[FIN] [PRP Sauti] Prettier Than Sunshine [Jakkoa | Rham]

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Of course.” Jakkoa gave the customer before him his best, winning smile, warm with welcome as he opened the next box in line as requested.

Another jewelry arrangement with hand-strung beads in crafted necklaces, bracelets, and ornate earrings set against a satin backdrop. He lifted out one of the bracelets as he spoke to the man, telling him of its make and origins and setting it against his own wrist in order to tip it and demonstrate how its small gemstones caught the light. All through the exchange he maintained his demeanor, upbeat and open as he negotiated until they settled on a price for both the bracelet and a set of earrings for the man’s estranged wife.

Only after the sale was over with and the man gone, far out of sight and swallowed by the crowds, did Jakkoa let his expression slip back to neutral-bored. He settled and resettled his posture behind his booth angling himself this way and then that. He crossed his legs, uncrossed them, recrossed them, and then sat forward, tipping one of the jewelry boxes around and open in order to survey himself in its mirror.

Lifting a hand, he tucked a loose tress of gold behind a long ear, fiddled with an earring, and lowered his lashes, pinning the reflective surface with a pout. And then a smile. A head tip.

It was mid-afternoon, but the town was small and poor enough that fineries like jewelry were unlikely to sell well. The man who had just passed through was a rarity, and a glance down the town’s dusty street told him that he would likely continue to be so. But how Jakkoa hated to be idle.

He reached into a pouch at his hip, searching for a moment before withdrawing a few small canisters, ‘borrowed’ from his step-mother’s supply: face powders, a lip cream and scented oil. He wouldn’t dream of applying much of what she used — too bright or colored and distinctly feminine — but the more subtle things of colors closer to his skin, those he could use. Did use. Enjoyed using.

For, when he had nothing else to fill his time with, why not devote some to perfecting the presentation he gave to the world?

Opening one of the containers of lip cream, he set the cap off to the side, dabbed the tip of his pinky in, and then studied the mirror, lips open as he applied it.  

[Bronze Coffee]

He was sweating by the time he heard another voice. The blond was almost soaked through, non-stop moving since he'd woken up. Rham was back. He'd been gone so long, selling cloth at all kinds of locations and places. The mop of head on his head was quite shaggy looking, but his muscles were looking good, nice and actually there.

Yes, Rham was filling out quite a bit for someone who didn't battle.

Still, his green eyes glanced at the other merchant and let his head tilt to one side. He was very bright, wasn't he? In coloration. His hair was more gold than Rham's own and it was almost unsettling. Licking his lips, Rham just walked up to the other and looked him up and down before arching a brow as the other applied lip stain.

"...Wait, why?" He asked out loud, squinting.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Nominally, it might not have been immediately obvious that the question was directed at Jak specifically. It was a wide market, after all, and there were passers by. But the hour had waned enough that there weren’t many on the whole, and add that to the fact that the speaker had walked directly up to his stall—and Jakkoa spared him a glance. He set away the powder and cream and let his eyebrows arch, the corners of his lips tugging up instinctively despite the undercurrent of suspicion that the greeting was mocking in part.

“‘Why’ what?” he repeated. “Good evening. Can I help you with anything? You look as though you could use a moment to relax…”

His gaze flicked down over the potential customer: not much older than him personally, dressed as a merchant was prone to, and sweating from exertion, as though he had just been mountain trekking himself. He couldn’t be sure what to expect from the man with no indication as to what had given him pause at this particular stall, but there was rarely harm in being pleasant.

“Travelling recently?”  

[Bronze Coffee]

Rham continued to watch this odd man put on make up and just squinted at him again. He knew women wore make up, but not men. It was the first time he'd ever seen it, so it confused the peddler to no end.

Then the ray of sunshine spoke and he arched a brow. "I don't think you have anything there that'll make me relax. But maybe you could answer me this." He moved closer, ignoring the second question completely. "What are you putting on and isn't that for girls?" He was a tad close minded, but he was a product of his upbringing. Even Kyrain didn't wear things on his face. At least not that he noticed.

Shaking his head of that trail of thought, he just stared the other down. "...I'm a peddler. I travel everywhere selling my cloth wares."

So maybe Rham didn't exactly ignore the second question so much as put it off until he could get his train of thought voiced.

The Only Black Uke

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Jakkoa’s eyebrows arched, taken aback by the bluntness—among other things. But he did not remain miffed for long, his lashes flicking down instead as he gave the young man a quick, skimming once-over before returning his gaze to his face. There, he smiled. Not a warm and welcoming greet-the-customer smile, but something else more amused, curious, and very subtly challenging as he slipped two fingers beneath his chin and propped it there.

“Which, the lip cream?” he asked. “I wear it all the time. Over the objections of my stepmother whom I ‘borrowed’ it from, but no one ever told me it was exclusively ‘for’ women. Why, does it look garish and uncouth?” Jakkoa backed the question with a parting of his lips, and then a pout, giving ‘survey’ of the lip balm’s effect before adopting a more serious expression again as the other mentioned his profession.

“Everywhere?” ‘You look barely older than me. You can’t have traveled everywhere yet.’ “How fascinating. Where all have you been?”  

[Bronze Coffee]

He didn't like the way this guy was smiling. Rham's eyes narrowed a smidgen more and his head canted like a confused dog from side to side. It didn't look garish, and he wasn't quite sure what uncouth meant.. So he just said, "It doesn't look normal."

Then Rham nodded a little and he shrugged. "Around. I've been non-stop traveling for... a half year? Maybe a full.." It was hard to keep track of where he'd been. "I traveled almost everywhere in Tale.. I skirted the Oban land for a little while.. I have just been trading and collecting different fabrics from anyone interested." The blond shrugged and then ran a hand through his sweat damped hair before he cocked a hip to one side.

"...I'm Rham." Better late than never with introductions.

The Only Black Uke

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“I’ll be flattered, then,” Jak said. “It sounds boring to look just ‘normal’ don’t you think? But that aside, it’s barely visible. You only think it’s odd because you watched me apply it.”

His lashes flicked up, gaze skimming the boy before he leaned back himself and held out a hand.

“Jakkoa,” he said. “A pleasure to meet you. It sounds as though you’ve come a very long way indeed, especially for someone so…” His gold eyes skirted back to the young man — Rham’s — chest and then up to his face, “…that is, I wouldn’t guess you were much older than me. And already traveled so much further. It’s impressive…not to mention how exciting it must have been. Quite brave of you, really. Have you been back in town for long? And were you…” He tipped his head, “…selling anything? Or just enjoying the evening breezes and talking up abnormal merchants who happened to catch your eye?”  

[Bronze Coffee]

He watched the way Jakkoa's eyes moved to his chest and Rham arched a brow at that. What? Why was he staring like that? Those green eyes narrowed again and then he let out a slow noise. "...I sold fabric. You ..." He was going to say he wasn't drawn to him, but he was. Drawn to what he was applying, actually.

"I got my wares strapped to my back."

There was a large bag on his back and another slung across his shoulders. They looked heavy and yet strangely soft. "I sell to tailors. Or home makers. Costume designers.." He shrugged a little and then sized the other up. "....I just got back."

The Only Black Uke

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Jakkoa’s smile stretched, showing just the briefest flash of teeth before he closed his lips again, eyes warm with amusement. He leaned forward then, resting an elbow on the counter top of his stall.

“Do you? There’s so much, though,” he said. “It must be heavy…and to carry it around all the time all over, as far as the great desert and back…” He shifted a hand up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind a long ear. “You must be so strong. It can be exhausting just traveling these parts. I can’t imagine going so far away from home. Were you alone? Is someone here to…” He shifted his shoulders, “…welcome you back after your long journey? You must be exhausted.”  

[Bronze Coffee]

Okay something was definitely happening here, and Rham didn't know what it was. He squinted at the other again and he shrugged before flexing like he had some form of impressive muscles. He had some, but honestly, the peddler was no body builder. He just had a fit body from walking and carrying things.

"There was a friend I was looking for, but I don't even know if he's still here." Or even waiting for him. Rham expected Kyrain to just carry on since he had left with little warning.

"They're probably not. Itchy feet and all that."

The Only Black Uke

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Jak barely got his fingers to his mouth in time, but did manage to, covering a smile and a ripple of a laugh. After, he winked.

“Lucky friend,” he said. “Or, their loss if they are no longer around. Either way, if you’ve just arrived and have no contacts in the area, and no definite plan for where to spend your night while you settle, I am sure my family would welcome one more in company for a meal. There is always room for at least that much, and never harm making…” He smiled, “…connections with fellow travelers. I couldn’t rest with a clear conscience if I didn’t know you’d be out of the cold…particularly dressed like that. But, I’m being silly…I’m sure you know very well how to take care of yourself. The offer stands, though.”  

[Bronze Coffee]

The flirting was almost lost on him, if it weren't for the fact he definitely had an interested tingle running along his spine. Damn his loneliness pushing him to actually want to interact with someone who was so far out there. Then again Rham was usually a pretty easy going guy. He was just caught off guard and he wasn't sure what to do about it. It didn't happen a lot.

"...I mean. I wouldn't mind the company? My family's... scattered and no sign of my friend. I don't really want to spend my money on an inn right now either. ... Just take me somewhere I can actually go scrub off and I think I'll be good."

The cold was pretty cold, but he had been sweating. So now he was suppressing shivers so he looked more manly in front of this literal golden man.

The Only Black Uke

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Certainly, then,” Jakkoa said, and then glanced about.

He was meant to man the stall, but evening was upon the town, and the time for business was nearing its close. He anticipated that if he left before being fetched, Palvari would have her objections, but no one was actually approaching him to purchase anything and, come, what was the value of an opportunity? Enough, in his opinion, to merit risking her ire. So, he stood, and began closing up, setting away and stacking up the merchandise out for sale in preparation for moving it back to their wagon.

“If you follow this main road east not a half mile, my family’s wagon is parked in a flat lot of space. It’s an old, wooden and covered one with a yellow-orange canvas with a collection of carved prayer beads and a dream catcher hung from the back left of the wagon bed. I’ve two sisters and a little brother that are probably about with my stepmother there, still, I doubt you’d miss them. But if you’d like me to walk you, do you think you could spare a hand with some of this as I close shop? If you’re actively seeking someone out, it’s my father Tammok that you should speak to, too. He knows near everyone from all through Sauti up to Zena’s capitol.”

After hoisting one strap load of things onto a shoulder, he spared Rham a glance and a curving smile.

“But, if you’re still too distracted by lip cream to speak, I’ll be happy to make your introduction for you.” With the words, Jak gave a quick pucker and ‘kiss’ to the air. “I am sure they’ll understand.”  

[Bronze Coffee]

Rham sighed. He didn't want to go wait for someone at their place. That was awkward, especially with children there. In all honesty he didn't want to go stay the night with children when he was this bone tired. The peddler wouldn't be great company for them. Still, it beat spending cash for an inn.

So he moved over to the other and nodded, following his example and strapping another load down after hoisting it. "Thanks for this."

In all honesty, Rham just wanted a bed. He just wanted to lay down and sleep for a good few years. That sounded good. Or at least a full night sleep. When he traveled, Rham got up really early to make it to his next destination before the markets got too full and he wouldn't be able to set up a make shift stall anywhere. He was saving to get himself a wagon to lay out his cloths in a much better way. Until then, they were crammed in a bag.

The Only Black Uke

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

With Rham’s sigh, Jak noted a subtle shift in attitude immediately—away from curious, flirtatious interest, to a quiet tiredness, or even disappointment at around the time he mentioned his siblings—and Jakkoa only just curbed the instinct to purse his lips. He didn’t do ‘favors’, he made exchanges, and for an engaging traveler with tales to tell and a visible interest in him, it seemed more than worth it to trade a night’s food and possibly bed for that company. If the man thought he was going to be invited in for nothing however—

Jakkoa tucked the thought away.

It was only a hunch, after all, and perhaps Rham’s mood would ease again after a meal. He had already offered that much, and if things did not pan out, he could leave the task of politely directing the young man to an affordable local innkeep to his father. Outwardly, he smiled again as Rham took on a portion of the load, and soon was leading the way himself with a nod of his head.

“Of course,” he said. “An open door can lead to some of the most valuable exchanges for both parties. You never know what you might learn from a fellow traveler. But, being gone as long as you have…what was the most excitement you had on your journey? You must have had many adventures, particularly traveling alone…”