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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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 Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:20 pm
Zenner was a technological marvel that Uquin should have been prepared for, after the weeks he had spent by Maritza's side in the airship. In some ways, it was similar to Oba in its design; the buildings grew upwards with stunning verticality, the streets were bustling and overwhelming, and so large that he felt he would drown in the city and never again find his way back to the ports.
With this in mind, he had been horribly reluctant to leave Maritza when the time came... to say he had grown fond of the woman would be an understatement. The engines she worked in were terrifying, for a whole manner of reasons, but her presence had made them tolerable, and for the remainder of the flight he had been loathe to leave her side.
Perhaps he was old fashioned, but generally speaking what brief romantic encounters he'd had since the birth of his daughters had been with people he'd still seen, from time to time - but here, in such a big city, he didn't know how he and Maritza would ever hope to meet again. He took in the city, his jaw set firmly as the other passengers hastened off the ship... some overly thankful for firm land again, others just as gobsmacked as he was as to the sheer size of the city.
After a moment, Uquin turned to Maritza, adjusting his grip on the bags he'd brought with him. In the weeks they'd spent together, they'd never broached the topic of... what now? Would she find him foolish for being hesitant to leave, now? They'd stepped off the ship together, but... then what? "Will you run another trip, or will you be staying in this city now?" He asked, angling his head towards her. His hair was still tied back, the way it had been since that first trip down into the boilers.
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 6:41 pm
Arriving in Zenner, knowing full well she would have to leave Uquin behind, was a harder pill to swallow than anticipated. He was better company than most and she'd found herself enjoying both her work as well as her down time because of him. It had been a while since anyone had intrigued her enough for the mechanic to make genuine efforts to get to know them. At first, she hadn't much wanted to. He was simply a body in a rented bed. After a few weeks alone in a cabin with him, however, and she could frankly say that she liked what she found.
Her boots clicked against the ribbed metal platform as Maritza walked down. She had one small sack slung over her shoulder and a scowl on her face, brought on surely by the squinting she was having to do just to adjust to the sun. Having a nocturnal lifestyle was well enough in the skies, but making daytime arrivals always annoyed her. She stopped just a few steps down to make a half turn towards Uquin. "I'm due for shore leave; have been for a few years now, but I don't know if I'll take it. I stop in to check on my brother when we're docked, and after that-" She motioned back to the ship.
And still, she hesitated. When was the last time she'd actually taken time off? When she was an apprentice? How old was I then? Sixteen? Seventeen? "Why do you ask? Missing me already?" She looked positively devilish when she sent a smirk his way.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 2:04 am
Uquin glanced down at the woman. In the metal confines of the blimp, her personality and affect were so big that he had barely noticed... but now, quite suddenly, he realized how much smaller she was than him. He was already a tall and lanky figure - and true, she was all compact strength and wiry muscle. But she was smaller than him. Even with a scowl on her face, she looked lovely - and as upset as she was at the sunlight, he thought she looked lovely in it. It only made her hair and bright green crystals all the more luminous.
And yet, in true Maritza style, while he paused to fawn over her, she stopped a short way down the pier and turned to look at him as if she were picking apart an insect. He tried, very hard, to quell the rush of disappointment when she confirmed that she truly was similar to how he was... give or take five or ten years - all work, no vacation. Back to work it was... and he shouldn't have been surprised. Yet here he was.
And he thought that would be that. A casual dismissal - making her intentions clear, and then walking with him to the length of the pier where they would go their separate ways. Instead... she gazed at him a moment. Hesitated.
And when she finally spoke, despite once being a much more prideful man ... he was relieved enough to bark out a sharp laugh, closing his eyes and shaking his head, unable to resist a delighted, amused grin that split his face at that smirk of hers. "Well... you did such a fine job showing me the ropes on your airship. I thought I would be lucky enough to entice you to show me what life in Belrea is like." He responded, airily, with an almost teasingly dismissive shrug as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder and made to step closer to her. "But... I suppose, if you need to hear it..." He hesitated, flicking his working eye over her as the words hung heavily on the tip of his tongue. "Then yes. you could say I am missing you 'already'."
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 7:12 am
There was something about that laugh that made her feel a little lighter. As enticing as he'd looked in the glow of steam engines, the sunlight highlighted aspects of Uquin she hadn't noticed before. Like the way the sun turned his auburn hair into a brighter shade of red, for instance, or the way it brightened his green eye. I think I could get used to mornings.
"Hearing it out loud does take a lot of the guess work out." It almost seemed like he were dragging the words out, as if they weren't something he normally said, but Maritza wanted to hear them. Of course she'd known what his response would be; after all, whatever 'this' was between them wasn't simply one way and her pride wanted to hear him confirm it.
The mechanic looked over the platform to where several apprentices were lounging and making small talk. Each one was covered in more soot than the last and were clearly on break, though that meant little to her. She placed two fingers up to her lips and whistled, then when she had there attention, called to them. "Tell the Captain Ritz is taking the next flight off! Somethings come up!" A few nodded their heads, one even tossed her a thumbs up but when none made a move to get up she snapped, "MOVE." That got them up.
When she turned back to Uquin her scowl was gone. "So, let's start the tour, hrm? I could take you to the closest boarding house, if you wanted. They serve local and Tendaji dishes, as well cater to most travelers. Or, if you're looking to save a few more coin, you could come stay with my brother and I. "
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 3:17 pm
Brat. Uquin's expression flattened into a teasingly unimpressed look, though the smirk still playing on his lips made it clear he was far from serious. For a moment, they looked at one another, and any nervousness he'd been feeling fell away. He didn't know how it was they'd come to read one another so well- maybe because, in many ways, they were so similar. But just as she felt confident of his response, at that simple glance he just knew his fears had been unfounded.
Ask and you shall receive, it would seem. Just like that - she made her decision; and the shouted orders only solidified it. Uquin shook his head and chuckled under his breath as the two younger apprentices scampered away, chastened by her orders. Just like that, the scowl lifted from her face and she was downright sunny again. He was suddenly fiercely grateful he had, somehow, stumbled into her good graces, even AFTER she saw him being useless in the engines.
The pair began to walk to the end of the station again, but then... so casually she offered for him to stay with her. Uquin's gaze snapped to her face, surprised, but his response was swift. "I've already pressured you into a shore leave, it would be shameless to shrug off your offer right after." Uquin said immediately, though he did shake his head, a stunned look still on his face. "Thank you. I'd like that. Your brother will not mind?"
Traitorously, part of him jealously wondered if Maritza had ever invited others to stay with her family, but in the end he waved the thought aside - it didn't matter. Even if she had, she had just admitted she hadn't taken leave in a long time. And it wasn't as if he owned her time or generosity.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 6:30 pm
"Don't flatter yourself; I didn't do this just for you." Maritza responded flatly. "It's been months since I've seen my brother and from time to time I like to assure myself that he still lives." While it was true that she wanted to spend more time getting to know Uquin she also had a duty to uphold as a sibling. Ever sine their mother had practically disowned Rivyn it fell to Maritza to watch over him, and even if she didn't particularly care for his activities she still liked to drop in. On a more practical note she was also the reason he even had an apartment to stay in. Considering how many bills she paid Maritza felt it was just as much her space as it was his.
"He won't." She casually tossed the words. Maritza had begun her descent from the platform with a coy little smile. "Rivyn understands that by doing this we're cutting costs for everyone, and he isn't in a position to argue. My brother's work isn't exactly...stable." Of course if any of their guests were outright rude to him or particularly aggressive she wouldn't stand for it. Still, he'd yet to complain, so she'd always assumed he was okay with the occasional roommate or two.
"I do a question for you." At the end of the platform Maritza stopped, and looked back at Uquin. "Where will you sleep? You can stay with Rivyn, of course, or make a cot in the sitting area. Or," A confident smirk grew upon Maritza's feature's as she slowly extended her arm. "You can stay with me, if you're brave enough."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2020 8:56 pm
Perhaps he should have taken the flat tone personally, but he didn't. He merely chuckled and raised a hand in silent surrender, continuing to walk with her. If anything, he truly understood that statement. Even after Ujana came back into his life, sometimes it felt like they barely got to see one another... between his own traveling, and her business.
He did have to wonder if what she said was accurate. Perhaps this brother of hers minded, very much, but she was confident that he was in no position to complain. That may work well for her, but if she went back to work soon enough and Uquin was lucky enough to continue staying at her home, due to her good graces, her brother may not be so agreeable in her absence. Then again, he didn't know the man yet - they would have to see.
Sure enough, moments later she all but confirmed this. Noted.
Still - once they reached the edge of the platform, Uquin paused and raised his eyebrows at Maritza. Then - his eyes went slightly wide, and a subtle flush painted over his olive features. True, they had been... very close on the trip over. And there had been a hope they would continue this... accompaniment, for whatever it was. But they were here - in public, whereas before it had been very much private in their shared room, and Uquin... had never been pursued like this. Any of his previous flames had been coquettish, maybe outright brazen and flirtatious like Pahana had been... but not so confident.
He didn't know if it counted as brave or foolish - reaching for her arm may be akin to sticking his hand in a fire pit, but he reached for her anyway, smirking softly, not quite as confident but definitely touched by her boldness. "Brave? Hardly. But I would rather share your company until you grow tired of me. Especially when your time is so precious." He squeezed her wrist, then stepped down off the end of the platform after her. "Perhaps I'll have a chance to convince you I'm not quite as useless as I was on board your ship! Maybe even show you a skill or two of my own."
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:06 pm
Maritza folded her fingers around his and gave Uquin a gentle pull, guiding the foreigner to her side. Perhaps she was being too bold; even in Belrea there were certain societal guidelines on what was acceptable behavior for young women. While carnal pursuits were never outright dissuaded, one was expected to have a certain level of tact when approaching them. Maritza's own mother had never bothered with such foolishness. When she wanted a lover, she got one, and when she wanted a baby, she had one. The only advice she'd given her daughter was to act on her instincts, and if she was burned, she had only herself to blame. If she was rewarded, however, then the chase had been worth it.
"I would hardly call you useless. Rusty, perhaps, but with the right oils I'm sure we could work out the kinks." Maritza's scattered pupils shifted as she grinned, "Unless you mean your shoddy performance below deck. In that case I would prefer to see something you are experienced with, otherwise I'll have lost all hope in you."
The are surrounding the port was full of moving bodies and various carts carrying cargo. While a little tough initially to navigate, especially while holding Uquin's hand, Maritza found her way through the crowd. Vendors were on the outskirts selling wares, food, and anything that seemed to appeal to hapless travelers. A few men in well decorated suits waited by the docks to escort foreigners to boarding houses, while a few local families waited on loved ones to disembark. When she'd first traveled Rivyn would be there to greet her every time Maritza came to port, but now...Well, she could hardly expect him to wait on her when she so rarely stayed.
"You said you were a healer, right? Do you have a specialty?"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 4:58 pm
There was something empowering about this moment, just having someone by his side. For decades he had traveled on his own; to have her hand in his, and to be able to walk by her side felt precious, somehow, even though both of them had silently acknowledged the transience of their relationship. They were both active people, who didn't sit still... and the odds were that they would move along soon enough. ... But. All the more reason to enjoy the time they could be together, yes?
He went where Maritza guided him willingly, without a fuss, not minding in the least.
Being closer to her did mean that he could hear her lowered words... and when he realized the double meaning in them, he felt his cheeks flush in a rare embarrassed look from him, his untethered hand raising to scrub over his cheeks a bit sheepishly. Shameless!! And yet-- instead of being horrified by it, he felt amused and even a bit giddy. He didn't grin, but he did meet her own smile with a subdued one of his own, a bit of a dimple flashing in his cheek at the expression. "Wait... you haven't lost hope in me yet?" He responded, cheekily, squeezing her hand again, "How generous of you!"
The area they'd made it to was bustling, and familiar... much larger than the one in Matori, and somewhat reminiscent of Oba in how crowded it was. And yet - the streets were paved, not with the scattered gravel or sand covered stones seen in Oban courtyards and higher paid neighborhoods, but in actual stone and, in some places, metal gangways. There were smells here he didn't recognize, clothing styles he had never seen before - buckles, belts, metal buttons, accessories that a craftsman in Tendaji could never hammer so smooth.
And now this question. He had only briefly mentioned his craft to Maritza before - and hadn't disclosed just why he was coming to Belrea other than 'to learn.' Now, he looked at her, pursing his lips. "A specialty? No. You see, that is the difference between our people." He pointed out, "If you have more than one or two healers in a settlement or caravan, it is a luxury. I must know how to handle infections, broken limbs, childbirth-- anything my patients need tended to. I can't simply shrug and refer them to... a healer that only handles emergencies or stomach ailments."
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 6:46 pm
Zenner may not have been the capital of Belrea, but it may as well have been for all it's size. It's elevation made the city the perfect place for airships to dock so it came as no surprise to Maritza to see several in various states of ascension as she walked the streets. Any given day she wouldn't have paid attention, honestly; now that she was showing off her home to someone new, however, it felt a little brighter.
Maritza furrowed her brow. "Are healers that much of a rarity in Tendaji?" It seemed almost common place for Maritza to have medical help so readily available. Every airship had a small crew of healers to treat any ailments the crew and passengers faced. Of course it was mostly for stabilization; they left the more intensive treatment to others in Belrea. She hadn't thought to ask what happened if the trip were reversed and more advanced help was needed upon landing in Tendaji. I supposed they would just die. It sounded harsh, but if healers really were so scarce then she assumed it was inevitable.
"It must be difficult, learning so many practices and keeping up with your skills. Is that why you've come all this way? To study?" It seemed common enough, for foreigners coming to Belrea to do so simply for their studies. They wanted to learn, which was commendable, but Maritza wasn't satisfied with that. "I have a proposal; instead of paying rent you'll pay in other ways. Neither my brother nor I are any good in the kitchen so if you can cook, you will. We'll clean up, of course, but it would help. Of course it goes without saying that any medical ailments we have will be tended to by our live in physician."
It only made sense that Maritza had the expenses covered with what she made from the airship. She wasn't domestic in the least, and with Rivyn's life style things tended to pile up. "I also wouldn't mind learning what you wish to share, either. I'm curious."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 10:12 pm
Truthfully? No, not really. There were many healers in Tendaji, but not all of them were like Uquin - constantly training himself and trying to learn new things. A settlement's healer might know how to birth a babe, or set a broken bone, but they might not understand certain illnesses that their neighbors had. That was where healers like Uquin came into play. For the past decade of his life, he had traveled to other settlements and tended to patients whose local healers had been unable to help them.
"Exactly. You see, I don't appreciate when a patient suggests I don't know my craft." Uquin said, wrinkling his nose. "So I came to assess whether there was any credence to that suggestion, or if he was as much a fool as I suspected he was."
That said, when Maritza gave her proposal Uquin listened, then chuckled softly, shaking his head as he followed. "I am no chef, but I make do. Very well, I'll do this until you beg me to stop." A bit of humor there - Ujana would be proud of her old man.
As for the last question, his eyebrow went up but he nodded his head. He could definitely understand wanting to learn some first aid, especially when she worked in such a dangerous field. "Curiosity is better than apathy, for sure. I accept. .... So..." Uquin turned to squint up at the airships setting off, his gut twisting at the feat. He had never seen it for himself - the first airship he'd witnessed was the one he had just been on. It seemed unfeasible, to think that Maritza ... that her people had somehow created these contraptions. "... I had this same problem in Oba. The city is massive - how do you even know where you are, and how to get to where you are going?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:36 pm
There it is. He'd felt slighted so he'd come to Belrea to prove them wrong. There was a certain level of pride to this man that made him stubborn, which was something Maritza could relate to. She didn't appreciate having her work second guessed or criticized; everything she did was with purpose, and if a mistake was made it would be minor, nothing more. Uquin was likely the same, or at least, seemed to be.
Could be a bit of both. For once Maritza kept her comment to herself. She was sure if she'd said it he would have just gotten huffy, which would kill the 'mood'. In his field Uquin was probably a good healer, maybe even a well experienced one, but when compared to Belrean standards his techniques were likely 'lacking'. Belreans were softer people; they couldn't handle having a tooth removed without some sort of numbing agent so to them he probably seemed 'rough' and 'backwater'.
"The best advice I can give you is to think of Myles' Bakery as the center of Zenner." She pointed her finger at a little family run shop with a modest seating area around it's entrance. The flowers around the windows were bright and lush, easily catching the eye of any passerby. "All of the employees also know this city like a map and if you're in a pinch they can give you directions. In order to get to where I live, you want to go right, which takes you past the cobbler." Right on cue she walked past the bakery and took a right, going down a different street. "You can use your nose to guide you. Think of fresh bread, then leather. After that we'll go down two blocks and it's on the right. My building usually has a drunken Geian out front; just don't ask why."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:11 pm
That Maritza didn't make a joke of him coming to learn meant a lot to him, and Uquin was grateful that she happily allowed him to change the subject. And tension in his shoulders relaxed, and as they walked along he listened intently, nodding as she explained the logic behind her instructions. A centralized location to refer back to was better than aimlessly wondering and ending up somewhere entirely unintended.
Still, this also gave him a chance to take in the Belrean settlement in all of its glory and... grudgingly, he had to concede that this place was much different than even Oba. For one, while you could find restaurants, taverns, or even groceries in Oba, he had never heard of a place that only sold 'baked goods'. The cobbler was, at least, more normal - that was a useful thing, shoes, so even in Tendaji someone skills in the craft was likely to have their own workshop. But even here, the front of the display and store was decorated and much more well to-do than he would have ever expected.
... At least, that wasn't different. Honestly, he was rather glad to be in a normal looking neighborhood now... it was a bit more cramped here and, as she said, there was a drunk man out front. To most that might be offputting, but Uquin would have been more alarmed if all of the city was as cookie cutter perfect as the streets between here and the port were.
"That helps. Thank you." Uquin waited until Maritza began to ascend the steps towards her apartment, then stopped - grasping her hand a bit tighter, and even sliding his grip up a bit to hold her wrist, very gently rubbing his thumb against the inner pulse point. "... Should I be concerned about making a good impression with your brother?" He asked seriously, cocking an eyebrow up at her. He and Maritza got on so well but... he knew that if his daughters expressed discomfort at her, it would put him in a weird predicament.
She is a friend and... lover, if you had to choose a title, not your wife. Quit overthinking this. He chided himself, but he still didn't release her hand - after all, they'd walked through the city holding hands together, but now that they were here would she ask for discretion? It should matter, but... Uquin had never enjoyed having to keep secrets.
(7/10)
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Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:33 pm
The stop was abrupt, and for a moment her balance was off, tilting forward with momentum until Maritza shifted her footing. She instantly snapped around to look at him, her scattered pupils focusing on his with a little frown. He was really worried about this; genuinely, honestly worried. The mechanic sat her back down on the step beside her, and shifted just enough to put her hand over the one on her arm. "Rivyn isn't someone you should fear," she admitted with a little sigh. "He's...how do I put this...different, even by Belrean standards. "
Maritza lowered herself by just one step to get a little closer to him, and moved her free hand away to place it on his shoulder instead. Even if his skin weren't naturally warm she could very easily imagined it would have been tanned from the sun. She moved in and pressed her lips to his own, making sure that the kiss was slow and methodical, without giving him much of a chance to back away. When she'd finished Maritza pulled away just for a breath and nipped at his lower lip. "You'll be fine; trust me. "
She quirked her head just enough to smirk before snatching her bag and continuing up the steps. There was something inherently exciting being that dominate with another in ways that weren't work related. Of course she was bossy and rude on the airship but around Uquin it was...different. He challenged her as much as he stood by her, and it was incredibly thrilling. Even if she thought her brother wouldn't approve Maritza might very well have tossed him out before she got rid of Uquin.
Maybe. The verdict was still out.
When she finally reached her floor getting to the door of her apartment was relatively quick. They were only a couple doors down, without any of the adornments that some of the others had. At first she'd thought about using her key, but remembering some of her brother's own tastes made Maritza reconsider. Instead, she opted to knock and on the third try a hurried voice on the other side of the door preceded him.
When Rivyn threw open the door Maritza could have gagged.
Her elder brother was 'dressed' head to toe in a feather lined robe with half as many feathers in his hair. Rivyn was evidently in the middle of getting ready for the evening because his makeup was half done, at best.
"DO YOU MIND- OH! OH!" Annoyance turned to excitable squealing when he realized exactly who was standing at the door. All at once Maritza was pulled away from Uquin into her brother's arms as the muscular lightning spun her around the small space. "You made it back! And you're okay! Ritzy, darling, you have no idea how worried I've been!" For all his pomp and glamour Rivyn was no small man. He had all of his sister's height and then some, as well as a far amount of muscle. All the better to toss her around like a doll.
"LET ME GO, DAMMIT!" Maritza hissed. Her cheeks were positively ruddy from the intense flush covering them. She pushed against his chest in vain; there was no escaping his grasp!
"Never! You could have written me but did you? No! Even after I told you about all those free shows you could have gone to!" He nuzzled his head into the top of her hair, smearing lipstick on her orange locks. Rivyn seemed trapped in his little fit of happiness for a while before discovering Uquin but when he did the cross dressers attention was captured. "Don't just stand there, come in, come in! You're Ritzy's friend, aren't you? Or are you a little more? I'm her brother, I deserve to know these things."
It was only then that Rivyn stepped away from the doorway into the interior of the apartment. For the most part it was well decorated, if sparse, showing clear signs of which siblings spent the most time within it's walls.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:10 pm
Should he be concerned with how quickly Maritza came to a halt at that question? She was looking at him hard, almost as if uncertain whether he'd really asked it or not, and instantly the older man felt a sweeping sense of self doubt. Right. Casual. This was just... two people being comfortable with one another, for a bit longer than originally intended. But... instead of shrugging him off with disgust, or scolding him for getting too invested... she gripped his hand and reassured him. ... Not just with words, but also with a kiss that could almost be considered sweet, if... heavy.
He had only just started kissing her back when she pulled away, and he instantly huffed out a soft chuckle and angled his head away from his pearly teeth, smirking with only a smidge of embarrassment. "Alright - I trust you." How could he not? How was meeting her brother worse than jettisons of steam, and the awkwardness of being so completely out of his element?
To say he was unprepared for the man behind the door was an understatement. Uquin was no stranger to crass people - not when his daughter ran a tavern, and he was often the subject of vitriol spewed from the mouths of his uncomfortable patients. But Rivyn wasn't crass, by any means. Uquin was tall for an earthling, but willowy and thin, where this man was thick with muscle; and the robe he wore only made him seem bigger, both in style and color. That he'd reduced Maritza - who had been fiercely in control for the majority of the time Uquin had known her - into a helpless, writhing figure in his arms, was the perfect summary of what she'd meant about her brother being Different.
... But as startling as his appearance and demeanor was, the excitement at his sister's return, and concern for her, painted the picture of a loving family member - and that put Uquin at least a bit more at ease.
That didn't stop him from jolting just a bit when those scattered pupils finally settled on him - and it was his turn to flush (just a bit) when he immediately began to ask if they were somehow intimate.
Instead of answering, Uquin slipped inside with a murmured thanks, turning to wait expectantly for Maritza to follow. "Yes- I am her friend. My name is Uquin; I am a healer, and we met on the way to Belrea." Uquin reported succinctly, but... then his eyes softened just a bit and he angled his head towards her, "I understand if it's inconvenient, but Maritza thought if I could offer my services, and help cook that... perhaps I could stay here for a time?"
Uquin understood that Maritza had made it clear this was, technically, her apartment - but he still felt he owed it to the siblings to at least put his best foot forward. Respecting a person's space, and all that.
(8/10)
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