Chapter Text
Krile announced that she would be trying to head to Sharylan for negotiations, and Estinien just joined the scions for the upcoming battle. Things were about to get interesting, but that wasn’t what G’raha was interested in - he had his eyes set on the warrior of light, A’rin Mezhu. Now that he didn’t have a death pledge and could actually think about a future, he wanted to ensure that the warrior played the starring role in it.
After their conversation discussing their battle plans and their order to get some rest, A’rin wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. It had been so long since she had some time to herself and nothing to immediately plan for. As a result, she decided she would head to her room in the Rising Stones and do as they requested - rest. The rest of the scions cleared out as well, save for Y’shtola.
“A moment G’raha?” She called to him as he began to walk towards his quarters in the Rising Stones.
G’raha turned to her and his ears flicked, sensing something akin to static in the air, “Absolutely, is there something I might help you with Y’shtola?”
The female Miqo'te tried to hold back a grin, but she let the corners of her mouth slip upwards, “Now’s your chance.”
G’raha’s ears flattened, “... whatever do you mean?”
“Oh, you know what I mean.” A red blush grew on G’raha’s face and he looked down to the floor. Instinctively, his right hand clasped over his left, and his ears turned down and back in embarrassment. When his tail began to sway Y’shtola chuckled and continued, “You really should use this downtime to show her how you feel, there might not be another chance like this for a while.”
“I just -” he paused, he did not look up from the floor, “...I don’t think she likes me in that way.”
Y’shtola drew her brows together and her face softened, “I don’t think A’rin has ever even thought about a romantic relationship.” G’raha’s face grew a deeper red at the word ‘romantic.’ “For starters, she hasn’t had much of a chance to have a relationship. But I don’t think that’s the real problem here… I think that our warrior of light is charmingly oblivious when it comes to matters of the heart.”
G’raha looked up at Y’shtola for a moment. He never contemplated the notion that A’rin could just be oblivious to the way he feels. He thought for sure that his feelings would have reached her by now, though he didn’t necessarily want them to until recently due to his duty to protect her at all costs.
Y’shtola interrupted G’raha’s thoughts, “You’re just going to have to tell her, G’raha.”
Red ears stood erect upon his head and his face looked as though he saw a ghost, and not a friendly one, “Tell her?! I couldn’t possibly do that! No way - no how!” He took a deep breath and relaxed a bit. A shockingly loud laugh escaped Y’shtola.
Tell her? G'raha thought to himself as he laid in his bed that night in the Rising Stones. He was looking up at the ceiling, letting his thoughts run wild. I can’t just tell her. What if she doesn’t like me? ...but what if Y’shtola is right? If I told her how I felt then she would have to think about a romantic relationship… but what if… His thoughts dragged on until he was finally pulled into slumber.
In the morning G'raha decided that he couldn't be straight with A'rin, he had to make her realize that he cared for her - truly cared for her. To start his plan off, he thought that he would make her a meal. He figured she would probably sleep in, given that she doesn't get much rest, so he chose to make some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The first two he made he threw away as the cuts were uneven - they had to be perfect no matter what. His thoughts drifted about the warrior, and before he realized it he had a pile of sandwiches in front of him. I'll just say I made them for everyone.
The warrior of light stretched and then rolled out of bed. By the looks of the light shining in through her window, she had slept in quite late. She shook off her drowsiness and then decided to put on some casual clothes instead of her battle gear for once. It had been a long time since she’d gotten to wear something soft and breathable. Today she donned a loose white blouse and a pair of snug black pants. She felt a little strange looking at herself in the mirror with her hair high up in a ponytail and decided to change it. With quick fingers, she took her favorite light blue ribbon and tied a loose ponytail in near the end of her long golden strands. Her hair now cascaded over her right shoulder blade and rested at armpit length. After giving herself another once-over, she decided she looked good enough for her plans for the day, which were, well… nothing.
Once she was ready she headed out of her room and into the common area of Dawn’s Respite. At the table sat G’raha Tia, reading some sort of book with a large wicker basket in front of him. When the door to her room shut he looked up at her, “Tis good to see you awake, A’rin!” He said with a goofy smile.
A’rin’s lips puckered and then she grinned. If he is going to steal her lines, then she’s going to steal one of his too: “Well, tis good to be awake!” Her smile grew and her tail swayed a bit from side to side. She loved silly exchanges like that. “What time is it, anyway?”
“About 2pm, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Oh. I guess I may have slept in!” She chuckled.
“Well, if anyone deserves to sleep in, it would be you.” G’raha felt his cheeks grow red after he said that, was he being too obviously sweet now? He thought he should cover it up a bit, so he added, “No one works harder and carries more of a burden upon their shoulders than the warrior of light.”
She pointed to the basket “So, what’s in there?”
G’raha smiled, “Oh! I figured I’d make some sandwiches for-" he stuttered "-for everyone. Please, take one.”
Reaching across the table A’rin pulled the basket closer to her and then opened up the flaps. Inside was a silky blue lining, the same color as the crystal tower. Within the lining were the most pristine and precisely cut peanut butter and jelly sandwiches she had ever seen. From her quick count, it appeared that there were more than 20 in total, no, more like 30. “G’raha, you made all of these?”
“Um.. well yeah.” He started to worry, did he mess up somehow? “I wanted to make sure there were enough for everyone to have two if they would like!”
A’rin reached inside and pulled one out. She looked it over and G’raha could feel his face grow warm again. She was looking at something that he made - that he made for her. “G’raha” she started to say and then took a bite out of one, “These taste even better than they look! I didn’t think there was a skill to making PB&Js, but if there is one, you have it!”
The praise was too much for him so he pretended to cough to hide his embarrassment. “Well, there is plenty more there so have as many as you would like.”
A’rin pulled out the chair across the table from G’raha and sat down. She took a napkin from the holder in the center of the table and put another sandwich down on top of it. After a few moments the first sandwich was gone and she started on the second. The whole time G’raha had been staring at her without saying a word, thinking about how absolutely stunning she looks in pedestrian clothes. “G’raha!” She said after she took the last bite. He was snapped out of his trance in an instant “Are you feeling alright today?”
He looked down, “Oh yes of course! I just umm ….” Tell her tell her tell her! He chanted in his head. “I just realized that I have a delivery to pick up at the market stalls!” He stood up halfway through the sentence and his ears stood straight up too.
“Okay well, thanks again for the sandwiches G’raha! I’ll write a little note for the other Scions to help themselves…” she stopped and then quietly added, “I’ve got nothing else to do anyway.”
G’raha’s ears twitched - this was his chance, “If you are bored, you are more than welcome to join me.” He thanked the twelve that he really did have a delivery to pick up today.
“Sure! Why not?” A’rin stood up and cleaned up her mess. She wrote a little note to the scions that the sandwiches were from G’raha and then the two of them left the Rising Stones together.
The streets of Revenant’s Toll were bustling like usual. G’raha and A’rin walked together up the hill, catching the glances of a few people on the streets. After all, they were both Scions, and A’rin was the famous warrior of light. A few gawkers were nothing uncommon.
“So what did you order anyways?” A’rin asked.
“Some La Noscean oranges! I haven’t had any since… well, before I went to sleep.”
"I’d say it’s high-time you get your oranges then.”
The two of them walked up to the markets. Small stalls were lined up all over the place and merchants were yelling out their deals and rare goods. People were everywhere; there was hardly anywhere to step. G’raha led the warrior to the center of the market. A Hyur woman was there speaking with another customer. Not wanting to interrupt, G’raha pretended to browse the wares until their conversation had finished. “Good afternoon Hilda, how is business today?”
The woman turned to look at G’raha. She smiled and spoke just as a merchant should, “Business is booming! I take it you are here for your order?” G’raha nodded. “Well, some bad news about that… “ G’raha exchanged looks with A’rin, disappointment plain on his face. “Unfortunately the delivery for the oranges is late and probably won’t arrive until later this week. Sorry about the trouble."
"It's not a problem Hilda, these things are unavoidable. Would you mind letting someone in the Rising Stones know when the order arrives?"
"It's the least I can do, thanks for being understanding." Hilda said as she scribbled down something on a notepad, most likely a reminder.
G'raha walked away from the stall and A'rin followed. She could see his ears twitching above his head, and then he looked at her. His eyes looked as though they were frowning, and his tail hung low. "Ahh just my luck." He pouted.
A'rin felt bad for him. After all, he had been waiting over a century for these oranges, it wasn't fair that he was being denied them. She decided that everything he has done for the people of the first, of the source, and for her - he would have his oranges. "G'raha. What are your plans for today?"
He looked up at her, still pouting, "...not eating oranges…" He puckered his lips then continued, "Nothing, honestly. Why?"
"Well then, let's go get some oranges!" She said happily as she began to walk toward the aetheryte crystal. "La Noscea awaits!"
Dumbfounded, G'raha blinked multiple times at his fellow miqo'te. By the twelve I love this woman, he thought. "A-are you sure A'rin, you don't mind?"
"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't want to do it! Let's go on an adventure!" She smiled. His face grew flush once more after she asked him to go on an adventure. He would be more than happy if his plan for courting her didn’t work out, as long as he was able to adventure with her for the rest of his life.
The two of them walked briskly down to the large rotating crystal. “A’rin, are you not bringing any weapons?” G’raha asked her while looking her over, trying to find a tome or some other such weapon on her.
“We should be fine, the monsters there are not very strong if I remember right.” She pointed to the staff on G’raha’s back, “Besides, you have your staff!”
G’raha felt a bit worried with her relying on him for protection. He didn’t know why, as he was more than capable of fending off some mere wild animals, but something wasn’t sitting quite right. He shook off his feeling, and then they placed their hands on the large crystal, subsequently teleporting to Lower La Noscea.