Waking

[dolphin_nin]

Who: Iruka [Open]
What: Waking up for the first time Because I totally suck a remembering I have two characters
When: Uh.
Where: On the edge of one of the fields, near the city center.

Comments

[inorganicangelx]

Someone had just popped out of a field just in front of him. Someone mortal.

Rosiel would not have noticed, if he hadn't been in such a state. Crying, after all, was not the most flattering of activities, and he was attempting, rather self-consciously, to fix his appearance. If he had realized that even tear-streaked his face was lovely, and that with his hair falling down all around his face he looked beautiful enough to easily be mistaken for a woman, perhaps he would not have worried, and - preoccupied with other thoughts - have missed the human.

But he was worried, and looking out for people who might notice him. Vain creature that he was, he was afraid to be seen - but this person was coming straight towards him, moving in the direction of the city. There was no chance he'd be overlooked.

[dolphin_nin]

This city was strange, and Iruka didn't figure out what it was until he noticed the person headed his way. She served to highlight the fact that there was no one else around either of them, a decidedly creepy thing, considering the size of the town. As he got closer, Iruka startled a little bit. The woman was extraordinarily beautiful, but she looked as if she had been crying. He was torn between asking her if she needed help (probably not smart to get involved in strange countries) and asking her for help.

After a little mental dancing around, Iruka stopped in front of her. "Er...excuse me..." he began, nervously scratching at his scar. "What's the name of this town? I seem to have gotten a little turned around..." Plausible enough. It would do.

[inorganicangelx]

Rosiel blinked it him, taking in his appearance. His attire was unfamiliar, and while his compulsion to scratch his scar was endearing, he was otherwise unexceptional. He pushed a stray bit of hair behind his ear (although it did little to mitigate the impression of a tousled mass, however attractive), fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary in the space where one of his earrings would have been.

"I don't know," he answered in a small voice, mindful that the higher pitch would continue to confuse the poor mortal into believing him a woman. "I've just... appeared here, you see. I don't know... what's happened..."

What he really meant to say referred to Katan, and tears welled up in his eyes once more.

[dolphin_nin]

"Appeared?" Iruka wondered if the same thing had happened to this person as him. If so, there was either some kind of conspiracy going on, or they were both insane. He took a closer look at the woman, but didn't recognize her clothing as anything resembling the clothing of the countries near Konoha. His hopes were rapidly diminishing.

"I. Uh. It's all right. Why don't we walk for a little bit." It didn't look dangerous around this area, and Iruka was confident he could handle anything less than a major threat.

[inorganicangelx]

Sweet of him to offer, even though he didn't know - couldn't know - what he was dealing with, and everything about him spoke of being trained to notice even the things that were meant to be hidden.

Although, it seemed unlikely that this person would be able to figure out what he was (especially if his hastily assembled hypothesis about everyone being from different worlds was correct), but it would be interesting to see how long it took him to arrive at the correct gender.

Rosiel managed an innocent little smile, brushing the tears from his eyes. "If you don't mind terribly. This place is awfully empty."

[dolphin_nin]

A blush came to Iruka's cheeks, unbidden. He unconsciously tried to rub it away. "I don't mind," he mumbled, starting to walk again. He chose to go around the perimeter of the city rather than straight through, which could easily be a trap. "I'm Umino Iruka, by the way." He adjusted his headband and flashed a grin not unlike his young orange-clad student.

He was silent for a moment then asked, "Have you been here long? And why are there no people?" It was always easier to ask questions to find out information rather than snooping and hoping for relevant information. Not to mention, that tactic might not work here, if the lack of people was widespread.

[inorganicangelx]

The flush on the other's cheeks was duly noted, and he made it a point to continue smiling prettily. "Rosiel," he answered, deciding that it would hardly be worth anything to toy with this one. He was... sweet. There was something inherently likable in that smile. And Rosiel liked very few people.

"Not too long. I've been wandering about and you're only the second person I've seen." He wasn't sure how long he'd been there. Much too long, without Katan. It continued to upset him, that his loyal cherubim had not yet rushed to his side. Rosiel rubbed his eyes again, staving off the urge to cry. "It's strange, being in such an empty place..."

[dolphin_nin]

Iruka flailed a little, on the inside. He was never very good with people crying, especially pretty women who looked like they were going to break down. The chunin wondered what could have happened to make her so...heartbroken. "Are you okay?" Iruka asked, genuine concern in his voice. Well, she obviously wasn't okay, but it was the most polite way of poking his nose in where it might not belong.

He would put off speculating aloud about the town for now. There were very few reasons for an entire town to be almost completely deserted, and none of them were good. Plague, war, famine...though the fields looked green and ripe, undisturbed, and there were no dead in the streets. Iruka was at a loss.

[inorganicangelx]

"There's someone very important to me..." Rosiel trailed off, just for a moment, trying to think of any way to put it that didn't sound childish and immature. The moment passed when he realized there simply wasn't. "He should be here. He promised he'd never leave me alone, that he'd always be there for me. But he isn't here."

Struggling against his natural inclinations was not something he often did - or succeeded at remotely - so this now was the last he could take. Rosiel swayed a little, unbalanced as he started to sob.

[dolphin_nin]

Oh, Kami, Iruka thought. He hadn't meant to upset Rosiel further. Really, when would he learn to keep his thoughts to himself? "I'm--I'm sorry," he said, brow furrowed in worry and irritation at himself. "I didn't mean to-" To what? Jab at an obviously sore subject?

Iruka reached out a hand to steady Rosiel.

[inorganicangelx]

Rosiel let himself be supported, just slightly.

Convenient, his mind supplied sweetly, and he rubbed at his eyes vainly, succeeding only in making himself look more tragic. Of course, not looking where one was going was conducive to falling, even among angels, and so it did not particularly surprise Rosiel when his feet got tangled up in his robe and he tumbled against the other man.

He endeavored to look startled and innocent regardless, and succeeded quite charmingly, tear-streaked as he was.

[dolphin_nin]

Iruka stayed upright easily, even though the weight falling against him was unexpected. That did not mean, however, that his emotions were unaffected. For a period lasting possibly two seconds and also possibly two hours, Iruka was frozen in place. Why do pretty women have to smell nice, too? It was awfully distracting.

Iruka cleared his throat and spoke past his flush. "Be careful where you step..." He gently helped Rosiel back into a standing position, and if he didn't quite look the other in the eye, well that was just coincidence.

[inorganicangelx]

The blush that spread across his own cheeks was entirely unexpected, but he didn't mind it. Someone was being nice to him, after all. And perhaps that someone knew nothing about him - not even his gender - but it didn't have to matter at the moment.

"Yes..." Rosiel whispered absently, eyes still locked on the taller man. He could see it there in the eyes that wouldn't meet his own, in the flush, had felt it in the tension of the man's body when he had fallen, in the careful way he had helped him back to his feet. Iruka thought he was beautiful.

[dolphin_nin]

Iruka cleared his throat, uncomfortable under Rosiel's steady gaze. He started to slowly walk in the direction they were headed before they got...distracted. It was a way to keep himself occupied. Just because it doesn't work very well didn't mean he was just going to stand there like a lump.

"Were..." Iruka cleared his throat again, more softly. "Were you headed anywhere in particular?"

[inorganicangelx]

"...no. I was just... going where my feet took me." Not entirely true, but explaining that he had been searching for any angelic presence in the town would be pointless. And probably exhausting.

Rosiel followed Iruka quietly, eyes dropping to the ground, unconsciously reaching over to catch the other's hand in a loose grip.

[dolphin_nin]

"Ah. That can be refreshing sometimes," Iruka said. He couldn't recall the last time he had just wandered around Konohagakure or outside the village. It was just wake up, go to teach, come home, correct papers, go to bed. Maybe he would go shopping on the weekend. To just wander sounded nice.

Iruka started, his hand closing automatically. He made a noise of surprise, looking over his shoulder at Rosiel.