Caught out in Milliways

[heatherandsteel]

It had been a long night with a tiring session with Etienne then going to Goldengreen to check in with Toby and see how she's doing.

After that, no one was free to give him a ride back so he decided to take a bus back to Toby's apartment. He should be able to make it before dawn without a problem and later he could tell Toby, she would like that he'd taken the bus.

The bus driver hadn't blinked at the leaves he'd made seem like coins and it was quiet until they broke down a few blocks from Toby's place and he could feel dawn pressing down.

He quickly got out and made his way into the park, but the trees changed and then dawn hit and he held onto a tree and tried to remember how to breath.

Comments

[heatherandsteel]

"Oak and ash," He muttered as he tried to hide more in the shade of the tree, the sunlight catching the bronze in his hair.

A few more minutes and he could breath again, a disguise would be harder but air in his lungs would work.

[the_lioness]

It helps that she'd seen something that first day, something that has the name past her lips before she starts to doubt her eyes. Frowning so hard she squints, Alanna takes two steps forward and stops, frozen. Unsure what to do just yet.

"Are you okay?" always has to be the first question.

[heatherandsteel]

As its fall, there's not as much shade as he'd like and the shape of his face is sharper, points at his ears.

The worst of dawn has passed but he knows he's caught and Alan might be magical but Faerie hurt those not of it. He shakes his head and manages one deep gulp of air.

[the_lioness]

Good. He's breathing.

Not breathing well, but she'll take what she can get.

Alanna rushes to him and offers her hand. "I can help. I think. Will my Gift hurt you?"

[heatherandsteel]

It takes him a long moment but he ends up facing her as he leans against a tree and frowning, his too vibrant color more obvious with his sky blue eyes, "Its dawn, can't heal it, just wait."

What could healing do to help, dawn tears away all illusion and he's full of illusion and lies.

[the_lioness]

Worried, Alanna runs her eyes over him and commits his appearance to memory. She thinks she'll want to remember him this way when the magic... muddles it all up again.

He's rather beautiful.

"Dawn?" she asks quietly, shaking her previously proffered hand like it stings, folding her fingers in, nails biting her palm.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yes, sweeps it all away,"

He stares at her eyes as he can feel more air in his lungs. This isn't right, this is when he has to hide, the sight of how he really is made everything worse for Katie.

[the_lioness]

"Sweeps what away?" Alanna asks, brow furrowed. "Magic?"

She glances at her hand. A second later her fingers glow purple, just long enough to reassure her that all is as it should be with her Gift.

[heatherandsteel]

When her fingers glow, he takes another deep breath,

"Magic, illusions, we're not meant for the bright light of day. You are though."

[the_lioness]

"I like day. It's warmer."

Keeping her smile small and encouraging, she takes a step closer.

"Magic doesn't work at all during the day where you're from?"

That would be... annoying.

[heatherandsteel]

Slowly he shakes his head, he can feel dawn moving on, but he's tired,

"No, it does, but not at dawn. Dawn strips it all away."

[the_lioness]

"Leaving you vulnerable."

More than vulnerable, really, if he had that much trouble breathing. He had sounded like a dying man gasping for breath.

[heatherandsteel]

"I'm usually inside, but couldn't get there in time. I don't know how I'm here and not in the park,"

All he wants to do is sleep but he doesn't have the energy to put up an illusion, not yet.

[the_lioness]

"How do we ever find ourselves here? It is a mystery."

Alanna unbuckles her sword and sits down beside him.

"Is it over?"

[heatherandsteel]

He takes another breath, feeling the air and nods as he leans on the tree, his shoulder bumping her.

Even his outfit isn't disguised, he's also in a tunic, "Yes, but I'm not up to doing anything yet. I'm too tired."

[the_lioness]

She likes his tunic. It is not so dissimilar to her own.

"That I could definitely help, if you'd let me."

[heatherandsteel]

"Do I have to do anything?"

Any help is good but there's usually some price that comes with it. At the moment, he's not sure he can do more than walk and then sleep and his Canadian accent is stronger.

[the_lioness]

"Nothing," Alanna tells him, "except, ah, let me hold your hand."

She extends hers again, cheeks slightly red.

[heatherandsteel]

"I can do that,"

He smiles and puts his hand in hers as he leans on her and the tree.

[the_lioness]

As soon as he does, Alanna starts chewing on her bottom lip. Holding someone's hand -- someone who isn't Jon -- feels strange.

She takes a deep breath and watches his face, calling upon her Gift to transfer a fair amount of energy to Quentin. It's the magical equivalent of a pot of strong coffee, with bonus endorphins.

[heatherandsteel]

Quentin's notices that Alan's nervous and isn't sure why, this is comfortable and he's used to Raj always being in his personal space. Alan's magic is amazing, he feels like he just slept for a few hours,

"Oak and ash, that's powerful."

[the_lioness]

Clearing her throat, she lets go of his hand and sits back.

"It can be."

A shrug, bumping her shoulder against his again.

"Feel better?"

[heatherandsteel]

"I do and I'm not as tired. What were you doing out here?"

He should put his disguise back up, now that he can, but he'll wait until he goes someplace with other people.

[the_lioness]

She's glad he hasn't. It's nice, seeing him like this.

"I come here to think sometimes. It's difficult to get a moment alone at the palace."

Especially when you're the Prince's squire.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yeah, I can see how that could be. There's always a lot of people at court and you have to watch what you say and do. Its nice here,"

Saying that shouldn't give anything away, he's a page and courts are courts.