Here's some more!
![[Image: tumblr_nzosx0UbEK1v0ltaqo2_r2_1280.png]](https://40.media.tumblr.com/ad3bee96533553de4327d8fcd1defd67/tumblr_nzosx0UbEK1v0ltaqo2_r2_1280.png)
Aden could count the number of times he’d been in Gridania previously on one hand, and then he’d seen little of the city. The first he did not remember, and the later had all been on farm business. Neither of his mothers had ever had time to show him around, and today he entered the city for only the second time without them.
He had an address, but following the streets and the numbers made little sense. The light across the city turned golden with late afternoon before he felt he’d walked the width and breadth of town, and while he tried to figure out where he’d gone wrong he found himself outside a large building at the end of a lonely stretch of road. His ears twitched, halfway flattened to the sides at the thought of asking.
He made it to the porch, chewing at his bottom lip and practicing in his head how he’d ask when the doors opened. A pair of Quivermen strode out in uniform, barely acknowledging him as they passed. Behind them came a small group of men and women he assumed were also Quivermen, all carrying bows, but in plainclothes. One or two nodded politely, and a miqo’te lady among them looked him up and down and smiled in a way that made him step back, ears flattening again.
“Aden?â€
He looked down off the porch at a dimly familiar voice, trying to place it. Then he scowled, one ear flicked to the side. “Oh. Oh no.â€
Ves either ignored his reaction or didn’t notice. “What are you doing here?â€
Aden didn’t want to say it, tried to keep the words down almost like he’d eaten something bad. It’s better, he supposed, than trying to ask a complete stranger. “I’m lost.â€
Ves stared like it didn’t quite register, and the group in plainclothes paused as the woman in front turned to walk backwards in front of them. “Hey, Ves! You coming?â€
“Later!†he shouted over his shoulder, and turned back to give Aden his full attention. “What are you in Gridania for?â€
“To get lost, obviously.†Aden tilted his head to the side slightly, trying not to glare and trying to get some control over the agitated flick of his ears and twitch of his tail. “Little hard on the farm.â€
Ves shifted where he stood, canting his hips slightly, made a soft, exasperated sound. “What are you looking for? I’ll help.â€
He’d had quite enough of Ves’ help, however essential it had been at the time, but Aden didn’t say so. Stepping down off the porch he stopped on just the right stair to be the same height as Ves, pulled a folded envelope from his breast pocket and offered it over. “This address.â€
“That’s residential,†Ves said, fingers worrying at the edge of the paper.
“And?â€
“I just expected you to be looking for a business is all. It's no wonder you couldn't find it, you have to take a ferry to get here. Relative?â€
“No.†And it’s none of your damned business, but Aden could hear Arild scolding him from here for even thinking about being rude. “A friend of my mothers’.â€
“Why didn’t they just send the letter normally?â€
Aden nodded off down the road. “Your friends are leaving.â€
Ves turned, looking back for a moment. One of them called out, but Aden didn’t catch it. Ves turned back scowling and blushing at whatever they’d said. “I’ll catch up after I show you where this is.â€
And Aden let him. It meant he didn’t have to ask, and not a stranger, though he didn’t know Ves particularly well. The thought seemed strange now that he turned it over in his mind, that Ves had had his hands on Aden’s insides and slicked in his blood, saving his life in the most intimate way possible and yet Aden didn’t know him. He glanced up as they walked, but Ves’ pale blue eyes stayed on the road ahead.
Aden fell back a step when they reached the crowds, happier now that he had someone leading him around–even if it was Ves. He didn’t have to shoulder through mumbling apologies and pardons, because with the way Ves moved people politely stepped out of the way.
They passed through and on to the ferry in relative silence, and Aden gladly let Ves handle dealing with the ferry skipper. He realized now he'd passed this spot, and he could've asked.
“You didn’t answer my question,†Ves said once they'd departed for the quieter streets between neat rows of houses.
“I’ll be staying with her for a while.â€
Ves made a strange sound, almost strangled, and Aden looked up again. Ves looked away immediately rather than meet his gaze. “Is something wrong?â€
“No. I’m here to take up the lance.â€
“You’re old enough for that?â€
This time Aden didn’t disguise his annoyance, let his ears flick and the tip of his tail do what it will. “I have been for three quarters of a year now.â€
“I had you pegged for younger.â€
Aden hesitated, carefully considering what he was about to say. Ves had saved his life, after all, once as a warrior and again as a physicker. “I think,†he said, slowly, as if tasting his words to be sure they were right, “you’ve pegged me for a few things that might not be true.â€
“I have.†Ves took a deep breath, led them over to the side of the street and stopped. He crossed his arms and turned to look down at Aden, something oddly stern about the draw of his lips and the set of his shoulders. “But I’m right about one thing. You’re brash, too inconsiderate of risk.â€
“I’ll find my own way,†Aden spat, and started walking.
“This is the house.â€
He stopped, tip of his tail curling in agitation and embarrassment, and he turned back to Ves’ smug ghost of a smile. Aden wanted that grin gone, and he didn’t care how, but he just said, “Thank you,†and walked up to the door.
Ves interposed himself between Aden and the stairs at the last moment, and Aden stopped a breath’s length from him, glared up. Ves’ expression softened, something very different in his eyes from before, but Aden didn’t know quite what it was.
“Listen,†Ves said, “I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot entirely. I don’t mean to belittle you. It’s just… you’re green. You’re young and new and I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Again. I mean to help.â€
“And I mean to go through that door.†Aden pointed, though it looked more like jabbing a finger at Ves’ chest.
“I’m sorry.†At that Aden’s ears twitched, faced forward. “Just from the aftermath of it, you handled yourself well against those ixal. I won’t say I was wrong to doubt you at first, but I was wrong in the end.â€
“Maybe.†Aden let his hand fall to the side, still glaring up.
Ves finally relaxed too, his rigid posture settling into something less military. “Can I make it up to you?â€
Aden said nothing at first, trying to decide if Ves’ words meant more than they explicitly stated. In the end he couldn’t be sure, so he made a demand that seemed safe enough, but would likely get Ves out of his hair. “Tell me why you’re with the Quiver and not a healer.â€
Ves stiffened again, took a half step back, and Aden bit his lip to keep from grinning. “Not today,†Ves said. But it wasn’t an outright no. “Tomorrow.â€
“I’ll be in trials all day tomorrow with the lancers.â€
“Then the day after.†Ves exhaled sharply, finally looked away, which Aden took as a small personal triumph. “There’s a cafe down the street, at that corner.†He pointed. “Meet me there in the morning, just after dawn. That should be before you have to be at the guild, and it’ll be before I have to report in.â€
“Fine.†And finally Ves moved aside, letting Aden up the stairs.
Wandering Lost
Aden could count the number of times he’d been in Gridania previously on one hand, and then he’d seen little of the city. The first he did not remember, and the later had all been on farm business. Neither of his mothers had ever had time to show him around, and today he entered the city for only the second time without them.
He had an address, but following the streets and the numbers made little sense. The light across the city turned golden with late afternoon before he felt he’d walked the width and breadth of town, and while he tried to figure out where he’d gone wrong he found himself outside a large building at the end of a lonely stretch of road. His ears twitched, halfway flattened to the sides at the thought of asking.
He made it to the porch, chewing at his bottom lip and practicing in his head how he’d ask when the doors opened. A pair of Quivermen strode out in uniform, barely acknowledging him as they passed. Behind them came a small group of men and women he assumed were also Quivermen, all carrying bows, but in plainclothes. One or two nodded politely, and a miqo’te lady among them looked him up and down and smiled in a way that made him step back, ears flattening again.
“Aden?â€
He looked down off the porch at a dimly familiar voice, trying to place it. Then he scowled, one ear flicked to the side. “Oh. Oh no.â€
Ves either ignored his reaction or didn’t notice. “What are you doing here?â€
Aden didn’t want to say it, tried to keep the words down almost like he’d eaten something bad. It’s better, he supposed, than trying to ask a complete stranger. “I’m lost.â€
Ves stared like it didn’t quite register, and the group in plainclothes paused as the woman in front turned to walk backwards in front of them. “Hey, Ves! You coming?â€
“Later!†he shouted over his shoulder, and turned back to give Aden his full attention. “What are you in Gridania for?â€
“To get lost, obviously.†Aden tilted his head to the side slightly, trying not to glare and trying to get some control over the agitated flick of his ears and twitch of his tail. “Little hard on the farm.â€
Ves shifted where he stood, canting his hips slightly, made a soft, exasperated sound. “What are you looking for? I’ll help.â€
He’d had quite enough of Ves’ help, however essential it had been at the time, but Aden didn’t say so. Stepping down off the porch he stopped on just the right stair to be the same height as Ves, pulled a folded envelope from his breast pocket and offered it over. “This address.â€
“That’s residential,†Ves said, fingers worrying at the edge of the paper.
“And?â€
“I just expected you to be looking for a business is all. It's no wonder you couldn't find it, you have to take a ferry to get here. Relative?â€
“No.†And it’s none of your damned business, but Aden could hear Arild scolding him from here for even thinking about being rude. “A friend of my mothers’.â€
“Why didn’t they just send the letter normally?â€
Aden nodded off down the road. “Your friends are leaving.â€
Ves turned, looking back for a moment. One of them called out, but Aden didn’t catch it. Ves turned back scowling and blushing at whatever they’d said. “I’ll catch up after I show you where this is.â€
And Aden let him. It meant he didn’t have to ask, and not a stranger, though he didn’t know Ves particularly well. The thought seemed strange now that he turned it over in his mind, that Ves had had his hands on Aden’s insides and slicked in his blood, saving his life in the most intimate way possible and yet Aden didn’t know him. He glanced up as they walked, but Ves’ pale blue eyes stayed on the road ahead.
Aden fell back a step when they reached the crowds, happier now that he had someone leading him around–even if it was Ves. He didn’t have to shoulder through mumbling apologies and pardons, because with the way Ves moved people politely stepped out of the way.
They passed through and on to the ferry in relative silence, and Aden gladly let Ves handle dealing with the ferry skipper. He realized now he'd passed this spot, and he could've asked.
“You didn’t answer my question,†Ves said once they'd departed for the quieter streets between neat rows of houses.
“I’ll be staying with her for a while.â€
Ves made a strange sound, almost strangled, and Aden looked up again. Ves looked away immediately rather than meet his gaze. “Is something wrong?â€
“No. I’m here to take up the lance.â€
“You’re old enough for that?â€
This time Aden didn’t disguise his annoyance, let his ears flick and the tip of his tail do what it will. “I have been for three quarters of a year now.â€
“I had you pegged for younger.â€
Aden hesitated, carefully considering what he was about to say. Ves had saved his life, after all, once as a warrior and again as a physicker. “I think,†he said, slowly, as if tasting his words to be sure they were right, “you’ve pegged me for a few things that might not be true.â€
“I have.†Ves took a deep breath, led them over to the side of the street and stopped. He crossed his arms and turned to look down at Aden, something oddly stern about the draw of his lips and the set of his shoulders. “But I’m right about one thing. You’re brash, too inconsiderate of risk.â€
“I’ll find my own way,†Aden spat, and started walking.
“This is the house.â€
He stopped, tip of his tail curling in agitation and embarrassment, and he turned back to Ves’ smug ghost of a smile. Aden wanted that grin gone, and he didn’t care how, but he just said, “Thank you,†and walked up to the door.
Ves interposed himself between Aden and the stairs at the last moment, and Aden stopped a breath’s length from him, glared up. Ves’ expression softened, something very different in his eyes from before, but Aden didn’t know quite what it was.
“Listen,†Ves said, “I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot entirely. I don’t mean to belittle you. It’s just… you’re green. You’re young and new and I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Again. I mean to help.â€
“And I mean to go through that door.†Aden pointed, though it looked more like jabbing a finger at Ves’ chest.
“I’m sorry.†At that Aden’s ears twitched, faced forward. “Just from the aftermath of it, you handled yourself well against those ixal. I won’t say I was wrong to doubt you at first, but I was wrong in the end.â€
“Maybe.†Aden let his hand fall to the side, still glaring up.
Ves finally relaxed too, his rigid posture settling into something less military. “Can I make it up to you?â€
Aden said nothing at first, trying to decide if Ves’ words meant more than they explicitly stated. In the end he couldn’t be sure, so he made a demand that seemed safe enough, but would likely get Ves out of his hair. “Tell me why you’re with the Quiver and not a healer.â€
Ves stiffened again, took a half step back, and Aden bit his lip to keep from grinning. “Not today,†Ves said. But it wasn’t an outright no. “Tomorrow.â€
“I’ll be in trials all day tomorrow with the lancers.â€
“Then the day after.†Ves exhaled sharply, finally looked away, which Aden took as a small personal triumph. “There’s a cafe down the street, at that corner.†He pointed. “Meet me there in the morning, just after dawn. That should be before you have to be at the guild, and it’ll be before I have to report in.â€
“Fine.†And finally Ves moved aside, letting Aden up the stairs.
