[FIN] {PRP Juahar} Hard Shell, Soft Inside {Nyx + Lixes}

[MissMisnomer]

It’d been a while since she’d ridden on the back of someone, years even. Size had nothing to do with it, as she was still rather on the short side, and light of frame. No, it had everything to do with Nyx herself, and her unwillingness to let it happen. Kids were carried like this. And the last thing she wanted was to be viewed as a child. Even if she was still rather young in the grand scheme of things, Nyx was at that age where she was in a hurry to grow up, so that in her eyes, people would start taking her seriously.

But for the moment at least, alone with this stranger who for all intents and purposes knew nothing about her and STILL wanted to help out, being carried didn’t feel too bad. It was actually kinda’ nice. Blinking sluggishly as she listened, Nyx asked a question that floated into her mind, “Hmm…you one of those flower kids? I heard the bug ladies come from a giant tree. ‘Cept you don’t really look much like them. S’pecially in the not-being-a-chick department~” She moved her hands down, pinching at the flat skin of his chest for moment as she giggled impishly.

[16/20]  

[Orpheus Solon]

MissMisnomer

Lixes gave a smile and a nod, "Yep! My brothers and I were all born from flowers." He glanced over his shoulder at her and said, "Not many people would really believe me if I said as much though since I really don't look like one of them. To be fair though neither do either of my fathers." Which made their birth that much weirder, the fact that both of their parents were male. It was because of his Alkidike father that they were even allowed to be born in such a manner, because he served Aisha.

Looking forward again he said, "My brothers and I, at least the three of us that were born together, we are kind of mutts so we don't really look like any one tribe. So... I guess I shouldn't be too upset that I don't look more Alkidike." Still, he very much envied their height. It would be nice to have that height since it would make the hero business a tad easier in his mind.  

[MissMisnomer]

“Two dads and a tree for a mom? You’ve got a weird family,” Nyx mused as she rested her cheek against the back of Lixes head, content to close her eyes and feel the movement of his hair tickling her skin. “But at least they’re both still alive, so you’re beating me on that…” Must be nice, to have real brothers and a real family. Her aunt and cousins were fine, but they weren’t really the same. She didn’t belong with them, and she knew they didn’t really want her. Getting out of there as soon as possible would just work out better for everyone.

Maybe if she never let go, this boy would keep carrying her along with him to his strange home and his strange family? Wherever it was they lived, there was still so much of the world she hadn’t seen. The thought amused her, laughing softly as her body lost all tension, feeling like she was melting against him. Except her legs; she had no idea where those had gone. “Hey…” she mumbled quietly, “Did’ja drop my legs back there? I don’t feel them anymore…”

[17/20]  

[Orpheus Solon]

Lixes couldn't help but to laugh, "Yeah, it's a pretty weird one." He couldn't really help but to agree when she put in terms as simple as though ones. Moving along he worked on taking each step carefully so as not to risk a stumble, pausing at the mention of them both being still alive. He was assuming that she meant his parents? Giving a nod of his head he said, "Yeah... my parents still are alive, yes." If only everything had gone as smoothly with everyone but the world wasn't quite that simple. It was one of the reasons he wanted so badly to be a hero, so that he could protect everyone.

Giving a jolt at her question Lixes looked down... then gave a sigh of relief and said, "Your legs are still both present and accounted for, don't worry." He hoped that she would take his word for it for now since it seemed that her legs had gone numb. Something that had him quickening his pace a bit.

"Everything is going to be alright, Nyx, I will make sure of it! I will get you to a healer and then make sure that hunters are told about that menzuri that was picking on you." He'd make sure that the thing was taken care of even if he couldn't do it himself yet.  

[MissMisnomer]

Nyx sighed against his hair, ruffling it about again. That was good to hear. Being a warrior would surely be a more difficult task without any legs. Although, perhaps she could be strapped to a Kinfa? That’d be baddass. But climbing trees would be out of the question, which was a shame: Nyx liked climbing. Being above everything and looking down on other people for once was a nice change of pace. “Well, that’s a relief. I’ll just have to assume you aren’t pulling my leg…”

At that she laughed tiredly, pulling lightly on the ends of Lixes’ hair that dangled over the bare skin of his chest, “Get it? Pulling my leg? Because I can’t feel them…” Her laughter broke down into a cough, mentally patting herself on the back as she tried to return her breathing to normal. That was funny. Good one, Nyx. Way to laugh at a morbid situation. Won’t be laughing nearly so hard if you have to get em’ cut off.

[18/20]  

[Orpheus Solon]

MissMisnomer

Lixes gave the girl a glance as she made a joke about him pulling her leg... which seemed pretty funny to her because she couldn't feel said leg? He blinked slowly, trying to get said joke before he gave her a smile, "Heh, yeah, that's pretty funny..." He didn't quite get it but at least she seemed to be amused by her joke? Her staying in a good mood was a good thing. If she got depressed or something that would be more worrisome if you asked Lixes.

Looking ahead again he said, "I see the village now! Don't worry, we are going to get you there quickly! They will make sure that your legs are fixed up and make it so you can feel them again." He gave a humming sound then added, "Though maybe a part of that is just because of the way I am carrying you? Either way we will get you back on your feet... once you can feel them again."  

[MissMisnomer]

Nyx opened her eyes with a substantial amount of effort, feeling like there were little weights on her eyelashes that just kept dragging them down. She squinted, trying to focus on the path ahead of them. Nothing but that damned blue fog again. She shrugged, giving Lixes a loose thumbs-up in front of his nose, “Can’t really see what you’re talking about, but whatever, sounds good.” She paused, focusing in an attempt to wiggle her toes, but to no avail. With a grin she closed her eyes again, mumbling quietly, “If worse comes to worse, maybe we can just slap a saddle on your back and I’ll ride you into battle? That’d be one hell of a sight…”

Then her grin died down into a frown, clenching her hands into a fist against his chest, “But once this is over, you’re gonna go right back to hating me. I get it, I know: it’s because I’m a d**k. I’m hard to like…” She was the one who had decided to start acting that way after all. It was easier to act like you didn’t care about people if you assumed they didn’t care about you either.

[19/20]  

[Orpheus Solon]

"Eh?" Lixes felt his cheeks starting to burn just a bit as the girl talked about riding him into battle. That sounded like it would be a bit on the embarrassing side... not to mention it sounded a tad inappropriate for a girl to say. Either way though he'd let her enjoy her day dreams for the moment since she wasn't feeling well. He wanted her to focus on stuff that wasn't the pain of her wounds or her numb legs after all... the poor girl.

Looking over his shoulder he starred at the girl as she mentioned that after all of this that he'd go back to hating her. He paused for a moment so that he could set his hammer down, reaching over his shoulder to pat her on the head, "I never hated you to begin with, Nyx. So it would be impossible for me to 'go back' to hating you." With that he reached down, scooping up his hammer again, and once more started forward toward Andile. A few moments later and they were heading across the line of the village boundaries bringing them back to Andile. Alright! They had arrived! Giving a smile he said, "Nyx! We're here! Not too much longer now, don't worry!"  

[MissMisnomer]

Blinking in silence, Nyx felt a tinge of warmth bloom on her cheeks as well when the boy touched her head so gently. Why was he being so nice to her? She’d only inconvenienced him, put him in danger, yelled at him. He should be mad. But no, there was just kindness inside his mismatched eyes, one sparkling like the blue water of a lake, the other a leaf dipped in morning dew. Hiding her face behind his head again, she mumbled into his hair, “Thanks…for not leaving me back there. For helping me. You’re…” She bit her lip, hunching her shoulders up to her ears, “…an okay guy.”

She felt unusually warm and cold at the same time; like her hips were blocks of cool stone, while her chest pulsed with rosy heat. It was a strange feeling, but one that couldn’t be labeled as unpleasant. Though it pained her to do so, she shifted with the weak strength left in her arms, moving to lean a bit more over his shoulder so she could see his face, and he could see hers. She offered him a hesitant smile, one that was laced with genuine sincerity, “Maybe I’ll meet you again, Golden Boy.”

[20/20]  

[Orpheus Solon]

Lixes gave a bit of a smile as the girl on his back declared him to be an 'okay guy' and decided that it was a compliment that he'd take to heart. It somehow felt special coming from Nyx even though it wasn't a grandiose sort of compliment that sang his praised across the land. It was, for him, more then enough and had him smiling from ear to ear as he walked along, "Your welcome Nyx, and thank you! I try my best to be at the very least an okay guy."

After asking for some directions for the closest healer to where they were at this very moment he was pointed in the direction of a place that wasn't too far off. That would be where he'd drop her off because it was the absolute closest which meant that the healer could get to work on her immediately! The sooner the better since she would need a lot of tending to between the wadana that tackled her and the menzuri that bit her.

As they arrived he said, "I hope that we are able to meet again Nyx, maybe next time in a place that there aren't a bunch of grouchy monsters that want to eat you up." He suggested that in hopes that maybe they would get lucky next time and meet in a calmer place. With that he walked up to the place that he'd been given directions to, lifting a hand so that he could knock. It was time to hand Nyx off to someone that could take care of her in a way that he couldn't. His job as the hero rescuing the damsel was now over and it was time to tag a healer in.