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 Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 3:33 pm
 Unadorned. Lyndsey's pelt, paler than flax seed, was unpainted by his usual array of colors. He was surprisingly plain without it, looked younger, boyish, had an air of uncertainty much more poignant about him than usual. The young centaur had left his home earlier that morning to travel into Haventree, mission in mind and paper in hand.
Lyndsey never left his home often. No, usually only when he needed to stock up on supplies to hold him over for some time, or to trade goods for coin. He had never been too fond of the hustle and bustle of the market, too much noise, too many smells, too many... seedy 'taur, if you asked him. Yes, Lyndsey much preferred it back home, quiet, away from civilization-- but! today, the necessary evil had to be taken care of.
The face of his home had been falling into a bit of disrepair, paint flaking from it like a premature snowfall. It was high time for a new whitewash, and the trim needed to be repainted, same with the shutters-- and the windows, heaven and earth! the windows needed caulking before winter.
And so, Lyndsey found himself in the usual quaint paint shop, with its warmth and familiar after-scent of turpentine, pots of house paints already purchased and tucked away into the saddlebags strapped across his sides. But instead of leaving-- even after holding a tentative, but genial conversation with the taur that mixed the colors and very clearly telling him farewell-- he had grown distracted by the vibrant display of body paints lined up across the side shelving. He usually mixed his own, but he had run clean out of supplies, and with all of the chores to attend to back home he simply did not have the time....
He pulled at his lower lip, back hoof scraping at the earthy floor of the shop. Would it be worth it for a little indulgence? It's not like he didn't have the extra money. The centaur's brows knit together.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:25 pm
It was rare that Akiye was actually out and about shopping alone. Usually her adopted sister followed her or she walked with her mother, Flora. Today, however, the young adult had decided to go about shopping on her own - truthfully everyone had realized that she was going searching for paints and other art supplies and they just didn't' want to waste a whole day running about with her. Of course they didn't tell her that. Rather they used the tavern's flood of customers as an excuse to the disappointed Akiye.
So the young centauress found herself trotting down the street alone. Yet Akiye smiled as she realized that she wasn't really alone. A small squeak from the jingling pack that hung from her sides reminded her of that fact. "We're almost there." She murmured while gently rubbing the small mound of white fur that shivered inside the confines of the paint splattered pouch. In turn the bat just squeaked again and cuddled closer to the familiar paintbrushes full of niches and old teeth marks.
A small bell above the door rang sweetly as she walked into the shop. A small smile lit up her face, 'That's new!'. After looking at the bell for another second or so the centauress prepared to go to the counter so she could pick up some of the basic supplies. But it didn't happen. Already Akiye's gaze had went to the shelves and instantly her eyes became glued to the rows of paints. So many colors!
She loved to mix and match paints to experiment in making colors, and this place reminded her of many of those colors. Yet the centauress couldn't help but to silently comment as she looked over some of the paints. 'My mix of this is prettier.' or 'My mix is brighter.'
Still Akiye had to exclaim as she picked up a small pot of body paint, "Amazing!" Her eyes gleamed at the sight of a green paint that nearly glowed from its brightness. Her attention went to a familiar centaur who she might've instantly recognized had it not been for the distraction of paints. "I mean look at this, sir!"
The pot of paint tilted dangerously as she excitedly held it out to Lyndsey.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:08 pm
One of Lyndsey's ears slid back when the bell sounded, but he was so engrossed in two potential paint colors ('hmm, cherry red or apple red....') that he didn't quite notice the newest customer until they were in his peripheral vision. Almost instantly -- sheer habit -- the pale centaur's flank twitched, and he shifted away from the other peruser as if they were much too close for comfort (and they weren't!). He slowly set the jar of cherry red paint down, mind already telling him paint was not crucial to his existence and that you could definitely use that money for something useful like food and goodness isn't it time to go home justgetoutbeforetheothercentaurmakessmalltalk.
Social anxiety struck Lyndsey nearly mute as his defenses shot up.
And then, lo! a familiar voice. Lyndsey's ears fled back, then up, then tilted like flags gone haywire, eyes drawn to the pot of body paint thrust excitedly into his vision. He took a hasty step back, hands coming up to ward away any paint-drop-escapees from splattering against his front. He nearly went cross eyed before said eyes-- just as green as the paint held out to him-- flicked up into Akiye's face.
He didn't know quite how to react. A strange cocktail of relief and irritation lit up his face, though his tail arched and flicked in what may have been joy? Lyndsey may have been able to pinpoint the feelings had he not been so hasty to ignore them. So instead, the awkward taur's brows furrowed with faint exasperation.
"I'd rather not look like the one spring leaf in autumn, Akiye. Mind tilting that the other way?" he said flatly, running his hands down his unpainted front to make sure she hadn't gotten him.
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:25 am
Akiye's attention had remained fixed on the paint until the centaur spoke to her. Her golden gaze flew up to spot a pair of bright green eyes that outmatched the paint. It took her less than a second to react...
"Oh!" Surprised Akiye's mouth formed an 'o' as she backed away from Lyndsey. In her haste, however, she lost her grip of the paint. With a forward motion the young centauress luckily caught the pot and clutched it to her chest, "Lyndsey!"
It really was Lyndsey! Here in the same place as her! Akiye's eyes gleamed with delight at seeing him. Suddenly this day seemed a whole lot better than what it had just a second ago.
The female's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head in curiosity, "What are you doing here? And...and you look so different today." The words came out soft before something else registered. "And I wasn't going to spill this paint on you." Her mouth twitched up into a small grin. "But if you wanted me to, I'm always ready to paint. Though-" She reached around him and held up another jar of paint that reminded her of cherries, "I guess some red would be better for the season, hmm? Though I do love orange and gold too."
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Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:38 pm
"Careful!" he uttered in haste, hands darting out to outline the shape of the jar in case she dropped it. Lyndsey breathed a sigh of relief when the paint was finally steadied, but it didn't stop him from shifting his his weight from one anxious hoof to the other. Fingers curling into his palms, he drew away and dropped them.
Well, this was an unpleasant surprise! Though it shouldn't have been, considering Akiye was an artist-- it was only natural if their paths were ever to cross, it'd be in a place like this. For a moment, Lyndsey looked anywhere but at his quasi-friend, ears tilted and breath sucked in.
"Uh," he began brilliantly when he finally returned his gaze to Akiye. The shell of his ears colored; he did look different. He felt different-- naked! even, without his paints, like a giant, unused canvas. He cleared his throat, "Thanks? My house needed some repairs, so I thought... I'd come get some. Paints, caulk, you know, that stuff."
He waved his hand dismissively, trying not to bring his lack of color to attention, though she had already caught on; he smoothed his short hair against the back of his neck.
"What?? I can paint myself, thanks!" Lyndsey almost yelped, dropping his gaze to the jar in her hand. He wouldn't put it past her to start some sort of paint-chucking war in here. The centaur tried to herd the jar in her hands in the direction of the shelf, "I usually mix my own paints, but I'm going to be too busy for that. Anyway, it'd be a stupid thing to waste my money on.... Why are you here? Planning another masterpiece?"
Though he spoke jokingly-- or bitingly, it was hard to tell with Lyndsey-- the creme colored centaur thought highly of Akiye's works. After all, he owned one of her pieces.
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Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:52 pm
"Aww." Akiye allowed Lyndsey to redirect her hands rather than accidentally slinging the paint all over him - though the thought was very, veeery tempting. Still as she listened to him the jar dropped from her hands where it clattered uneasily on the shelf.
"Waste money? On paint?" Akiye's eyes widened as she stared at Lyndsey. Spending money on paint considered a waste?! Sure she understood how mixing could be cheaper, but if she ever saw a paint color that she loved - no way would she consider that money for precious paint was wasted! How could he say that? No, how dare the thought even cross his mind!
Still reason returned along with another gasp, "Repairs? You have a house...and you came to get things for repair?" Akiye blushed, 'Of course Lyn has a house!' Her pout about Lyndsey not letting her paint him was pushed aside by the next question.
She shook her head, "Me here because I plan to paint a masterpiece? Umm..." Akiye's gaze flitted away as she seemingly looked over the shelf of paints, "I don't know."
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Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:53 pm
"Well, yes," Lyndsey began with the suspicious unease he was quite good at. "Repairs should come before frivolities like paint, I think."
Lyndsey placed his hand over the jar, pushing it back until it 'clinked' against the one behind it-- nice and safe. He didn't withdraw his hand, but instead appraised the color with a rather unhidden longing. He'd be lying to himself if he said he hadn't been about to buy new body paints before Akiye had appeared, and he didn't quite know how her appearance kept him from doing so. He felt something like a guilty foal, and so tore his eyes away from the shelf, fingers trailing from it.
"I... do. Um, have a house," he said slowly. He ruffled his hair, setting it askew. "And I should probably get going to... to fix it. There's a lot to do and the house isn't exactly small."
And to get away, he thought, social anxiety levels filling quickly in Akiye's presence. She always did have the kind of presence that overwhelmed his own. Lyndsey's tail flicked back and forth; he rubbed his shoulder, antsy.
Still, that strange smile (half humored, half mocking) came back, accompanied by a crinkled brow, "So you came in here out of whim and not necessity?"
He never would understand what whim and chance were. Maybe someday he'd learn.
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:21 pm
"Fri-frivolities?" Akiye was still stunned. Paint - paint wasteful? She nearly fell against the wall that was behind her. Still, it did make some sense. After all there was sadly more to life than art. Sadly.
Her eyes, experts at keeping focused on her surroundings narrowed slightly. That jar kept getting moved. Akiye suddenly grinned at an idea. But oh! She had to wait to surprise him!
Excitement brightened her eyes into twinkling orbs, "Fix your house?" She paused, "Not small? Do you live with family?" Akiye gasped, she had never considered Lyndsey to have a family! How awful of her! Really she should start paying more attention to such things.
Her shame allowed the start of a blush that turned into a full blown attack on her cheeks as Lyndsey fired off another question. "Umm..." Akiye glanced away, "Maybe! I mean...it's possible. I can do much due to just whims, ya know." She pouted slightly, mostly at herself for the warmth that spread up her neck.
Jeez.
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:56 pm
He nodded brusquely, though his own acquiescence made him a bit uncomfortable, like he was unused to lying. Lyndsey continued to brush his sandy brown hair forward with his hands, a bit of a nervous habit he had yet to kick.
"Yeah, it's old and it's settling, so I think the windows have loosed a bit. Felt a draft the other night coming into my room, woke me up, so I decided to come down and--" Lyndsey paused to press his lips together, ears lowering a bit; he was babbling. He waved a hand to sweep his words from the air, and cleared his throat of his prattling, "It was my parents' house, though, but they've passed. It's just me and my house now."
Lyndsey's hand paused against its routine comb of his hair, the corners of his mouth pinching as a puzzled expression fell across his face. A part of him was surprised he was, well, chatting, to be quite honest. His brow swept up, head canting sideways of its own volition.
"That so?" he said, skepticism coloring his tone and smile. His gaze swept her cheeks, "Hum. Have you ever eaten a peach before, Akiye?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:42 am
Akiye's eyes widened. Lyndsey had no family now? The centauress was saddened by this news. Wasn't he lonely? She would be lonely surely because even though she went off on her own at random she always had a family to return to. And to live alone in an old house no less!
"Aww." Akiye bit her lip and turned away to wipe at her watery eyes. "I mean that's a lot of work isn't it?" She asked before turning back to face Lyndsey. "I mean if you had someone to help..." She trailed off suddenly seeming shy compared to the usual energetic personality.
She flushed even more at his next question, "A - A peach?" What type of question was that? Was he plotting something or was this a trick question? But the more she thought about it - Apples, Grapes, Melons, Berries, but peaches? Akiye could only shake her head, "Not that I remember, Lyndsey."
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:09 pm
"No one's ever offered," he joked, eying her with some confusion. It had been some time now since he had last laid his mother to rest, and though he mourned her passing, he still felt her presence in the house. She had always told him not to get so caught up in such negative emotions (sadness, at least-- self-deprecation and his usual social avoidance obviously aside). "It keeps me busy."
And away from society as a whole.
"Really?" His ears quivered with surprise, eyes widening marginally as he checked the straps of his saddlebags. He looked up and motioned to the jar near the reds he had been considering, "They're delicious. We-- I mean I have a peach tree in the front yard. But--" he waved a hand, grabbed a jar from the shelf and held it next to her face in quiet consideration "-- you're turning that pinky-gold color, like a peach, but I guess you would since you're tan and--"
"He does! socialize! Oh, what a relief!"
Lyndsey's ears fell flat, eyes turning to one of the owner's of the shop in terror - a pretty older centauress with a brindled pelt - who was coming upon the pair with an armful of small jars. Lyndsey ducked his head and pushed the jar he had grabbed back into place.
"And he flirts. That's so sweet. And you know, took me ages trying to get a word out of him," she continued with a light laugh, shelving the small paints.
"That's not at all what I meant, I was just pointing out that--"
"No need to be so shy about it, darling. She's very pretty- you have my approval! And blessing!"
There was no way for a centaur to make itself any smaller than it was, but somehow Lyndsey managed. In all of his unpainted glory, he looked like an incredibly embarrassed young boy-- or a horrified young man. Color dawned across his face.
"I should probably go," he said suddenly, looking for an escape route that would leave the least amount of damage.
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:58 pm
"Oh. Well someone should!" Akiye's eyes flickered with sorrow for Lyndsey before she nodded. No way would she show that she felt so easily! Really though, to her Lyndsey was one tough cookie. It was that thought which kept her from volunteering to help right there. What if he didn't want it after all? "I guess it does, doesn't it?"
Akiye's flush deepened. Was it really odd for her to not have ever tasted let alone glimpse a peach? "Well... " She paused sheepishly and bit the bottom of her lip thoughtfully, "Maybe I should taste one of your peaches perhaps-" His next statement stunned her speechless. He was comparing her cheeks to a peach! Lyndsey - He... He really was! Akiye turned her gaze away, and was startled by the new noise.
"Oh!" Akiye's ears twitched backwards as she looked at the shop owner. Flirt? Lyndsey was flirting with her? Akiye's startled eyes flickered from Lyndsey to the owner. Flirting? Really? Her mouth turned upwards into a small secret smile at the owner's comment. No one had ever really flirted with her before - give or take a few jests and some tipsy travelers. For some reason having it come from Lyndsey though didn't upset Akiye. Rather she-
Wait? Approval and blessing?! "Hey, now!" Akiye whispered in shock, "We're - we're just friends. Not lovers or anything!" She shook her hands at the shop owner, "I mean - we barely know each other besides the whole art interest and - and..."
She turned towards Lyndsey for help. But instead she found him trying to flee. "Lyndsey?" Akiye blinked innocently as she reached out for him. Why did he have to leave now? Her ears drooped - she was enjoying his company too. But her hands faltered and dropped back to her sides shyly as she stared at him in surprise. Had she just reached out for him to stay?
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:41 pm
He had been so close to high-tailing out of there (escape route set and all) had Akiye not looked at him with the same sort of desperation that he knew to be on his own face. He couldn't just leave her there to face the awful fate that came in the shape of one horribly nosy shop-owner. No, if he did, his mother would have his hide-- no matter if she was gone or not (and he could hear it now 'Don't you dare leave a lady to fend for herself, even if she can, and especially not with this old biddy!' -- though the last bit was definitely his own thought). Lyndsey made a face at Akiye from over the older centauress's shoulder then, a sort of choked apology and frog-like flattening of his lips.
Gosh, had she gone and said too much? Probably, but really, as long as she'd known Lyndsey, a little bit of teasing shouldn't have been too bold of her. The shopkeeper shelved some of the jars she held, laughing.
"Well, art is a good place to start--"
"And a good place to end, don't you think, Akiye?" he quipped, voice a bit shrill in light of his own embarrassment. It must have been an adrenaline rush manning his words, "As much as I'd-- we'd-- love to stay and chat--" the centauress barked a laugh, Lyndsey soldiered on "-- we have a house to paint. Don't we? My house. Won't paint itself."
He was already backing away, bee-lining for the door. He only hoped Akiye would take his cue and get out of dodge as well.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:47 am
"No, really-" Akiye made an expression back at Lyndsey. Slight irritation threatened if he really left her here like this. Please, please don't! She silently begged with that intense gaze before looking at the shop keeper.
She nearly jumped at Lyndsey's voice, though instant relief filled her. "Oh, yes. I mean - no telling what would happen..." She flushed lightly and just shut up at that. She always painted others, not socialized with them! That really proved how socially awkward Akiye could be at times. Either over talkative or just too flustered with her words.
"Paint- house, oh yes!" Akiye instantly brightened up despite knowing that Lyndsey was just trying to give her a reason to flee as well. "Definitely won't paint itself, at least I don't think." No cattaur had jinxed his house right? "Only a magic house could do that after all." She added with a small laugh.
"We better get to that." Akiye was already moving towards the door. "Nice chatting with you!" With that she pushed through the door and didn't stop walking until the shop was out of sight.
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