Private RPG between Tetsumiro and ToriKat! Woot!

Beware of fantastical elements, boys loving on boys, perhaps TK's bad attempts at "art," and...who knows what else. >D


The OOC thread

Reserved for character profiles and art. :3

Aidan shielded his eyes from the sharp sunlight once he stepped out of the woods. Up ahead was the city where he hoped to start anew. His dark eyes followed the beaten path where horse-drawn carts rattled along with trinkets and crops from distant fields.

Looking back, he could barely see the slight clearing he created with his footsteps. There was no turning back now. He had to let go of the memories that tugged at him, begging him to give betrayers a second chance.

Aidan started down the hillside to the gated entrance of the city.

Inside that city a youth was looking up as well, stopped by the side of the market, people bustling about him and he was bumped from time to time as he shielded his eyes from the bright day's sun.

Pale blonde hair was pulled back in a loose tail, reaching the middle of his back. It was curly and all one length. His skin was fair with freckles speckling his tender flesh--everyone thought he looked quite adorable. He was the youngest of a family of ten and he was running errands for his mother--having no sisters to do the deed and all his older brothers helped in the fields; some of them even only returned home once a week.

What he really wanted to do was go out beyond the city gates and explore, but he was sure his mother would tear him limb from limb should he stray from his chore. Huffing, Theodore looked around and took up his basket once again to gather the ingredients his mother had asked him to retrieve from the market.

The patrol at the gates eyed Aidan down. To ease their suspicions, he pulled down his hood. His deep sapphire-blue eyes met their gaze and nods as they let him pass. He lacked the orange tattooed facial markings of Northern raiders.

He ran his hand through his dark hair, moving aside his long bangs when the wind blew to tousle them.

The marketplace vendors called out his attention to their goods. His stomach growled, resulting in interest in some baked goods. He jingled his pocket for some coins to spend to appease his sudden hunger.

With a basket full of fruits and vegetables, now he needed to get enough bread for the week. Smiling he stepped right up beside the newcomer, pale purplish eyes scanning the assortment of breads and treats before choosing a fresh loaf, fishing through his coin bag a moment and paying as he put the bread on the rest of the food, his attention going to the man he'd stood beside.

"Ah! Hello there, you must be new here!" He could tell, the man didn't smell like the city yet, he smelled like the woods. He loved that smell. Theodore's eyes were pale and murky-- he had eyesight was going; slowly but surely though it wasn't slowing him down any.

Theodore's immediate cheerful greeting surprised him. People from his hometown treated strangers with hesitant inquisitions of the foreigner's intentions. Ingrained with their culture, he desired to keep this meeting brief. He responded with a short nod. Exchanging a coin for the bread with the vendor, Aidan bit into the roll to produce an excuse for his lack of conversation.

Now...to find some lodging, he thought.

The little pale youth was always quite fascinated by strangers, if merely because they'd been places he wanted to go. Theodore simply continued to smile at the man and he spoke up once again, "Do you need a place to stay, stranger?" He inquired, tilting his head to the side as he looked at Aidan.

Once he swallowed, his eyes met the youth's. He was inexplicably entranced by how soft they were.

"I do. Can you take me to the nearest inn?"

"Well... I suppose I could... But first, would you hear my offer?" He inquired, but he wasn't going to let the man get away without hearing him out no matter what. He was sweetly persistent and stubborn as an ox.

"I know of a place you could stay for free... more or less. If you don't mind helping out a bit, we have some spare space for a while. There's only one inn around here, and they're lying cheats!" He got a little quieter for that, less someone overhear him and give his hand a good smack.

He looked him over. He was somewhat humored by his attempts at luring him over.

Patriarchal pity crossed his mind. If they were using a boy to do women's work, certainly they were in need of help.

"I'm unsure of how long I'll be staying. Will this be a problem? If not...I suppose, yes, I can agree to such terms," Aidan responded.

Theodore seemed to brighten up all the more at that, a broad smile curving his sweet lips. "It shouldn't be a problem at all!" He would let the man use his own bed and he'd merely sleep in one of the many other empty beds, rather than having one of his brothers mad at him for bringing another stray in from the road and to their beds. And should they return home while he was staying, he'd try to get one of them to share a bed--he was their brother after all. Of course... if that didn't work, there was always the barn--the hay was nice and warm, especially when it was hot out like these days.

"Follow me~" He said, waving his hand as he started down the dirt road through the market again. It was a good twenty minute walk down a long road to get to the little run down home, boards patching holes from the recent storms. Against the house was a cart, empty jugs sitting in them--earlier they had milk in them, but his father had long run his rounds through the city to give it out to the people. Now he was more likely at the pub with the rest of the men before they'd have to return to their families for the night.

It seemed eerily quiet, dark inside until you got up close and the windows actually let in plenty of sunlight. He walked right into the dining room/kitchen, a long table seated for twelve taking up most of the space, but it was pushed up against a bare wall during the day until it was needed for their daily meals. "Mother!" Theo called, setting the basket upon the table and he waited for her to call back before he'd begin walking once more, waving for Aidan to follow suit.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She called from the back of the house, and Theo walked around an old stair case to the door that led just outside where his mother was finishing up laundry.

The woman who rounded the corridor outside, behind the stairs, was a tall woman. She had fine features and though her older age did show, she was still quite beautiful. Theodore looked very much like his mother and if Aidan looked to her eyes, it was notable that she was completely blind. She paused to dry her hands on her apron, not apparent of their presence yet.

"Mother--" He was cut off by her startled gasp, her hand raising to her chest. There was a moment of silence and she turned towards them. "Theo! You know better than to sneak up on me like that. Now, what do you want?" Scolding him, she reached to grab his hand and give it a little whack--only, not being able to see had it's disadvantages and she ended up giving Aidan the whack on the hand!

Theodore brought a hand to his mouth, surprised but also trying to smother the grin crossing his face and keep from laughing. "M-mother, I uh.. brought someone over hehee." He was trying so hard not to laugh.

Aidan, despite the unintentional tap on the hand, felt a wave of nostalgia. Just looking at Theodore's mother in the atmosphere of a home took his breath away for a moment. Memories of sitting at the kitchen table, swinging his legs as he watched his mother bake him muffins distracted him.

He cleared his throat. "My name is Aidan. I'm new here...If it is not too much to request, in exchange for my services, I would like to ask for a space to stay for awhile."

"O-oh my, I'm sorry." She stammered, having not expected there being anyone to scold there. "Well... yes, I suppose you could stay. Can you milk a cow? I'm sure my husband could use some help in the morning. And perhaps you could fetch the water with Theodore for dinner. Theodore, where did you put the food?"

"Right corner of the table, by the wood stove." He replied, smiling softly.

"Well then, I'll go make dinner. Theo, show Aidan where he'll be sleeping. We don't have much, but I hope you'll be comfortable, Aidan." She said kindly, bowing her head a little and moving to pass them to prepare their dinner for the night.

"Come on~" Theodore hummed, waving for Aidan to follow him around up the stairs, heading up and to the second door. The first was the room of his parents, and then the room he brought him into all the boys slept in. There were 5 strong looking bunk beds, names posted on each of them. There was Thomnas, Marcus, James, Timothy, Vincent, Abel, Caden, Dominic, Sloane and finally Theodore. He had a bottom bunk by the only window in the room. "You can have my bed. I'll take one of my brothers' bed, they're all in the fields right for the week." He said with another bright smile.

"Thank you." Aidan laid down his satchel beside the bed. "Theo, was it?" He found the name cute and quite fitting for his sweet and cheerful demeanor.

He read over the names of the sons of the family as he took off his cloak and set it on the bed, ceremonially claiming it as his domain. Rolling up his sleeves, he prepared himself to fetch the water with Theodore.

"Mmmhmm~ Alright, follow me~" He hummed yet again, heading off out the room once Aidan seemed ready to head out. He head back downstairs, calling to his mother, "Mother! We'll be back in a few minutes with the water." and turned back to the back door to run out into the back 'yard' of sorts, running right into a feild of their own where the few cows grazed. His run strayed to play with a butterfly; he was such a free spirited boy. He was back on track fast though when the critter fluttered away and he ran right to the large well, pausing to lean over the edge, panting and smiling still as big as ever. He was excited a stranger had passed by--his brothers were always gone, he didn't have anyone to be around or play with so to speak, though he didn't know if the man would be like a big brother to him.

Grabbing a bucket, he hooked it to the line and sent it down to fetch the water, another three buckets beside the well. He tried to bring it up, feet pressing at the base of the well to lift with all his might and not slip. He did it every night but it was obvious it was quite the effort he had to put into it. He wasn't a very strong boy at all. "Nghh..!" He got it up and put another bucket down after the full one was beside the well now, letting the empty drop and fill before trying to pull it up once more.

Aidan went to his side. "Allow me." He took hold of the ropes and pulled with ease. Once the buckets were full, he lifted two of them. The handles bit some into his soft hands. Manual labor was somewhat foreign, but he would learn.

"I'm not quite a guest. I won't be insulted if you demanded me to handle a few chores. I am here to take advantage of your generosity."

Heading back to the house, he admired the simple landscape. He would find peace here till he was ready to move on.

He was sure of it.

Theodore gasped when the rope was taken, huffing a bit but he put the buckets on the line and took them off each time for Aidan. He managed to pick the two buckets left up, following after him. "W-well.. yeah, I'm just used to doing it while my brothers are gone." He replied softly, glancing at the man a bit curiously.

"Where are you from, Aidan? Your hands are too soft to be from a farm. You aren't really dirtied or rough." He was an observant boy.

Aidan hesitated. It couldn't possibly hurt to be honest. Theodore didn't appear to have it in him to blackmail him. He produced a small smile on his lips, entertained by his innocent curiosity.

"Caer Elise."

Images of the music, the feasts, the dancing and the liveliness accompanied the name. Famed for being the most extravagant of all of the lord's great residences, Caer Elise would spark interest to any listener. Talents of any skill sought to enter the fortress to entertain the wealthy and live with ease. But it bored Aidan with its carnival atmosphere and drunken jollies.

"Caer.. Elise? Really?" Theo seemed to brighten up all the more for a moment and then his expression seemed to soften a little and he tried to concentrate on not spilling the water all over. "But, why did you leave? Do you have somewhere important to be? It.. doesn't seem so if you don't know your intended length of stay." He was more or less pondering aloud, his curiosity hitting full force. "Why leave a place like that and come to a place like this? Most of us don't have a penny to our names." He continued, gazing up at the sky a moment as a wind picked up. He gave a small gasp when the ribbon tying his long hair back slid out and into the field, letting his pale yellow blond--nearly white locks free.

"Oh dear.. Well, I guess I'll have to find it later--mother won't want me out after dark." He muttered, shaking his head to get his curly hair out of his face.

Aidan watched the light dance upon his golden locks before turning to see the ribbon sway with the wind. Setting the buckets down, he hurried to retrieve it before it vanished from his sight.

"Here, let me..." he murmured, coming up behind Theodore. Feeling through his hair to capture the flowing strands, Aidan accidentally brushed his fingers in a soft caress along his cheek and jaw. He tied up his hair and bent over to pick up the buckets again. They continued on.

He wondered how to explain it. How to simplify the facade of paradise riddled with violence, trickery, and tears? How to voice the ailing pain he was unable to ameliorate with a stroll or drinks at a tavern? How to illustrate the pang deep in his gut that arose at the thought of the treachery he endured?

He smiled instead, deciding to keep an air of mystery about him. "I don't belong there. My skills are incapable of entertaining my lord."

Looks were another story.

"Perhaps I will have a greater purpose here."

"Ah--you don't have to.." Theo trailed off; he'd have never been able to see that to go after it like Aidan did. He envied where the man came from and even his sight, knowing that he'd eventually be blind like his mother. It was just a matter of time.

"Thank you.." He said with a gentle smile, breathing in slightly at the feeling of Aidan's fingers across his sensitive, pale skin, the faintest colour flushing over his freckled flesh.

"Oh? What are your talents, if you don't mind my asking..." He continued on with the man through the field to enter through the back door and put two of the buckets of water in the large pot over the stove, setting the two out of the way where his mother--or even himself would trip. "There you go mother. Do you need anything else?"

Her smile greeted them and she shook her head. "No, you two may do as you please now. Don't stray far Theo, I'll call for you to set the table later. Make sure to introduce your guest to your father when he returns home as well. And please don't go out after dark, you know you can't see at night." Her worry was genuine for her child, wishing his safety when his brothers weren't around to keep him safe, and while she imagined she could trust Aidan, she wouldn't put it on his shoulders to take care of her son like a babysitter.

"Yes mother." He replied quietly, stepping back after a moment. He turned to Aidan, smiling still. "If you are tired, you can go rest. I'll come and get you for dinner when it's ready." He said softly, glancing out the window--he knew there wasn't long until the sun began to go down and he wouldn't be able to see.

"I'm fine." The walk to the well did not tire him. Instead, he felt invigorated. His gaze followed Theodore's.

The soft smile returned.

"My talents, hm?" A brow arched. "Let us step outside, and I can show you."

Aidan pushed the door open and walked out to a clearing. He wasn't concerned with the amount of wind blowing. It wouldn't spread the magic he'd wield. Once he had Theodore's eyes on him, he dramatically moved his hand. A slight flick of the finger could have drawn the spark, but he enjoyed seeing the excitement from the boy. Stepping back, he ensured the ignited flames and the heat emanating from them wouldn't harm him.

"I'm dangerous," he said teasingly, accompanying it with a smirk.

Theo blinked--why did they have to go outside? Perhaps he was an acrobat? He'd met a few traveling through before, but Aidan seemed so different. Even the acrobats had rough hands from their tricks.

Smiling, he followed him outside, hands clasping behind his back as he watched with an obvious curiosity. He got all the brighter when those sparks ignited, giving a gasp and his hands came up to his mouth as he tried to contain his excitement. He'd never seen anything like it before--a person producing flame like that, and in the dimming light the display was all the more amazing--he could see them clear as day despite his darkening surroundings. "How does it not burn you?" He asked curiously, so very excited, a large smile on his sweet face. "That's so amazing! I've never seen anything like it!"

Aidan couldn't help but chuckle as the flames died away. "I suppose I'm immune to the heat?" He reached out and took hold of Theodore's hands, revealing there was no trickery of the eyes - he had produced them and the warmth of his hands proved it.

"I just conjure up flames. A small feat," he said softly, letting his hands go free.