and a vicious stubbing of her pinky toe, and Sosicly was dressed and ready to go. She grabbed a few miza, her knapsack and leisurely left her home. Her hair coming loose to hang around her face and headed for the Orchard Market without a backwards glance. --- The Orchard was steadily busy in the mornings. Stall owners had time before their regular jobs to open a stall. And more stalls meant more people. Sosicly generally didn't mind. She followed along the road, noding and smiling in greeting while she searched for some sweet morning treat. There were plenty of different things. Small food stalls that smelled delcious she passed by in favor of heading towards one that sold sweets of all types. There she waited behind a small line and looked around idly. Spotting a few familiar faces and her brother with a roll of her eyes, and a wash of relief in her shoulders when he didn't approach.

[Vyvian]

Vyvian was growing concerned that Sosicly was either not in her home or had died overnight as the day progressed more and more. He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally did emerge. Vyvian was completely taken aback. She was so.. innocent. When Vyvian left his house, he'd make sure all his clothes were on correctly, his house was in good condition in case something happened, his crossbow was near to hand, and his comfort rings were on his hand. Even after all that he still peeked around the door and checked over his shoulders as he left, such was his trepidation. Yet Sosicly just slipped out without any worry. Her hair was so messy it was actually charming. As she walked she just... walked. Unlike Vyvian who would slouch, avoid contact, check behind him multiple times. There was no denying it. Sosicly was such a pure, unspoilt flower there was no way she had any malicious intent, let alone probably understand the concept. --- Still awestruck by what he had seen Vyvian loped after Sosicly. Yet another difference between the two of them was revealed. Sosicly would be happy to sit in a queue for a couple of minutes to buy some morning snack, while Vyvian would only ever dare enter the market in the late evening when it was practically empty. A rare genuine smile crossed his face. She liked sweet foods, he definitely approved of that. Pulling his hood deep over his head, he slouched into the same queue and bought the most expensive sweets on the stall. After he had left the market he broke into a run, determined to make it back to Sosicly's house first. Arriving there he gently placed the treat down and retreated into the shadows again. This would flatter her for sure. The anticipation mixed with his heart's beat, finally fluttering.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

The line had taken forever and then had run out by the time Sosicly had reached the front. And though she had been offered a complimentary treat, she declined. While she enjoyed the market she had no desire to wait there. Having brushed the apologies off with a little nod she leisurely swung home. Again she checked for damages. There was nothing that caught her eye after a quick circle of her roof she headed inside. The inside was no different and she grinned wondering if vandals simply thought someone already hit her house. But there was one small difference. A small treat sat on her table. It set off no alarms but she wondered if it was from her mother or brother. He would likely add things to it if he left it. It looks delicious, she thought and dug in without another thought. When she finished she drank a cup of water and contemplated taking a nap but it was too early for one of those. She could do some work but that did not appeal to her either. With a yawn she leaned back in her chair and dismissed cleaning as well. She truly was up too early for her tastes. With a little sigh she perked up and realized that people for the Gleaning wpuld be back. Not doubt either tellng stories at the Gather or writing at the Cribellum. Once more shouldering her pack Sosicly exited the house and nearly skipped to the Cribellum. Maybe they'd have some new information on medicines that she could get to before Hellebore. It was always fun to rile the doctor. Especially after the incident with trying to gain the human healers, Oscar, help. ---- The Cribellum had a few more people than usual and Sosicly wasted no time finding a seat to wait for someone to finish writing.

[Vyvian]

Vyvian's once half close eyes snapped open when he saw Sosicly leave her house. For some reason she didn't come up to him and thank him for the gift. After a couple of seconds' thinking he realised because he didn't make it clear the gift was from him and she didn't know where he was anyway. Either way, he guessed he could tell her later. Slipping into the crowd was usually hell to him, but when he was predatory like this he had to admit he rather enjoyed it. It was certainly the most exciting thing he did in his life apart from being on the receiving end of punishment from Scorn. Sosicly soon wandered into some part of Kalinor he had never been to. Despite his head being far under his hood and his hands firmly in his pockets, he tilted his head, as was his habit, in interest as he thought about the possibilities of what could be there judged on what evidence there was around him. Some sort of market again? Was she a habitual shopper? She didn't seem the sort or even that rich.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly was not too surprised when the librarians informed her that it would be awhile before anyone was finished and that then everything would have to re-copied and other things done before they would be filed. She'd have to go with the others and listen if she wanted to know anything. Not that she minded, her and a few others found an area and waited for the story they would be presented with. Sosicly curled up on her chair, her knees drawn up with her arms wrapped around them and her head rested on top. She felt like a child and remembered vividly sitting similarily and listening to her father tell stories of the cities he visited. The Symenestra speaking was a older woman, her hair hung braided to her ankles and was a silvery ash and her eyes were a deep red, almost black. Laugh lines were etched into her features that gave her a more youthful appearance. When she spoke her voice was pitchd low but echoed around the group nicely. "I have been gone for many years, my children are now grown with children of their own or out on their own Gleanings and Harvests. I have traveled to many places and thought I always long to return home I found a second home in The Spires. No doubt, some of you have read of this city but I will tell you again as their people told me." "Both city and people were equally strange to me, likely as I was to them but they accepted me and I them. Their city could have been a replica of what I have only read about in our long ago past. They make their lives as high above as we do below. Their homes extending out of the trees as if they were the trees themselves. And they were each different, a true reflection of both the assortment of those that lived their and the personalities. Some held no roofs, some no walls, others were nearly inside the tree! And each home was connected by roads much like our own that lead to platforms where we were able to find various things. But it was the people that truly caught my eyes. They were great and sturdy as we are not, shaped much like the larger apes but they were intelligent, generous, and everything I imagined us to be when we lived in the skies. They lived far longer than any of us could hope to, though I could not say if they lied I do not think they would. Their deity was one we do not follow, who I learned much about in my time there and it made me wonder it we were ever the same." With a little sigh she straighted, turned in a hurry startled to see a few people directly behind and more surprised when she seen Vyvian up and about after the nights previous events. She flashed him a look of concern and a wave until she remembered exactly what bell it was and how long she had been in the Cribellum. Giving him one more passing wave Sosicly hurried in the direction of the Weft and Warp. Elnya would have her head if she was late again but what she would do for a good cup of bruka before she had to go.

[Vyvian]

Vyvian sat down at the back of the crowd and began listening to stories he'd already heard. He'd read as much as there was to offer in Kalinor in his youth, so general knowledge of what lay outside wasn't interestnig to him any more. As his mind wandered, he didn't notice the people close to him edge away from him, indeed he never noticed it. Despite him day dreaming, he kept an eye on Sosicly to see how she acted. He could almost call her adorable how she acted now. He imagined from the front she would look wide eyed in amazement at the story the elder was telling. He held his hands together as if he was holding her hands.. One day he would like to tell her stories and make her happy and amazed.. It would almost give meaning to his life to have someone who enjoyed his company. It was why he was being so careful and examining her and all, he wanted to make sure she'd actually like him. Suddenly she turned around and gave him what looked like a friendly wave. Frozen in fear, he tried to force a smile back and waved stiffly, before staring resolutely at the ground, angry at himself for having been spotted. The last thing he wanted was to give the impression that he was stalking her. He wasn't after all. Eventually she left and Vyvian visibly relaxed. A bit. He was still inconceivably tense being in such a busy area. He pulled his hair over his eyes to hide better and twisted his ring nervously. He knew she had to work now so he guessed he could have some time off himself. Breathing a sigh of relief, he stood up and practically sprinted to the calming loneliness of the ruins of Kalinor.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Her goodbyes were brief nods, and Sosicly was tempted to head to the Cribellum again but assumed most story-tellers would be done. She sighed and stretched. The woman shouldered her knapsack and adjusted herself on the road so that she headed towards her own home. The day had been busy, one man had ordered a bunch of cleaning cloths that were to be picked up at the end of the day. It had caused a bit of panic amongst some of the students and younger employees. But they had managed to finish their usual work and assignments as well as the cloths. Again she yawned. -- Sosicly reached her home and skipped down the stairs, tossing her knapsack off to the side. It didn't take long for her to strip out of her clothes until she was in nothing but her underclothing. When she was comfortable, she did a few little stretches. Reaching down to toes slowly, placing her hands on her back she bent back as far as she could go and finally she rolled her neck, wrists, feet and twisted herself side to side. She could her faint pops that sent a jolt of pain followed quickly by relief. She had sat for much too long. Another yawn escaped her, and she thought about brewing her tea but ended up in front of her bed. Deciding the tea was not worth her sleep Sosicly crawled into her bed and was asleep within chimes.

[Vyvian]

OOC: can we have this graded please?

[Poison]

Vyvian
Skills: Observation 3, Stealth 2
Lores: -

Notes: I really loved reading about Vyvian stalking Sosicly (and I secretly hope Vyvian will stalk somebody else now). It’s too bad it ended so abruptly.
Vyvian, you get Observation and Stealth XP for obvious reasons, but I couldn’t think of any lores to give you.

Sosicly, if you return (which I hope), let me know, and I’ll award you XP and Lores as well.
As always, send me a PM if you have any issues with the way I graded this.

And in the future put the link to the thread you want me to grade into the Kalinor Requests thread rather than making an OOC post. Thank you!

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