Aara Awakens - Closed

[angha_firebird]

Who: Xanth stillseecracks and Aara angha_firebird
Where: Around the barracks -- Then probably in one of their rooms?
When: After Aara wakes from dying

Comments

[stillseecracks]

Xanth was released from isolation not hours ago.

After the events in the library, two days of solitude helped him piece himself back together. He's headed back to his room now, but a shriek rings out.

Xanth stops cold, fingers curling to grip a weapon that isn't there. Adrenaline surges past the numbing fog and Xanth strides around a corner, prepared for any danger.

But he was not prepared for this.

"A--Aara!"

[angha_firebird]

"Why not?"

Scrubbing her body until it was red and raw, Aara didn't really have time to look at Xanth's back. When he started talking to her though, she leaned out off the shower and quickly grabbed the shirt she slipped from her shoulders, hoping to wash the blood she had gotten on it. Only then, casting a quick glance in Xanth's direction, did Aara notice the scars that riddled his frame. She gasped, eyes widening as her pale gaze mapped the patterns on his flesh, her brows coming together in worry and concern. The lines across his skin are not bleeding, or scabbed, so she assumes they must have happened a while ago. Moving back under the spray of water, thoughts slowing as she tries to process what it meant--that Xanth had been hurt...repeatedly...

It does not sit well with Aara

[stillseecracks]

"I-I... d-don't know," Xanth answers, frowning at the floor. "S-Sometimes I-- I-I just-- c-can't."

The sounds of the water cease, but Xanth doesn't turn around. He's intending to hand Aara the towel without risking another glance at her - but before her does, her icy fingers touch his back.

That gets a gasp and Xanth starts, twisting to face her. His mind is not on his scars or whether Aara saw them; rather, his mind is on the fact that Aara is, once again, completely naked in front of him. Red in the face, he looks away and holds up one towel.

"H--Here. Um."

[angha_firebird]

Considering his words, Aara tilts her head a little at that. "Maybe I can help?" She didn't know if that was possible, but she wanted to try. She wanted Xanth to be able to sleep. It seemed important.

His reaction to her touch has her jumping, pulling her hand away and watching him miserably, wondering if she did something wrong. She doesn't understand why he won't look at her--was he angry? Then he is handing her the towel, and red in the face, and Aara had to try to piece together pieces of a puzzle she didn't fully understand.

"Thank you..."

Shivering--suddenly colder than she was before--Aara accepts the towel with stiff fingertips, unfolding it awkwardly so she might wrap herself up in it. Her wrap-job is a little messy, and awkward, but she manages decently enough, and holds the corners together under one arm, shuddering into the fabric and desperately seeking warmth.

"X-Xanth..." She would like to know about those scars, please.

[stillseecracks]

Out of the corner of his eye, Xanth sees Aara covering herself, and so he turns to face her again. The red in his cheeks is still present, but fading. He wraps the second towel around Aara's shoulders as something of a blanket. Surely she remembers how to dry off, right?

"Wh-- what is it?" he asks, frowning in concern. "I-I can-- I-I have-- l-lots of blankets, i-if you-- want?"

[angha_firebird]

Now it's Aara's turn to blush. He was fussing over her, and for some reason her heart gave a little start. She didn't know exactly why, it just felt... different. Like maybe things like this didn't happen to her often. It's only then that she notices Zanth's blush for what it is, and she ducks her head a little, peering up into his face with a small smile.

They were both blushing. A giggle erupts from her chest at that. She brings a hand to her face, feeling the warmth there, before giving a small, shy shrug with one shoulder.

"I am cold... but I do not want to get your blankets all wet. I will wait until I am a little drier. Besides... do you not need to try and sleep, Xanth?" She gives him a knowing look, there. She can't take all his blankets. He needed to be comfortable enough to sleep, after all.

Expression turning solemn once more, Aara gently reaches a hand out to Xanth's bared shoulder, concern in her gaze.

"Xanth..." She doesn't want him to be upset with her, but she wanted to know. Maybe there was something he needed

[stillseecracks]

Xanth does need sleep, but Aara hasn't realized the extent of his predicament. He might try to explain it, but she's focused on something else by now. Xanth's brows furrow in confusion. He's not injured by any physical means; he'd gotten lucky every day before entering quarantine.

"B-But I'm... I-I'm not...?"

And that's when it clicks: she must have seen his scars. His confusion abated, Xanth just sighs.

"I-It's okay," he says, taking Aara's shoulder and attempting to turn her toward the bed. "Th-they're... th-they're all o--old."

[angha_firebird]

Aara turns toward the bed easily enough, with Xanth's prompting. She knew they looked old, but sometimes that didn't mean anything. Somtimes they still hurt, emotionally or physically.

She didn't know how she knew that. Why she thought that.

"They do not hurt you still? I..." She what? What had she been about to offer? She only wished she knew. "No one here has harmed you, right?" Now Aara turns to look back at him. She was well and truly distracted from anything, and would apparently keep asking questions until she felt she had a few answers.

"You would tell me if someone did?"

[stillseecracks]

When she asks if they still hurt, Xanth shakes his head no. Sometimes there was a twinge from skin pulled in a strange way, or an ache in his shoulder where previously there would be none, but never true pain.

And then to her second question, he nods. Here, he's always been lucky: no maiming; no rampages; no true harm has been done.

It's her last question that makes him hesitate. Would he tell her if he'd been injured? He wouldn't want her to fret. However, he's learned that the less you say, the more people worry, and it can be so hard to hide a wound.

And so, again, he nods.

"Y-Yeah. But... n-no one's-- hurt me. N-Not in... a-a long t--time."

[angha_firebird]

The worry gnawing at her belly was hard to push away, but when Xanth finally spoke the ill feeling eased. A wide smile spreads across her lips, and she nods, tensed shoulders relaxing.

"Good." Then, a moment later, "I'm glad."

Shivering harshly for the span of two seconds, Aara turned back around and burrowed into her two towels. Her feet kept moving, however, and Aara wondered where Xanth was directing her.

"I hope no one ever hurts you, Xanth. You are very kind, and giving. Thank you for helping me."

[stillseecracks]

Xanth smiles, lopsided but pleased, and this time it lingers. "Th-- thanks."

He directs her towards the bed, then motions for her to sit. She looks cold, and he wants to get her dried or under blankets as soon as possible. She asked him once if he got cold easily, and it seemed that she did, as well. Not that he blamed her body for her chill; those showers were none too pleasant.

After a moment, he starts again: "B-But you... y-you don't have to th--thank me. I-It's just... w-what... friends do."

[angha_firebird]

She sees Xanth's smile and gives a small one in return. It's nice to show others you care, and appreciate them. Aara honestly didn't know what she'd do if she hadn't stumbled upon Xanth when she did. She would probably be terrified and alone right now.

Her body began to shiver and quiver afresh, gooseflesh rising over every inch of skin. Her trembling remained this time, and Aara curled frozen toes in an effort to keep them warm. When Xanth motions for her to sit, Aara looks at the bed, then back at Xanth in question.

"But... you are the one supposed to be resting..."

Still, Aara sits slowly, watching Xanth all the while. She made a promise to watch over him, and with all he was doing for her she would be certain she kept that promise. Bringing her legs up so she could hug them to her body, Aara huddles in on herself and wraps her towel around them in an attempt to both dry and warm them, though her movements are stiff and shaky until she finally gives up

[stillseecracks]

"M-Me too," he replies, but he does so without thinking about it; the thinking comes after. Forever was a long time. In all likelihood, one of them would disappear from the Keep as so many had before them.

But that thought is so, so depressing. Xanth pushes it away.

"W-We-- we gotta g-get you dry," he says absentmindedly, then lifts the edges of the towel over Aara's shoulders. Instead of removing it entirely, he just folds it over the top of Aara's head and then scrubs gently to dry her hair.

I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE /so dead tired

[angha_firebird]

She smiles at that, a feeling of calm and peace settling over her. The only truth in Aara's mind at that moment was that she had at least one good friend she could count on. She wanted Xanth to be able to count on her as well. So long as both of them wished for this friendship, nothing could possibly go wrong

IT DOES

[stillseecracks]

At first, Xanth just dries Aara's hair as best he can and hopes he's not tangling it; her hair is quite long, after all, and he's lacking a brush or comb. But then he hears the giggles, both clear and muffled, and he cracks another smile.

"Wh-- what're you l-laughing at?" he asks, teasing in tone. Perhaps he's tickling her, or perhaps she's just realized how silly it is to have your hair dried by a half-naked boy standing in front of you.

:D

[angha_firebird]

Biting her lip in sheepish wonder, Aara peeks up at Xanth but can only see halfway up his bared chest with the towel still over her head. She giggles again--he still has yet to stop drying her hair. She has an odd suspicion that the happy and light feeling within her will not be going away any time soon.

"Have you ever felt happy and free before?" For some reason, Aara's own question prompted the thought of wind in her hair, but Aara doesn't puzzle over that for too long. She has this new and blossoming happy feeling within her, after all. Another light giggle. "You are helping me. Taking care of me. You make me feel that, Xanth, and it makes me want to smile. To laugh."

There was humor in her gaze, innocent frankness in her tone. She couldn't keep the smile from her lips, and she wondered if he might laugh with her or think she was silly.