[Y] Multitasking in the Rain(& the Flaws Therin) (Malta&Ze)

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Good!” He beamed, tucking his hands behind himself. “It is always wondrous to have things which are liked.” At the question — his own question — ‘Do you have another name, then?’ he tipped his head, and then shook it, still smiling. “I do not,” he said. “Only Zekiel. The man who made my mother heavy with me did not have a title name that I know of, or if he did, he did not give it to me, and my mother returned to the gods as she had me, so I do not know of hers. And the Sanctum has not given me another, though I do not feel lacking for it. Perhaps one day, I will have a second or third of my own, but those will come when they do.”

When Malta moved, Zekiel followed without a qualm. She thought she knew where they were going, and that was more than could be said of him. Beyond that, he was already lost and that wasn’t so unpleasant, so it couldn’t be much worse to remain lost a bit longer even if she did not know the way to where his mentors would expect him. Regardless of how the circumstance panned out, he trusted it would resolve itself for the best, and it was pleasant to walk through the falling droplets at her side.

He ventured a peeked glance at the disgruntled bird tucked into the girl’s hold.

“Does the bird also have a name?” he asked. “When we find the way, I am certain Sister Illera will be most pleased with your aid for helping me, and I might introduce her to you if it please you. We can dry the bird, and you. If you prefer to be dry. Some people I suppose quite like to be wet.”  

[DraconicFeline]

The Only Black Uke

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that...?" Well, what else could she say? He'd lost his mother before he even knew her! At least Malta had known her mother. At least her mother had loved her for a time, until she had somehow caused the troubles.

... Wait.

Did he just say the Sanctum?! "The... Sanctum?" she asked.
Sister. He had said Sister Illera.
He was beautiful and well spoken and interesting and he had said two things that made him something impossible. It made so much sense, but her mind fell over itself to comprehend it. It was impossible, simply impossible, but she had to ask!

She turned to him, eyes wide. "A-are you... Are you a priest?!"  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Oh, it’s alright, I-” Zekiel did not get far, however, because evidently, something he had said triggered great and immediately notable surprise.

A-are you... Are you a priest?!

Oh.

He shook his head, though it seemed of particular delight that she was this excited about it. “I am an acolyte,” he corrected. “There will be many years of training for me before I have such a title, but I do intend to one day, provided my service to the gods remains adequate. Have you been to see our capital’s Sanctum? If you do find it exciting to think upon you ought, and you might ask for me so that I could show portions to you if it pleased you.”  

[DraconicFeline]

The Only Black Uke

"Oh..." Malta said, processing. An acolyte. Not a priest, yet, but still - one of the chosen. A member of the Sanctum.

"I... grew up there. I saw it... from the outside...!" she stammered, mind racing. She stroked the bird for comfort, the tangle of Zekiel - no, Acolyte Zekiel's - words clotting in her mind.

She swallowed and forced herself to move on vaguely shaking knees. Someone like her had no business meeting handsome acolytes in the middle of a filthy street. She was cursed! Spirit-hated, a bringer of misfortune on her family. Unwanted.

She stopped again and looked back. Come to think of it, should he be following her, then?

"Um..." she said, mentally flinching away from his offer for now, "D-does being chosen mean that you're, um, protected from bad luck? Or, uh, more vulnerable...? she asked, nervously.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Zekiel watched as she spoke, curious, and keeping a mild concern at bay as her tension seemed to mount. He hadn’t meant to startle her. But then, it did seem as though a good many things did so—perhaps a good many more than might startle most people, so it might take him some learning to remember what all he ought not do if he wished to avoid stressing her.

It didn’t help that he wasn’t sure even this time what part of what he’d said caused the tension. But, that could be trifled with later.

“I believe it means I will have whatever luck the gods see fit to give,” he said, “as with anyone. And they brought me to you.” It seemed relevant to add. Encouragement, he hoped. “So it must be the right place. I am certainly quite pleased with it—I’ve seen more of the town, and been gifted feathers!” He tipped his head as his gaze flit her way. “Does misfortune pay you more visits than most?”  

[DraconicFeline]

The Only Black Uke

"O... oh." Well, she wasn't sure what that meant regarding her, but she could see it as... promising? "Well, yes." she said, deciding that honesty was the best option with him, "And I thought it effected others as well, I..." she clammed up a little, hiding her nerves by petting the annoyed bird. She didn't want to pour out her whole lifes story.

"B-but!" she said, "When you put it like that, meeting me sounds really lucky!" forcing some optimism into her voice, because Darn it, she wanted to believe that the curse was lifting. Plus she was leading him back. "So maybe things are good, now."

Aaaah, that was so cryptic, and he's so handsome, and.... aaaah! she held back her frantic thoughts as she led him forward.

"And we're..." she squinted into the rain, "Here! They're probably inside." she said, with a bizzare mixture of pride and regret. "It's coming down really h-hard, after all..." she tried to sound normal and not like a frantic bird.

And then the rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun, the skies clearing to a shining iron-silver grey. Malta's eyes widened, glancing sideways at Zekiel. What did it mean?! Did it mean something?! Oh my gosh...