What a day to be blue

[seamend]

Date & Time: 7th, morning tiemz
Location: small lake in the woods
Characters: Vanadi and Aileen
Summary: Oh look its that one flirty guy oh he looks sad :CC
Warnings: we shall see??

[Aileen had gone out to the woods again, this time not for the ocean but just to see the lakes nearby. The first one she finds is as bad as she expected; filthy and full of dead water. She's seen the mutant animals running about, this is probably part of that in the first place.

It doesn't take her long to slip out of her shoes and wade a bit in, a ring of clarity stretching out on the water's surface around her ankles. Leaning over to dip her fingers in as well gets the same effect, but she can't help but sigh.

She knows she can clean the lake, knows she can clean the lot of them with just her touch; but she also knows nature is nature and it's only a temporary fix. But still, she wants to try.]

Comments

[implying]

[ He tells himself he's just out for a walk, it's nothing mopey or otherwise— but he kind of has to admit that that's a lie when he finds himself out past even the city limits and into the trees. But... well, it's a pleasant morning, so why not? He walks on, eventually even pulling off his mask to tuck it under one arm.

Needless to say that part clicks back into place almost the instant he realizes that noise ahead is a person and not some strangely-shaped but probably harmless animal, and — oh. It's his seafoam green haired friend of the network. He's smiling when he comes to a stop, leaning against a tree a ways back. ]

That's quite the trick, my dear.

[seamend]

[Being out in the woods, company was the last thing she expected, and that gave her a little start, water splashing up at her dress. She turns around, and the disappointment that its the guy she'd let on about her magic is pretty obvious on her face.

She covers it quick though, giving him a small smile if not a tilt of the head in the interest of What are you doing out here??]

Vanadi?

[implying]

Hello!

[ The tone sounds bright enough, and the smile under the nose of the mask looks cheery. He lifts both hands peaceably, as if to ward off reproach, and doesn't move from his lean. ]

I didn't mean to startle— so sorry about that! It seems this is a popular hiking destination.

[seamend]

[She glances down at her dress and.... well ugh he already saw her cleaning the water. So.

With a turn of her wrist the water in the fabric draws out into the air, floating in her palm. She drops it back to the lake with an equally simple gesture.]

Ah, no, I don't normally come out here... [A quick glance around.] Do you?

[implying]

[ Whoa, that's an even cooler trick. He moves a little nearer, almost to the edge of the water, to peer more closely. ]

I would say never, but today has proven that wrong. How did you do that?

[seamend]

I certainly believe that, you didn't strike me as the hiking sort.

[She's thoughtful for a moment, more to gauge what to say and what to hold back then how to explain it. Vanadi is friendly enough but... she's learned to be careful around humans and the non-magic-y types. she rubs the back of her neck, still standing off in the lake.]

Its just... a bit of magic. Something I learned back home. [Was born with]

[implying]

It's quite pretty.

[ And he has to wonder if she can take it out of more than just a dress. Out of machinery, maybe? They would neatly take care of his waterproofing problem. But... it doesn't seem to matter much, just now. He shifts, a little uncertainly. ]

Do you mind if I sit a while?

[ It should have come out friendly, vaguely teasing—usually he would invite himself to sit regardless of anyone's feelings on the matter. But today it comes out sounding like an actual question. ]

[seamend]

[Out of machinery? Yes. And also out of anything, really. Comes with the territory.

She pauses, giving him a long look. They hadn't talked much but even from that alone she could see this was at odds with how he acted before. Probably usually too, if wandering off in the woods was any clue.]

Go right ahead, dear. I could use the company out here. [Said gently, even if she'd honestly wanted to be alone this morning. Still, she smiles and gives the water a little kick.]

Doing a little cleaning with this lake shouldn't take long, anyway.

[implying]

[ Well, with permission granted, he'll just go ahead and fold himself up into a seat at the water's edge, then. Far enough back that the water won't touch him, but near as he can get. ]

Are you going to clean the entire thing?

[seamend]

[She goes back to just... walking around in the water, leaving a path behind her where the murky, almost greasy surface splits into clean and clear.

She gives his question some thought, even as she draws more floating up into her hands to clean there and drop back in.]

Yes, it'll still be poisoned if I leave even a little. But, I don't really think of it as a chore.

[implying]

Convenient, that.

[ The nose of the mask lifts slightly, from watching the ripples of the water at shore, to watching her. She's far more interesting, really. ]

Why, if you don't mind?

[seamend]

Well it's really just as simple as it looks. Not a lot of effort.

[She keeps her eyes on her handiwork, letting the hem of her dress hang down in the water. Normally she'd try to save it the damage but with someone else around she's not interested in putting her scarred legs on display.]

But... I'll probably have to come back here more often if I want it to make a difference. The water is- sick, I guess you could say.

[implying]

[ The trailing dress doesn't escape his notice (of course he notices the failure to display shapely legs, no matter the mood he's in), but it's difficult to attribute it to anything but the ability to pull water out of it later on. He watches steadily, unreadable behind the mask. ]

Plenty of things are, in a world like this.

[seamend]

[She seems to decide the half of the lake she's been working at is good enough, and wades over to another section, keeping a certain distance from the center. At least in freshwater there's no chance of her little secret being revealed, but she's just not up for soaking herself through today.]

That's very true, but it never means deep wounds can't be healed.

[implying]

[ He's silent for a while at that. He can't help but disagree, but doing so out loud would only make things awkward and unhappy. They aren't talking about more personal things, after all. Only a lake. ]

Of course. I'm sure whatever it is that drinks from here will thank you.

[seamend]

Mmn, unfortunately I can't say it's entirely selfless.

[She glances back at him for a moment, eyeing the mask a bit. The curiosity of him coming out here at all was really nagging at her now. She pulled more water into her waiting palms as she spoke.]

How have you been, Vanadi?

[implying]

Oh, perfectly well. Fair weather and good company, who could ask for more!

[ come on like he wouldn't lie, who ever answers that question honestly?? ]

And yourself as well, I hope?

[seamend]

[Yeahh, she gives him an odd look. Because that's the exact answer she expected out of him.]

I've certainly been better. The clinic's very busy with the recent attacks but it's nothing we can't handle.

...Though, somehow I think a walk out here all alone isn't really your style, Vanadi.

[implying]

[ Oh, right. Attacks and stuff. No one Vanadi likes or knows has died yet, so he's pretty okay ignoring them. And at her observation, he aims a small smile at the water in front of him. ]

You know me so well already, do you? [ It rings with a special irony in his own ears, but on the outside only sounds faintly bitter. ]

[seamend]

[She just... frowns at him, but tries to pull it back up in a reassuring smile. Ohhh Vanadi...]

No, dear, its not hard to spot a social butterfly, is all. [Here the smile actually manages to be cheerful.] But sometimes everyone needs a little time to clear their head, hm?

[implying]

[ Oh, now he feels a little bad, he made a pretty lady frown. :C So he takes a breath and sits up a little straighter, determined to act more cheerful. ]

No, no, there's no real use in denying you're right. But really, I'm only being obstinate to myself. The right response to loneliness is not to isolate one's self, last time I checked!

[seamend]

Lonely? Now I find that a bit hard to believe; you seemed to be doing swimmingly not too long ago.

[Eyebrow raaise at that, but her expression is still gentle. She's been kinda concerned for him since they first spoke and this is only adding to it.] Sweetheart, there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking some time to yourself now and again.

[implying]

[ NOPE TOO LATE HE'S DETERMINEDLY HAPPY. So he only smiles, head cocked. ]

Why, but it's people like you that make me quite sure I never want to be alone again! The risk of missing out on your company is simply far too great.

[seamend]

[Oh boy, what does she even DO with you, Vanadi?? But that still gets a small laugh.]

You really are a charmer through and through, aren't you?

[implying]

Without fail, my dear.

[ And here the smile softens a little— or lessens somewhat, at least. ]

Ah, but truly— I do appreciate the thoughtful words. You're very kind.