A New Day [Avalona]

by **Ash'eny** on August 13th, 2010, 2:28 am

Time Stamp: Day 30 of Summer, AV 510

Ash'eny ran, his arms flailing wildly at his side as, for some inconceivable reason, his left was numb, lifeless, as if all the blood was drained from that portion of his body. His face was was soaked. Was it sweat? No, it was too thick. Poison, that's what came to his head, why the petch did he had a thick layer of poison coating his cheek? Why was his left arm numb? Why couldn't he see? Ash'eny felt his heart beginning to race, pump wildly in his chest, pumping heavily, pumping so strong that his chest began to ache, his ribs began to crack, his heart was exploding! Breathing hastening, legs running but getting nowhere. Ash'eny's sight was slowly restored as he glanced down at his arm, limp, dead, his pinkie was missing as always, but what was that? A ring... not on his pinkie, his pinkie was long gone, but right beside it. Ash'eny felt himself go pale as a ghost, nothing made sense, yet it all terrified him at once.

Ash'eny rolled around slowly, his body was stiff, his eyes slowly cracking open to see the insides of Avalona's home. At first conscious thought, he moved his right hand to his head, massaging it lightly. That's right, it was coming back to him now. He was drinking more than he could handle, the Rearing Stallion, something about twenty days...

Ash'eny sat up instantly then, his deep dark brown eyes scanning the room hastily. 'Where am I? Where's Avalona? Did I dream all that?' No, not a dream, he felt the throbbing discomfort deep inside his skull, the hang over. And upon further investigation, Ash'eny spotted the redhead, sleeping peacefully on her bed, not but ten paces from himself, who was still sitting on the floor. Ash'eny slowly lowered himself back to the floor and closed his eyes. 'What did I do? Dear God, I hope we didn't...' Ash'eny felt sick, probably just the reaction to his uncontrolled drinking of the previous night, but he couldn't help but notice it seemed more clear, more obvious of his illness once he imagined and dreaded the many possibilities that could have happened. Did he pressure her into bringing him home? Did he get her drunk? Surely not, Ash'eny wasn't a first time drinker, but this was definitely the worst he had ever done, he couldn't be sure of his capabilities in such a weakened mental or emotional state.

Ash'eny exhaled slowly, he would just have to wait for the woman to wake up, and he had no intention of waking her before she was good and ready. One way or another, Ash'eny knew he owed it to her, for something he couldn't quite recall yet, to just let her sleep until she was ready to wake.

Each passing minute was torture though. Each minute was a year of uncertainty, and each minute of uncertainty was a fear of repercussion. Did he tell her who he was? Was she holding him here until the knights could come and take him away? Was she planning on blackmailing him? Bad thoughts, bad thoughts. Ash'eny couldn't shut his aching mind down, yet every undesired theory he forged, all felt wrong, like it was stupidity to even consider. What then was the answer? "What happened?"

by **Avalona** on August 13th, 2010, 4:26 am

Unlike Ash'eny, Avalona's dream was actually quite pleasant. It held memories, times Ava had spent with her grandmother, all warm and happy. But upon waking, her eyes fluttering gently open, the dream seemed to disperse into thin air, leaving only spider-silk tendrils behind. She groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, before dragging her body out of bed. Ava was still clothed in her green dress, although she had taken her shoes off, for she was too reluctant to change with a man in her room--even if he was out cold. She yawned, and stretched standing up, much like the way she did when she had arrived home, with her arms reaching towards the ceiling. Soon the memories from the day before came back, and Ava remembered Ash'eny, who, if she recalled correctly, should still be laying on the ground where she left him. Oops. Perhaps she should have moved him to the cot... Ava shrugged it off, walking over to the man lying on the floor. He was awake. She smiled affectionately before sitting down next to him, tucking her dress beneath her legs.

"Good morning, Ash'eny. I'd ask how your rest was but...... Hey, you don't look so good...are you okay?" Concern flooded through the woman, who promptly lifted her hand to his forehead. With all that beer he drank he should probably have a hangover right now, but that expression... Suddenly Ava pulled back as if he had burned her. Could it be that he doesn't remember? A strange, unexplainable pain blossomed in her chest. Has he forgotten everything? She swallowed, a flash of some emotion writhing behind her eyes like a snake. It was sadness. The redhead didn't even know if he remembered her, much less their friendship. Ava felt the urge to move away from him, but didn't, forcing herself to stand her ground. She smiled nervously at him, and then spoke. "So...um, I'm guessing you don't remember anything?" It was a question, but the redhead didn't wait for an answer. "Well you were pretty drunk, so I'm not really surprised." That was a lie. Heck even her voice was lying to him--it was too...normal. "You were really tipsy, and I couldn't just leave you at the Stallion, so I brought you back here. Then you just--" Her voice broke, making Ava super aware of the slightest expression on her face. She controlled it, and then continued. "You just passed out on the floor." A smile appeared on her face, but there was something oddly listless about it, as it didn't quite reach the woman's eyes.

by **Ash'eny** on August 13th, 2010, 2:15 pm

Ash'eny watched with an aching anxiety as Avalona showed sign of waking, this was scarier than he thought. But when she came over and sat by him, he felt oddly comfortable, calm. "I remember several things. Maybe not everything but... I remember some stuff." Ash'eny grinned lightly as she placed a cool hand on his forehead, very pleasant. Ash'eny, however, was feeling ill enough to remain on the floor, just gazing up towards the redhead as they spoke to each other. "I usually don't drink like that. I don't know what came over me." 'Yes I do. I used drinking so that I could avoid saying or answering anything I wanted to keep hidden.' Ash'eny smiled again as he lifted his left hand and placed it gently on top of hers.

"Thank you for not leaving me back there. People are pretty nice in Syliras, but I wouldn't trust them not to do something if I was passed out in public. Did I..." Ash'eny paused, fearing the answer to the question he was about to ask, but he needed to know. "Did I try anything on you?" Ash'eny's face looked like he was in pain, it was obvious that he was afraid she'd say yes. What would he do if so? He had no idea, but the mere thought of it was painful.

"I owe you, Ava. I was only out for one night right? Nineteen more days, yeah?" Ash'eny wasn't sure if he just pulled those number out of thin air, but they sounded right to him. Ash'eny blinked several times, trying to get the blurriness from his eyes. "Are you alright? Your smile is breaking." Ash'eny frowned. ""You are upset with me, aren't you?"

by **Avalona** on August 13th, 2010, 7:44 pm

"I remember several things. Maybe not everything but...I remember some stuff."

Avalona could feel the relief flowing through her, and she closed her eyes to completely enjoy the feeling. He remembers... A part of her realized then just how important this man was to her. True, he was practically a stranger, but the redhead felt as if she had known him for a long time. In all honesty, Ash'eny was the only person (still alive) that she really cared about, and his presence made her feel like she was curled up next to a fire, after spending her life in a snowstorm. She smiled to herself. If Ash'eny had forgotten her, Ava didn't know what she would have done, but lucky for her, he had remembered.

"...Did I try anything on you?"

Avalona's eyes flew open, and she stared at him in shock. Could he really not remember? She looked down at the floor, before speaking. "Er...well you didn't force me into doing anything..." The sentence ended with a pitch that made it sound incomplete, and after hesitating, Ava continued. "You did do something, but um...I didn't really mind so..." The woman blushed. What was she saying?! In those kind of situations, didn't people usually mind?! The places where Ash'eny had touched her the day before, the small of her back from the embrace and her cheek from the kiss, seemed to burn with warmth. It was as if the redhead could still feel his touch. Oh, why am I the only one to remember this?! Doubt crept into her mind once again. Come to think of it, Ash'eny hadn't said her name even once. What if he was just being polite? There was really nothing in what he said to suggest that he remembered her, only that he had remembered getting drunk. She smiled painfully.

"I owe you, Ava. I was only out for one night right? Nineteen more days, yeah?"

Once again, Ava could feel the relief spreading through her body. Ash'eny had said her name. Not only that, but it sounded like he could recall the promise too. She smiled weakly and nodded at him, not trusting her voice enough to speak. "Are you alright? Your smile is breaking....You are upset with me, aren't you?" The woman shook her head hurriedly, still not talking, as if she had momentarily gone mute. Emotion welled up inside her, and without thinking, Ava leaned foreword and hugged him. She buried her face in his shoulder, smelling the stale smell of alcohol, but not really caring. "I'm glad. Really, really glad." Her voice was muffled, but clear enough to still make out what she was saying. "Thank you." She said, and then added in her head, Thank you for remembering me.

by **Ash'eny** on August 14th, 2010, 1:13 am

Ash'eny's eyes stretched about as open as they could as Avalona leaned over and embraced him, he was worried for a moment, but was assured by her voice, thanking him? It was awkward, he couldn't understand why. For everything he remembered, he was either rude or simply a burden to her. He took a moment, but he returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around her body, and boy did that feel awkward. It wasn't until then that he became self conscious of his smell. A bath, that's what he needed. Soothing Waters? Maybe, it would make him more comfortable being... embraced, which was something he just wasn't accustomed to.

Ash'eny couldn't deny it though, behind that aching throbbing in his skull, his heart was racing, leaving the cadence of the headache years behind. This was insane, Ash'eny knew it wasn't logical, but for some reason he couldn't get logic to dominate the feeling. Feelings, that's all it was. Not logical, just feelings. But it felt right. "You're welcome?" Ash'eny was confused as to why she would feel the need to thank him, surely he didn't do anything too foolish. Who knows. "Are you feeling okay?"

After the embrace, which felt like it was a long one, regardless if it was or not, Ash'eny resigned himself once again to the floor, though he felt considerably warmer. Face was beat red, embarrassment? He didn't think it possible, thus wanted never to admit this, but he was attracted to her, the painter, Avalona. Ash'eny could have been wrong, but considering the lengths she went to just to give him a place to sleep, as well as how she had been watching over him like a hawk, he had the faint inkling that maybe she felt the same. That would be weird. He couldn't exactly see her making a good choice in choosing him, of all people, to fall for. Was he, perhaps, trying to bend logical observation to fit his wants? Ash'eny didn't know, thinking too hard only made his headache more noticeable.

'Even if she does now, once she knows who you are, it'll all be over. You are going to be torn down, shredded into a small pile of misery once these nineteen days are over. Brace yourself for a new level of pain you've never experienced, Ash'eny.'

Ash'eny felt a chill run through his spine as he was thinking to himself. It wasn't often that he felt he had a solid prediction of events yet-to-come, but he felt eerily certain about this one. It was both logical, and emotionally accurate. He was a thief, a criminal. No home, no job, nothing to offer. Surely Avalona wouldn't want that. Even their innocent friendship would be thrown to the ground and dashed to pieces. He could lie, in nineteen days, make up a story and stick to it forever, but he couldn't live himself then, not after breaking a promise to her.

"I stink."

by **Avalona** on August 14th, 2010, 4:57 pm

So warm...

Avalona was too distracted by that thought to fully realize what she had done...or was in the process of doing. It was only when she began to feel the heat of Ash'eny's arms around her, that the woman's mind seemed to understand the situation: she was hugging a man. The unrecognizable feeling that had puzzled her the other day grew rapidly inside her then, and Ava could feel her cheeks redden. What am I doing? Part of her wanted to pull away, and yet, much to the redhead's embarrassment, another part of her would have no problem staying wrapped in that embrace. She teetered on the edge of uncertainty, her emotions in turmoil inside of her, but luckily was pulled out of her thoughts when Ash'eny spoke.

"You're welcome?...Are you feeling okay?"

Ava laughed, forcing herself to leave his arms, and tried very hard not to turn as red as the apples that she so loved to eat. She failed completely. "I'm fine! I was just really scared that you had forgotten all about me. Silly, I know, but I couldn't help it." Ava smiled, staring absentmindedly at the floor. "I told you this yesterday, but since you were so out of it then you probably don't remember. I care about you Ash'eny, truly I do, so for a moment there I was really frightened." The woman leaned back on her hands, looking steadily up at the ceiling, and for a few seconds went very quiet. "You know, my grandmother died six years ago. After that I kind of kept to myself... You're the first friend I've had in a very long time." After speaking, Avalona went silent. She briefly recalled the dream she had before waking up, something about her grandmother, and searched her mind for those wisps left behind.

"I stink."

Ava chuckled at that. Smiling she said, "Well Soothing Waters isn't that far from here, and it would probably be good for your hangover t--" The redhead froze, and then scrambled on to her feet, looking slightly horrified. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot how crappy you must be feeling right now!" Her gaze flew wildly around the room, as if looking for some cure for hangovers. "What should I do?! Do you need anything?! Water? Food? Medicine?" She groaned and covered her face with her hand. "I've never had a hangover, so I wouldn't know."

by **Ash'eny** on August 14th, 2010, 5:23 pm

The embrace was considerably longer than he expected, which only caused his previous expectation to seem even more likely. He felt oddly out of breath for several moments. His arms held tight though, until she herself decided it was time to back away. 'You are setting up yourself and this woman for heartache. It may be honorable to keep your promise, but it is not honorable, or even tolerable, to lead a lamb blindly to slaughter, not even if you sacrifice yourself to the butcher as well. Making yourself suffer will not make her suffering less. You are fueling a fire that you cannot extinguish! You need to stop! Ash'eny!' As much as Ash'eny hated talking to himself, as well as arguing with himself in his own head, he had to admit defeat. He was right, when his twenty days, now nineteen, were up, both of them would be shattered, if he kept up this game.

Game? Was that what it was? What Ash'eny was doing... was it all for some insane sport that he couldn't convince himself not to do? He was a firm believer in his own growing insanity, but could it be stronger than he imagined possible? Ash'eny felt a chill run through his spine as Avalona let go, and he felt and urge to sit up and latch onto her again like a child begging for the protection of his mother. 'This isn't a game. The outcome is too painful for us both.' Ash'eny just stared at the redhead (and now red faced) woman, a smile crept on his face as he listened to her fears. He realized two things, she did feel something for him, and he for her. He lifted his hand, without considering how she might react, and placed his palm against her heated cheek. "Not possible." Forgetting her? No, it wasn't possible. Sure, it sounded like simple flirting, maybe even a little poetic, but it was true. She not only put up with him, but attached herself to him, or perhaps him to her, either way, he knew they were close, abnormally so considering the amount of time they knew each other. "I remember that. Though I do believe you read my mind. That I vaguely remember though." Ash'eny chuckled lightly. He had nineteen days to solve the issue, no point in bother over it with an aching skull and a nauseated stomach. Later he could fret. For now, Avalona was the one fretting, she needed comfort.

"Sit down, you don't have to worry. It's just a headache, I'm perfectly well, except that I even tried to drink in the first place. Just talk to me, that will make me feel more comfortable than you running around trying to cure what only time can. Besides, you'll get sick if you worry too much. I wouldn't want that." Ash'eny sat up slowly and patted the floor next to him, hoping to coax her into sitting back down. It was more difficult to see her eyes when she was moving around so much anyway.

by **Avalona** on August 14th, 2010, 9:07 pm

If it was possible, Avalona turned an even deeper shade of red when Ash'eny's hand rested itself on her face. The woman's eyes squeezed shut, as if she thought that closing them would somehow block out the feeling of his palm on her cheek, and the emotions that came with it. It had the opposite effect. Ava became hyper-aware of his touch, shivering with the sensation of his skin against hers. "Not possible." His voice caused Ava's face to relax, her eyes still closed, but her heartbeat sped up. Ash'eny sounded close--really close. Just how near is he to me? And why do I even care?! This feeling..I don't understand. It's so warm but I....I just don't understand. What's wrong with me?!

"Sit down, you don't have to worry. It's just a headache, I'm perfectly well, except that I even tried to drink in the first place. Just talk to me, that will make me feel more comfortable than you running around trying to cure what only time can. Besides, you'll get sick if you worry too much. I wouldn't want that."

Avalona stopped, looking over at Ash'eny with her brown eyes. The redhead hesitated, and then sat down next to her friend, blushing faintly. "Sorry...I got carried away. Are you sure you're okay, Ash'eny?" She looked at him with sincere eyes, and then winced. "Oh, right. I'm not supposed to be worrying am I?" A small smile played on her lips. "When I see someone who's sick or injured in front of me, I can't help but think about--" Ava stopped abruptly, saying in her head, my grandmother. She hesitated, and finished the sentence. "...Things."

by **Ash'eny** on August 17th, 2010, 3:08 am

Ash'eny, now tired of being unable to look at Avalona face to face due to him lying sprawled on her floor, slowly sat up, then placed himself, his legs criss-crossed underneath him, and looked directly into her eyes. He looked serious now, almost worried, he wasn't going to dance around this anymore. It wasn't healthy. They needed to talk this through. The longer they waited, the worse it would become. "Avalona, please don't think me to be aggressive or abrupt, even though I may be now, but we need to understand each other. I mean, what is this?" This indeed. What was it? Love, lust, the magics of alcohol and beautiful eyes? Ash'eny, as much as he dreaded the likely answers of 'I don't know', he braced himself for it. He didn't know either, but he had to find out if he was going to be sane about the whole ordeal. If there was going to be something between them, they needed to know if it was something that would hold them, or if it would wither away and let them fall apart.

Ash'eny reached out with his hands, lightly cupping them on either side of whichever hand of hers he could more easily take, and he held it. "I can't understand why I care so much about you, Ava. But I know that I do. But I have done bad things, things I will tell you about on that promised date if you will hear them. I can't lie to you though. Even if you feel something for me now, no matter how genuine, it... it wouldn't be right of me to return the affection because I know what I am." Ash'eny felt a limp swelling in his throat as he looked down at his hands, caressing hers so gently. It wasn't right of him at all, yet he was doing it. Was he telling her he wouldn't? It was obvious that was a 'No'. Was he, then, telling her that... "But I'm selfish. I want to be with you. Right now, right here, I feel more sane than I have since I was a child, and even then the best memories I had were when I was alone." Ash'eny felt watering in his eyes. Crying? No, he couldn't. That was weak, crying for something that didn't make sense. He blinked as a single tear made its way onto his eyelashes and dispersed into glittering shining stars thrown across the Leth-blessed night sky.

"I want you to know though, Ava, that the choice is up to you. If... if you stay with me, if your emotions are genuine, then you will be hurt. If you leave though, or rather wall me out of your life, and I will leave Syliras so you won't ever see me and regret your choice. Your happiness is gambled Ava, please make sure you want to risk it." Ash'eny slowly inhaled as his breath reached deep into his chest and freezing. He was holding his breath, trying to brace himself for the impact of her reasonable answer. Would she be angry and tell him to go? Would she be kind, understanding, and release him gently? Perhaps she would show herself as no more than a temptress that played him like a fiddle. Such a thought sickened him. He knew better. There were countless ways she could tell him to leave, and logic says that she would listen to logic, listen to his warning, and send him away. Logic, however, had failed him these past few days.

Something was stronger than that logic now.

by **Avalona** on August 18th, 2010, 4:13 am

As Avalona listened to Ash'eny speak, she could feel an ache in her chest begin to form. It hurts... When the man finished, she closed her eyes, standing in silence and walking over to the wall, her back facing her friend. She pressed her forehead against it, savoring the comforting coolness of stone, and felt her eyes begin to burn with the promise of tears. Ava forced the pain away, trying to stop herself from crying with the words in her head. This man can claw at your mask as much as he wants, but you must never ever let him see you cry. Do you hear me Ava? Never! The redhead held her breath, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly as she fought the natural reaction to pain. She could feel the pressure build up in her chest from a pent up sob, but was determined to keep it contained. At last the feeling faded, leaving Ava to think. She played back Ash'eny's words in her mind, and something seemed to fall into place inside her. A moment of clarity washed over her, as if someone was dumping ice water on her body.

That emotion from before was...attraction? I like Ash'eny? No...I really like him. So...didn't what he said make it sound like he felt the same? Does that mean he likes me back? Avalona sensed the now identified feeling flood through her, but it was quickly extinguished when the the rest of what her friend said registered in her head. Her whole body stiffened and a tumult of emotions writhed inside her like a colony of snakes. She gritted her teeth, then muttered just loud enough for Ash'eny to hear. "Stupid man. You don't get it do you?" The woman whipped around, revealing a medley of feelings on her face. "From the moment you called me 'friend', my fate was sealed. With my friends I naively trust every word that leaves their mouths, and I ignore every single bad thing about them. So, I'm in too deep now to care a whit about any bad things you did in your past. Even if you are continuing them now. Besides...everyone has done something they regret." Her voice carried something harsh with it, the intensity building in a crescendo, but softened at the last sentence that left her lips. Silence followed. Avalona's hand rose to cover her face, as if she were ashamed at some part of herself. Then with a sigh, she let it fall, and began to walk slowly towards Ash'eny.

"And another thing you don't seem to understand--you have the ability to crack the mask that I wear. It's scary, and sometimes when I'm with you I feel so vulnerable, yet...there's a reason that I haven't tried to run away. I'm an independent woman Ash'eny, and it pains me to say this but--" The redhead paused, for she now stood in front of her friend, looking down at him. The words that left her mouth were quiet. "I need you." Ava swallowed, then sat down in front of the man, blushing. "Your smile, your warmth, your voice..." She reached out, and brushed his cheek lightly with her hand. "...your touch. Now that I've experienced them, I can't help but want to be near you." Avalona entwined her arms around Ash'eny's neck, keeping a little more than a foot between them. Her eyes met his, brown like hers, and she made herself hold the connection when all she wanted to do was duck her head in embarrassment at the words leaving her mouth. "As far as what this is, like or love--who knows...but I know that I want to be with you. I'm prepared to accept the consequences so...may I stay with you?"