4th of Ymiden, 718
The trial was pleasantly warm, the sun shining through the stained glass windows, but not nearly intense enough to make him feel uncomfortable. Mia was half-walking, half-skipping by his side, body turning left and right to look at the designs in the windows. The girl had been insufferably insistent that he accompanied her to the opening of a bakery or something like that, and, after a while, Rovy just accepted. It was strange, how she was able to talk to anyone, waiving in greeting to whomever looked her way, even though he was sure she couldn't know half of those people, specially since even her didn't visit the Glass Quarter often.
Rovy was doing the exact opposite, curling in around himself and trying to look smaller. He knew his arms were covered, knew his hair was hiding away the feathers in his ears, and he knew that no one was looking closely enough to notice his eyes, but the few encounters he had when people did notice were often not pleasant, and he would rather stay safely tucked away in the farm than to visit Rharne just for fun. Specially so soon after the festival.
He was there, though, and all he could do was try to hide away while Mia kept drawing attention to her. Rovy couldn't really bring himself to scold her, though, not when she looked so happy. Not that Mia ever looked anything but.
"Here we are, Vy!" she said, pointing towards a bunch of tables shoved together and displaying a fine variety of sweets. Or at least that was Rovy thought they were, considering he couldn't identify the shapes of half of them. "They're all free samples! What do you want?"
"Don't call me that." he asked, another futile attempt of making the girl drop the stupid nickname. He looked at the table, briefly, before shrugging. "I don't really like sweets, so don't worry."
"You what?" Mia frowned in confusion, before grabbing a handful of different samples of rounded candies that looked like chocolate. "But you always eat when grandpa makes them."
"Doesn't mean I like them."
His only answer was an unimpressed raised eyebrow and a shove on his back. Rovy rolled his eyes and allowed Mia to guide him away from the crowd trying to grab something from the tables, for which he was grateful. What he wasn't grateful for was when the girl shoved one of the rounded things on his hand.
"Try it. It's chocolate with..." she popped one that looked just the same to the one she had given him in her mouth. "... hmmm. Lemon."
He thought about arguing, but then, Mia would just insist until he tried one, and he was never one to say he didn't like something he never even tried. So instead, he muttered a "Don't talk with your mouth full." and took a small bite from the round chocolate. His nose twisted itself all of his own. "Way too sweet."
"... How is that even a problem? Here, try this one, is hazelnut bonbon." she shoved another one on his hand, took the lemon bonbon and ate the rest of it. She chewed away at it, a thoughtful look on her face. The same look she always had when she thought of a way too personal question to ask.
"Still too sweet, Mia. And what is it?"
"Really, you're worst than grandpa sometimes. Here, this is a praline." another piece of chocolate was shoved towards him, this time shaped like a small triangle. "You have been staying with us for, what, two arcs now? Don't get me wrong, I love you and all, you're my lil' brother, but... Don't you have dreams of your own? Plans? You know, that does not involve the farm?"
Rovy tried to mask the pang he felt at the words by shoving the praline on his mouth. He regretted it instantly as he felt pure sugar fill his mouth. "Mia, this is even worst! What is even the difference between a bonbon and a praline? The shape?"
"They're completely different! And don't you change the subject, young man." she exclaimed, in an eerily flawless mimic of Whalen.
"I feel like I shouldn't have to point out I'm older than you. And no, I don't have dreams nor plans. Those are useless pursuits, and I'm happy where I am."
Mia's expression turned pensive, and she grew quiet as she slowly finished the rest of bonbons or pralines or whatever they were called. Rovy sighed, scratching his neck as he looked around, watching people come and go, basked in the colorful light reflected by the windows of the Quarter. It painted a beautiful picture on the streets, and even though Rovy didn't care much about it, even him couldn't deny that it was very different from the other Quarters. It was... a nice atmosphere.
It didn't serve to calm the nervousness in his chest, though.
"Wait here. I'll grab something you might like." he turned to Mia again as she spoke, and nodded, although she didn't exactly waited for confirmation before making her way back to the table.
common | rakahi
