[ P ] Demonstration

Despite her manicured appearance, she seemed rather... what was the word... awkward? Contrary to her typical demeanor, there was an overwhelming sense of uncertainty that was infectious. Had he... misread this situation? In truth, he didn't know Ismailia personally—and definitely not well. He had only every seen her on patrols or powerwalking through the camp. She was always on a mission. Never one for small talk, there wasn't much gossip about her either, spare for a few blunders about her parentage. Some found her to be a bit of a hardass, or misconstrued her as benefitting from the Tiamat powers that be, but Victorian chose to stay away from such gossip.

In this moment, this Ismailia was not the one he had come to concoct in his head. She wasn't this Amazonian, steel-nerved wolf of a military commander. No, she was... real, a little flawed like them all, and definitely uncomfortable in this moment. Enough that his stomach twisted a little and he wracked his brain for what he was missing. Had she come to chide him about his performance today? Was that what caused waves of anxiety to roll off of her?

"T-Thank you. Hm. Sorry, I am not so used to... receiving complements."
Was that a stutter? His ears perked and his brow lifted slightly. Oh. A blush warmed his cheeks at the thought that he'd been overly effusive. Had he been? "Forgive me," he said in a rush. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

At her comment about the Tiamat mantra, he just offered a light and awkward laugh. Internally, he was glad he didn't have to live by such teachings. Perhaps he'd never be colonel because of it, but that was fine with him. He wanted to be good at his job, but it would never become his whole life.

Thankfully they had a fine diversion in the fermented berries. He smiled and relaxed a tad as she took some and settled beside him. Now that they no longer had to stare at just each other, it felt like there was far more air to breathe.

"I wanted to apologise."
A dark ear flicked and he glanced back at her, surprised. "Whatever for?"
"I felt you tense in the ring, I used too much force. I am sorry if I hurt you."

Ah. "It did hurt, I won't lie," Victorian acknowledged with a wane smile. "But I've endured far worse, and I know you didn't intend it." His pale orange eyes glowed with genuine forgiveness. "It's easy to get carried away with an audience present, it's more than fine."

After a pause, likely an awkward one, he motioned up to the sky that they could see in patches from the forest floor. "Do you know what constellation that is?" Victorian asked curiously. Granted, he didn't expect her to. She likely had little time for stargazing.


@Ismailia

Ismailia Tiamat

Ah yes, that muted flame, her Father's daughter. Ismailia tried her best to stray away from situations that would dare break that perfect porcelain mask of hers. She would rather be perceived as an emotionless, hardened battle commander; than a meek, awkward girl. She swore against the softer parts of herself, those parts of herself that were damaged. Emotional.

Real.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to embarrass you." Perhaps, they were both as bad as each other. Ismailia shook her head, fiery cheeks, tainted by ice, growing warmer by the moment. "No need. It's... not every day someone sees an awkward Tiamat." She offered a mild chuckle. Indeed, Ankh's complexion was steel determination; Nassar's very similar. Her Cousins were more fiery, but none of them displayed such awkwardness as her own... kindness, at a stretch.

His surprise to her apology confused her-in her mind he was owed an apology. It was the least she could do. Ocean eyes widened akin to his own.
"Would you not...?" She recalled to when she had hurt one of her own trainers; how they demanded an apology. For loosing control. "It did hurt, I won't lie, But I've endured far worse, and I know you didn't intend it." A smile. A genuine one. Eyes that burned of sympathy, of kindness. Not harsh authority. This reaction--this situation. Was foreign to Ismailia. Who's only reaction was to blink. Perhaps, as dumb-founded as he was.

"It's easy to get carried away with an audience present, it's more than fine." He understood. As she stared into his eyes-she felt a warmth not known, it was unlike the fires of fury or passion, the Tiamat strength was warm and chaotic. But this warmth, was soft. Gentle and caring. As if she was held by the faintest, tender touch. Or given a steaming mug of mead. It was a warmth that encompassed her whole body and enough to last even in the coldest of winters. "I was trained to know better." Finally admitting after a moments silence, she tore her gaze away and to the comings and going of the Camp around them. "But... thank you." She had spent the rest of the day training, drilling. Punishing herself enough for a simple mistake.

"Do you know what constellation that is?" As she savoured the flavourful taste of the berries; her gaze drifted to the heaven's above. A soft hum, thoughtful, mused from her lips. She had never really... looked, before. The skies were pained in a darkness, an inky blackness. Yet streaked throughout, were glints of navy. The stars themselves; were small but bright. Perhaps- it was the effects of the berries, or the fatigue from the hard day's work... but she saw a beauty unseen before there. "No," Muttering, her dark ears pinned to her fiery crown. "But it is beautiful."


@Victorian

code & art by claerie

"No need. It's... not every day someone sees an awkward Tiamat."
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that, they just reveal it only to their friends." His smile was warm and conspiratorial, the subliminal message clear: we're friends, so it's fine. And it was true. He wouldn't walk through the barracks chortling about how her guard had faultered. Rather, he'd take this small crack in her armor as a kindness—a sign that she didn't need to be so guarded around him.

Though whether it was fondness or confusion lowering her guard, Victorian couldn't be sure. It felt as if each word out of his mouth caused her to blink and search his face to discern whether he was an alien or not. Am I that strange? He felt the question on the tip of his tongue but thought better of it. Better not to cause her more to worry over. Besides, he didn't mind this conversation, stilted and awkward as it was. It felt more... genuine than it had back in the training arena. Not that Ismailia had taught the trainees improperly, but it had all been a show. Here, they were just chatting—no audience. And that was nice, relaxing really.

"I was trained to know better."
Victorian shrugged. Training could reduce the number of mistakes one made, but it never eradicated them.
"But... thank you."
He laughed lightly and leaned back against the little tree that they sat by. "No need to thank me. It'd be another story if you had wanted to hurt me—but that's not you, is it?" He turned his golden eyes on her, his smile easy and warm. "So don't worry a single second more about it."

As he pulled their attention to the stars, Victorian's grin grew. "They call it 'the plough', although I haven't the faintest idea what that is." It was the first constellation he'd learned from one of his fellow soldiers in his unit. "It's the most common apparently—nothing too hard to find. But I like it because of that." He paused then. "I imagine you're more of an Ursa Major type gal, but I have yet to find it."


@Ismailia

Ismailia Tiamat

they just reveal it only to their friends. His smile ensured a moment that would sear into her brain forever. "Friends..." She echoed with raised ivory brows, ocean eyes fluttered under a surprised expression. An awkward chuff rolled from her nostrils. Disbelief-but not for him, no. At herself. "All this time... I have spent training, focusing, re-shaping my mind and body. And the one thing I have not done. Perhaps the thing I need most," Bewildered, as if the answer came to her in some vision-some stupid answer that stared right in her face. Friends. Her fiery tail, soft and plush, began to thump beside her, disturbing the earth below.

It was as if he had pulled the wool from her eyes, opened the door and into the light. With a simple saying-a simple gesture, it had ignited something long lost within the Tiamat woman: acceptance. As their gazes met, perhaps her ocean eyes shone that little brighter.

"So don't worry a single second more about it." A small dip of her crown as he spoke. How effortlessly, he could take that worry away by simply saying the right things. How easily that anxiety and expectation melted away... How comfortable she began to feel.

—nothing too hard to find. But I like it because of that. I imagine you're more of an Ursa Major type gal, but I have yet to find it." Her eyes wandered to the stars once more, a small chuckle rolling into the dark, night sky. And you? She mused, moving her slender paw upward, striking into the air and aiming to point at the stars. "What is your favourite constellation?" As she waited for a reply, perhaps she would steal a greatful glance here and there.



@Victorian

code & art by claerie

She... didn't have friends? His brow lifted slightly as she seemed to mull over his comment. Then, as if it was a bit of an awkward epiphany, she explained to him that... yes... she hadn't really focused on any of that. He swallowed then, half aware that he might have overstepped, yet simultaneously conscious of the light wag of her tail. She didn't seem mad that he'd stumbled into pointing that out, albeit entirely by accident. If anything, she seemed... relieved? "I'm sure you have more than you think," Victorian answered with an awkward laugh, though internally, he wasn't sure what to say in response. He was happy to be her friend if she wanted that—he'd be honored. But it didn't feel right to agree with her. Surely she had some? Maybe they were just hiding in plain sight.

As the conversation turned to the sky, it became more comfortable. The awkward fetterings faded away and he leaned more easily against the tree trunk. It felt natural to stare up at the stars with her. He laughed as she pointed out the arc of the stars and, gently, he nudged her paw slightly to the left. "Yeah, right there. You've got it!" His tail wagged now too, and a light hmmmm of thought left his lips as she asked him about his favorite constellation. There were so many to choose from...

"Ah—we'll need a better vantage point to see it from!" Finding his paws, he nudged her shoulder. "Race you there!" Victorian scampered several steps forward before looking over his shoulder. "Oh, grab the grapes! They're very necessary for stargazing!" His cheeks were warm and red and he felt so foolish and silly—moreso than he usually was. But he wanted to give Ismailia some excitement. A night to remember.

If he was her first friend, her only friend, then he wanted to give her at least that. And these were classic memories, that of running through the woods chasing friends and finding new sights.

He raced through the trees, laughing as he occasionally stumbled over a root here and there. If she passed him briefly, he wouldn't have been surprised, she was faster. But he'd only laugh about how she didn't know where they were going and turn to the right, then left, then up a small tumble of rocks, and then...

... up to the top of a hill.

He was panting when he turned to look at her, amber eyes bright and warm. "What do you think?"


@Ismailia

Ismailia Tiamat

Even the notion made Ismailia cringe. Not having friends was as foreign of a concept as making them. And yet here with Victorian, it felt as easy as breathing. Weightless. Effortless. Happy.

Her eyes watched his paw, the clash of onyx and ivory as he nudged them to the right direction. The small gesture brought a flush of heat and an awkward smile to pair with the rapid wag of her tail. Yet a small gasp befell her lips as she spotted the constellation they were looking for.

And yet in a burst of energy as if one of the stars had exploded upon him, Victorian was up. "Race you there!" It was a challenge she was all too happy to accept, ignoring the groan from her limbs as she swiftly rose to her paws. You're on! And yet--Oh, you cheat! Giggling as he reminded her of the grapes-how... necessary would they be?!

With tipsy excitement, Ismailia rushed up the hill in a flurry of black and white. Easily catching and aiming to speed past Victorian, despite the overpowering scent of grapes that flung up her nostrils and dropped the occasional loose one upon the ground. She made short work of the obstacles that threatened to de-rail her. Yet he ultimately won...

But not by much.

And yet, she almost dropped the grapes from her mouth as they crested the hill, the sky seemed a vast, endless canvass. With the stars seeming closer, growing brighter. Her fiery ears perked, bright eyes widened in awe at such a spectacle. Dropping the fragrant grapes to the ground, she was truly able to show her admiration. It's... beautiful! She breathed, ice and fire kissed tail swung rapidly behind her.

"Well, to the victor comes the spoils... even if he is a cheat! She nudged the bunch of grapes with her paws, a laugh that was no longer awkward bubbled from her chest, before looking back up at the starry skies above.





@Victorian

code & art by claerie

Her wonder was far greater than even his own—and oh, how it made him smile. When he had first found this spot, he had smiled like a child that had just found an empty fox den to call his own. He'd hardly been able to tear his eyes away and he had basked in the beauty of all those glittering stars above. But Ismailia... she wasn't just happy. She looked... free. Untethered. For once unmoored from whatever chains seemed to pull her down to earth. Down in the barracks, it was as if gravity's hold on her was stronger than an on anyone else. Up here, it was almost as if she was poised to float. Paired with her red fur and its shocks of white and soot, she looked... beautiful. And twice as bright as any of the stars above.

The sight made his heart cease to beat. Only for a second, but long enough for him to lose his words.

"Well, to the victor comes the spoils... even if he is a cheat!"
It took him a second to realize that she was talking to him again.

Heat raced across his cheeks and he stared at her eyes—so blue and lovely, even in the low light. Her smile which was awkward, as if this joy that she cherished so much was something she should only feel in moderation. She looked back up at the stars, and despite himself, he felt the urge to tug her attention back to him.

Perhaps it was those last few berries finally sinking in.
Maybe it was foolishness and a hint of loneliness.
Maybe it was all of it.

But he leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek.


@Ismailia