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[Marching is not easy on Nino, to be sure. She's small in stature and a little delicate, and not really used to this sort of thing--

But.

She's got grit and guts and a lot of determination, and she has Jaffar--so that's enough for her. Whenever her energy starts to flag, she sees him and the fact that everyone was willing to allow him to stay flashes through her mind again.

It could've been otherwise. But she has Jaffar, and that's enough for her, and she's so grateful that he could stay that she won't do anything that could possibly threaten that allowance.

She doesn't notice him glancing at her, of course. She's too distracted by mountains.]

Oh...! [Nino, don't wander quite so close to the edge.]

Jaffar, look at how far up we are!

[ meanwhile, he's been constantly ready to literally pick her up and carry her on his shoulders if she starts looking low on energy... it wouldn't make that much of a difference. Even if it did, he wouldn't care. It's rather impressive how little there is he wouldn't do for her.

She doesn't respond, and he almost actually speaks up to ask her in his awkward way - but she doesn't look completely miserable. She seems... happy, actually. He thought she'd be more tired... but he's glad she isn't. The sight of the mountains doesn't do much for him, but the sight of her smiling face eases his heart, at least. ]

Nino. [ at least until he notices she's standing kind of close?!? protector mode kicks on and he's by her side in an instant, reaching to grab her arm in his rough but well-meaning way. He's working on it. ] ... It's steep. Be careful...

Jaffer... um, sorry.

[She didn't mean to scare him, that's for sure; she doesn't seem to mind that his grip is bruising, even if there's a slight wince to her smile. Obediently, though, she shuffled back. She knows he means well, and that's what matters most to her.

There's a long pause, and then... well, there's even more reason for her to smile, right?

So she does, brightly.]

Um, and... Jaffar...?

[AN AWKWARD SHUFFLE IN PLACE.]

Thank you...for always looking out for me like that. I know it's probably a lot of trouble.

[ he's not good at this whole gentleness thing?? HE'S WORKING ON IT.

he merely nods at her in response, releasing her without a word. Thus far, there hadn't been any enemies in sight. He'd been glad for that, mostly for her sake. If she injured herself on the terrain, though, that wouldn't be much better. It might be easy for him to traverse things like this, but not her - she's from a different world than him. She really shouldn't have to be exposed to any of the hardships of war in the first place; it was something he deserved, but not her.

That line of thinking is probably why he looks mildly surprised by her blunt gratitude. Her hesitation. She's worried about saying something that will... offend him? He doesn't know. It's still strange - she's the only one who ever treats him like this. But... it's not bad. There's a headshake and a short silence while he slowly tries to pick his words - a skill he hasn't exactly cultivated. ]

... No. You are not trouble. You are... someone worth protecting. [ for some reason, it's hard for him to say exactly what he means. If he was completely frank, he thinks he's probably the one that's a lot of trouble. He knows he isn't easy to be around. She seems to accept him, but that still mystifies him a good amount even now. ] ... Do I look troubled when I am with you?

[ MAYBE HE DOES, he doesn't know, but it's probably not for that reason?! he doesn't notice, but a raindrop falls on his cape. ]

[It's fine... he's more than gentle enough for her, okay!! Either way, she bites her lips at that. Someone worth protecting......... that's super sweet, but she's not really sure it's true.

But that's not Jaffar's problem, and so instead, she musters up a smile.]

No...! I could never think that.

[Jaffar looks just fine to her.]

I think that your expression's looked better and better lately. [Nino, the only one who can tell differences between Jaffar's "..."'s.]

Because-- [And then there's the raindrop, and another and another, and Nino doesn't notice until one hits her in the forehead, and then she blinks.

???]

[ it's true to him, and that's what matters. He's never wanted to protect anything before. Sure, he protected Nergal, but that was simply because he felt he had to. This is different. He protects Nino because the thought of anything happening to her hurts him as much as a physical wound might. (He's never cared about someone before, either, but he cares about her more than he knows how to deal with.) ]

Better? [ What does that mean?? Jaffar has no idea. Is he blending in with the army better lately? Or... she's liked his face better lately? His brow furrows. While he's never thought about it before, the idea of her not liking his face is suddenly a very troubling one...

Fortunately(?), the rain interrupts before he can probably embarrass both of them. The shower's onset isn't really surprising, considering how cloudy it's been all day, but the speed at which it gets heavier sure is. The two of them hardly have time to breathe before the heavens open up on them. Again, Jaffar doesn't care - but he does care about her. He's quick to move in closer and shield her with his cloak like a makeshift umbrella. ]

... The walk back to camp is too far. We should find shelter.

[It's better, Jaffar!! His color looks better, he looks (a bit) happier... Nino likes to see him being able to live a little, instead of just dealing with the Black Fang and his assassinations all the time.

But she doesn't say that, because the subject changes and she's not eloquent enough for that anyway, instead making a small noise of surprise when the downpour properly starts.

Aaaaaah--this high up in Bern, the rain is cold and unpleasant, and Nino futilely tries to cover her head with her hands, until suddenly Jaffar is covering her with his cloak. Oh...]

Um...right! We'd better hurry, or you'll catch a cold like this!

[Not that she's not grateful he's shielding her, but...she's worried. TIME TO FIND A CONVENIENT CAVE or something.]

[ nino is probably the only one who can tell he's happier... but he is, it's true.

his eyes flick to her briefly when she mentions him catching a cold - he was worried about her catching a cold - but he won't bother actually saying that; he can just barely recognize his own amusement, let alone put it into words. Instead, she gets a short, silent nod, and he sets off at a brisk pace, though far milder than what he usually might do. He doesn't want to go too quickly for her.

Picking out strategic ambush points and places to hide or recover is as natural to him as breathing. As they'd patrolled, he'd catalogued them in his mind; they're fortunate enough to not be so far from one, camouflaged slightly by the spindly skeletons of a few bushes, but not enough to be hidden from Jaffar's eyes. Yes, they are absolutely going to a convenient cave, leave me alone!! It's small and dark, but not enough to be uncomfortable... especially compared to the thunderous downpour going on outside. The trip wasn't more than five or six minutes, but they're pretty well-soaked now.

Predictably, he looks mostly unfazed by the cold and wet. Once he's relatively certain the cave is safe (aka uninhabited by an angry wyvern) and Nino is secure, he just sort of glances at his soggy cape before picking up one of the edges to wring it out. ]

[It's very Jaffar for him to already know where they need to go. Because of that, and knowing what he's good at... she has no problems with just stumbling along with him, totally and completely trusting.

And sure enough, there they are, suddenly in a convenient cave!!! Nino is grateful for it, at least; she stumbles to a stop, and then slowly sinks to her knees, breathing hard in sharp contrast to Jaffar's calm.

She's a squishy mage, even if he was slowing down for her, it's not easy for her to make mad dashes in mountains. Phew...]

Haaa... that was... it really started to rain...suddenly.

[WEATHER SURE IS AMAZING.]

It's a good thing this cave was here... did you notice it on the way up, Jaffar? [jaffar is so cool!!]

[ he feels badly for pushing her, he realizes as he gazes her way. Covering rough terrain is as natural as breathing to him, and he tried to slow down, but perhaps not enough... It's an unusual feeling. There's no shortage of unusual feelings rising to the surface of his mind these days, thanks to her. But there isn't much he can do to help her being tired - and it's preferable to being cold and wet outside. That could lead to illness.

He's still gazing at her and trying to gauge her health and her emotions (poorly) when she asks him; he simply nods silently again, as he always does. Unlike what he always does, he actually speaks up and explains himself further - a behavior that only Nino is really privy to. ]

... For assassins... for me... there must always be... a backup plan. If something goes wrong, there should be a place to... regroup.

[ His cloak is most certainly not going to get dry just by being wrung out, so he gives up, sloughing it off and laying it on the floor of the cave as he answers her. The dirt will bother him less than catching a chill. Despite his talk of being an assassin, the absence of the cowl shadowing his face makes his true identity much more obvious: another troubled Black Fang youth, not really so different from Nino. He crouches down, though he doesn't look tired at all. ]

... Are you... okay?

[Jaffar is concerned that he didn't slow down enough, but Nino is...well, naturally, she's impressed by him. She's always impressed by him, because Jaffar has always seemed so infinitely and intensely capable at all times (aside from when he's bleeding out because he won't accept help, obviously). She catches her breath soon enough, following his example and pulling off her mage's cloak to at least try to dry them off a little.]

Oh, I see...

[So Jaffar always noticed this sort of thing about every place he went? It's impressive.

She wrings out her cloaks as best she can (with her noodly mage arms), nodding thoughtfully.]

That's really amazing, Jaffar... I had no idea you always notice this sort of thing! [my boyfriend assassin can't be this cool: a novel by nino

As soon as she's wrung out her cloak (or more accurately, given up on it) she lays it out and plops herself down next to Jaffar, beaming up at him.]

I'm fine, thanks to you! [And your mad cave sensing techniques.] I think we'll probably be okay here for a little while... do you think it'll be raining for long?

[ he is intensely capable!! it just cost him his soul, nbd.

he doesn't really seem to know what to do with her compliments (as usual), and he glances away at the floor in lieu of responding. Maybe he's slightly embarrassed. Or, more likely, he's uncomfortable with someone like Nino admiring the skillset he previously used to kill people in cold blood. Of course, she knows that... he even said as much. But, once again, she doesn't seem to care. It's an undeserved blessing that she's not the least bit afraid of him.

At her question, he casts his eyes back outside, silent for a second or two. Then: ]

... I don't know.

[ There may be the barest hint of shame in his tone - like he's letting Nino down somehow by not being able to solve this problem for her. But, tragically, he's not nils or the fortune teller grandma... just jaffacakes. And he's not good at weather forecasts. ]

[Don't look so sad, Jaffar........... she's not expecting you to be able to predict the weather??? It was a topic starter...

But Nino just looks thoughtful, peering at the rain outside before she shrugs and wraps her arms around her legs. It's cold.]

Me neither. [See, they're both ignorant fools!]

I guess we'll just have to wait it out and see, huh? I hope everyone else doesn't worry about us too much...

[Yes, it's "us" because clearly Eliwood's army will worry a ton if Jaffar doesn't come back safe and sound!!! Matthew is clearly fretting right this instant.]

I'm glad you're with me, though. It'd be really lonely by myself.

[Also she'd probably have fallen off a cliff by now]

[ HE'S TOO DUMB FOR TOPIC STARTERS!! ]

[ he also severely doubts that anyone is worried about him, but he doesn't bother voicing that thought, either. What they think about him doesn't matter - not to him. The only thing left that matters is her. Keeping her safe. And... making her happy. He's not sure when the second part started becoming important, but it most certainly is. His dark eyes flick back over to her, and he nods his head just slightly. ]

Of course. [ he almost says he wouldn't let her go by herself, but -- it feels a bit patronizing. She's not just a frail girl. She's a powerful mage in her own right, now - the skill that Sonia had been too blind to nurture herself is flourishing in this army. Still. ] Nino. I told you... I will always be with you.

[ his voice is as gravelly from disuse and as halting as ever, but his words are genuine. She won't ever be lonely as long as he draws breath. He's decided that. Even if she grew to hate him, he's not sure he could simply walk away. (But perish the thought!)

Her body language is easy enough to read. Truth be told, he's cold, too - his clothing isn't exactly the warmest of garments - but he's so used to shutting out his feelings that he hardly notices. Maybe he only realizes it when he sees her all curled up like that. Jaffar hesitates, briefly. ]

Are you cold?

[It makes her smile, to be sure. Even if Jaffar is too dumb for topic starters, she still loves being around his awkward ass. And...there's something about hearing that he'll always be with her that makes her relieved. Even if they're stuck in a cave in the rain all by themselves, she's satisfied, because if Jaffar's there, everything is fine.

It's a strangely strong feeling. But she accepts it, because it's warming even as she's drenched, and she's happy.]

Mm... a little, but I'm okay!

[She doesn't want him to be troubled by something they can't help, after all.]

I bet we'll dry and feel warm again soon, so... it's okay!

[At least she's got optimism to spare, even if she doesn't have the words to say "Actually the words you said just gave me a doki and now I feel oddly warm".]

[ her optimism is a bright contrast to his grim practicality; even if he doesn't necessarily share it, he enjoys it. Her positivity in spite of her situation is what drew him to her in the first place. That said, in this case, Jaffar looks particularly unconvinced, a somewhat puzzled expression creeping onto his usually blank face. ]

... Do you really believe that? [ it's not like he means to be blunt... he just is. At least Nino is probably used to that by now.

He glances around the cave briefly to look for something that he might be able to use as kindling. In the worst-case scenario, they might be stuck here until nightfall, in which case they'd really need a fire - she could use her magic to summon some, of course, but only the Archsage would probably be capable of sustaining a magic fire by itself for a long time. But it's a rocky cave in the side of a rocky mountain, and there's not much in the shallow opening aside from dust.

So much for that. It looks like they'll have to hold on for now. Out of ideas for the moment, and with no other pressing actions to take, the assassin slides out of his crouch into a more relaxed seated position beside her. The enemy isn't here, and she'll be able to rest - he's glad for that. ]

We'll wait here until the rain stops.

Edited 2016-12-11 07:17 (UTC)

[Sort of...? Kind of? She sort of believes that they'll be dry soon, but she definitely believes that they'll be okay, so she doesn't really know how to answer that. She's puzzled for a moment, quiet and thoughtful, head tilted (and hair still dripping a little) before she nods firmly.]

I know we'll be okay.

[Oh, that's the interpretation she's going with now.]

We've been through a lot worse than this, right? [Together.

So ultimately she just settles next to him (and tries to suppress a shiver) and beams up at him.]

A little bit of rain definitely won't stop us.

[The illness and freezing cold, on the other hand, might, but she's not thinking about that.]

[ he certainly can't deny that they've been through worse. Jaffar feels like he's lived more and longer in the past few months than the rest of his life combined. Frankly, it's hard to believe that the two of them are even still alive. But they are. And if it wasn't for that positivity of hers, he doesn't think they would be. Nino really is something.

He only nods his head in response. Of course the rain won't stop them... but, nonetheless, he finds himself thinking of her. As usual. He sees her smile, and he doesn't want to see her in any kind of discomfort at all if he can help it - that desire is probably stronger than any other he's had throughout his life. ]

No... It won't.

[ as curt as ever. Though he doesn't say anything more, his gaze lingers on her for a few moments, contemplative and a bit soft; she looks smaller and more bedraggled than usual after a long hike and getting caught in a downpour, but she's still so bright and warm. Not like him at all. ]

[His curtness, as ever, doesn't bother her. She understands it better than she ever has before, after all. Jaffar's just worried, right? She can't blame him. This is a bit of a shoddy situation, and there are people back at camp who are probably worried about them too. (She feels bad about that, thinking about Canas and Erk and everyone worrying. It's not fair, but she'll just have to apologize when they get back.)

She leans back against a rock (for now, it's comfortable, but who knows how long that will last), arms wrapped around her legs as she's contemplative.]

Hey, Jaffar... do you think it's cold enough for snow?

[Probably not, Nino, and you should probably be glad for that.]

I've never seen snow before.

[Okay she's just excited about new things, what else is new.]

[ nino... don't hope for snow?! He tilts his head at her a little bit when he hears her hopeful tone, but she clarifies before he can question her about it. And then, well, he can hardly hold it against her. Her enthusiasm for everything the world has to offer is... endearing. He's never thought that about anyone before, but he finds himself thinking of Nino that way quite often. Originally, he'd attributed it to some kind of envy deep inside himself, knowing that he couldn't see life the way she did; now, though, he knows it's just something he admires in her. ]

... Probably not. [ which is a good thing, but Jaffar can't bring himself to say that and make her feel bad for hoping. He continues watching her with quiet interest. ] ... You haven't seen snow?

[ maybe he's been taking all his "worldly experience" for granted. ]

[It's definitely a bad time to hope for snow....but it also sounds so nice?! She can't help it. Idly, she crosses her arms around her legs, thoughtful.]

No, never!

[Because clearly it only snows in certain places in feland.]

But Lloyd and Linus talked about it sometimes! They said if we ever went up north together on a mission, we could build snowmen and make snow angels... and have snowball fights!

[Things that are now never going to happen, but...at least she seems more fond than melancholic (okay, just a little melancholic).]

Maybe someday I'll see some for myself.

[And then do none of those things.]

[ Well. Jaffar's from the desert regions, or so he has to assume, but he's certainly seen snow; he's been all around the continent doing dirty work for whichever of Nergal's subjects needed someone killed that time. That said, he can't say he's ever done any of those things, either. He never really even thought about the snow. It was just part of the weather back then - something he needed to keep an eye on in case it obstructed his goals. But he can perfectly imagine Nino and her Fang brothers playing in it in his mind's eye.

The melancholy note in her voice doesn't go unnoticed. He feels a pang of regret, then - regret for the cruel hand that fate dealt her, and for what had to happen to Lloyd and Linus and the rest - and a little bit of anger, too. Things he never really felt before. More than anything, he feels like he wants to keep Nino from feeling like this ever again. His brows knit together slightly in concern, a rare sign of humanity from the Angel of Death. ]

... After this war is over... We could go to Ilia.

[ the suggestion comes with a bit of hesitation, because he knows he's implying something else with the suggestion - that he'll be with her after this ends. That's what he wants - more than anything, he realizes. He doesn't want to leave her alone ever again. But he can't assume she'll want him around when all is said is done. Who would, really? ]

[He's hesitant about a lot of those implications, but Nino being Nino...she brushes right over them immediately. At his suggestion, she brightens, beaming up at him immediately.]

Oh, really? Could we?

[There's no doubting from the smile on her face that she'd rather do anything but that--going to Ilia to see the snow with Jaffar after the war sounds honestly perfect to her. Maybe they won't be able to build snowmen and have snowball fights like Lloyd and Linus had talked about but...

Somehow, she thinks that just seeing the snow with Jaffar would be enough in its own way.

She doesn't examine that too closely, though.]

I would really like that!

[ He nods once in reply; her excited response eases his nerves, and while he doesn't quite smile, there's the suggestion of one around his eyes. He never really thought about the snow, but if he's with her, he thinks he might be able to enjoy it, too. ]

Then we will do that. I haven't ever... made a snowman, either.

[ or those other things?! This is the least surprising thing in the world. Still, he seems like he's being perfectly earnest about it. ]

[Is she supposed to be surprised Jaffar has never made a snowman...... she's not surprised. There is no surprise here, her surprise is in the negative digits.

Either way, she is slowly but surely becoming an expert in Jaffar-isms, and she's pretty sure he's okay with this.]

Then...maybe when we get there, we can build one together!

[Nailed it!!]

I'm sure that with the both of us, we can figure it out.

[ she is correct, he is super okay with it!! He needs to learn to live a little bit. If that includes doing things he doesn't understand, he's fine with it - especially if they make Nino happy. Maybe he'll start to understand along the way. Jaffar nods in agreement, though his face is an expressionless mask, as usual. ]

... I would like that, too.

[ Outside, the rain is showing no signs of letting up; he's thankful they were able to find shelter as soon as they did. Unfortunately, the weather isn't getting any warmer, and the longer they sit there, the more the chill starts to set in, especially considering their slightly-soggy status. Talking about snow isn't doing much to help. It would be nice if they had a fire, but the kindling problem hasn't exactly resolved itself, and he thinks his cape (he'd never make her set fire to her own things) is probably too wet to actually burn. Eyes turned outside, he worries internally. Another thing the old Jaffar would never do - worry - but he's changed quite a bit. ]

We might be here a while. [ he's heard that the Bernese mountains are tall enough to stop rainclouds in their tracks. Whether that's true or not, he doesn't know, but if it is, they'll be here for a while. Unconsciously, he wraps one arm around his exposed middle. He can feel the cold, apparently. Not that he's even probably noticed, himself... ]

I guess so...

[She's peering out into the entrance as well, shivering as she does. The rain's still coming down hard, and the chill is quite a lot; she's tiny and doesn't have much in the way of warmth, and is starting to regret the skirt.

Shivering, she huddles back down to wrap her arms around her legs.

Of course, she's mostly worried for Jaffar as well, as per usual.]

Are you cold, Jaffar...? Maybe we can...find a way to start a fire or...or dry out our capes!

[nailed it

as if he hasn't already thought about that, Nino...]

Edited (jaffa the hutt) 2017-03-22 22:10 (UTC)

[ the fact that she's worried about him being cold is both deeply touching (who else would actually care about him - she really is special, this girl) and somewhat mortifying. He's supposed to be protecting her. Still, he can't deny what she says in good conscience. He just sort of glances downwards at the ground for a brief moment, looking rather awkward for a so-called angel of death.

Well. He has thought about it, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try... ]

... Maybe your magic...?

[ could fire magic dry out the capes? he didn't consider that, but it might work. ]

Oh, yeah!

[It's an idea, and that's better than they had before; carefully, Nino pulls out her tomes (from wherever they are) and sets them on the ground. She has her ever present Elfire tome, and a Thunder tome as well; it's obvious to her that Thunder won't help so she picks up the Elfire tome, brow furrowing a little.

Ummmm...]

I've...never tried to do anything but the spells I've heard the incantations for, but...

[Maybe she can try to just make a little heat or fire?]

[ Jaffar's personal knowledge and expertise with magic is at about a 2 if we're being generous, so all he can do is watch and offer a stoic, probably-supportive nod. He doesn't know. She also doesn't know, obviously, but she probably knows better than he does. Can magic be controlled outside of the way its written in the tomes? Despite being more literate than Nino, she's definitely got a better chance of knowing if she can go off the books here.

Either way, he can't imagine it would be terribly risky, even if something went wrong... which he also doubts will happen. Sonia was wrong; Nino is a genius. It's a little bit awkward (as usual), but Jaffar does offer a word of encouragement. ]

You're a good mage.

[Honestly, it means a lot coming from Jaffar--especially for Nino. She's never really had anyone have faith in her and her abilities; she's only ever been knocked down time and again by Sonia and her cruel words until she truly began to believe she was worth practically nothing.

It's not true though.

It's not true at all. She's worth more than that, and....she'll prove it now. So determinedly, she nods, taking in a deep breath--and then she holds the Elfire tome open and narrows her eyes and chants the necessary words for the spell while focusing so, so much on not bringing forth too much fire--

And it works.

It actually works, and for a moment she's so surprised that the spell almost fizzles out right then and there, but some scrambling manages to save it. Though her eyes are definitely still shining, and the look on her face is nothing less than exuberant.]

I...I did it! It worked!

[And that fire sure is warm in these cold times; she won't be able to sustain it forever, but long enough to warm up and dry their clothes? Yeah, that should work.]

[ It wasn't his goal originally to try and push her forward like this - he just wanted to see her survive - but giving her strength like this is almost as rewarding as protecting her. She's a good person, a strong person, and if he can help her realize the value in her life, maybe it will help make up for all the times he snatched it away from others. Jaffar doesn't budge from where he sits; he simply watches her open the tome and work her (literal) magic, though his gaze drifts up to her face soon enough, admiration faintly coloring his stoic expression.

He doesn't know the difficulty (or ease) of performing a cantrip like this. Even so, he's not surprised that she succeeds. Her excited expression is a little bit infectious - and nothing about his attitude could be called "excited," really, but the ghost of a smile does cross his face as he nods once at her. ]

... Good job.

[ from where he's sitting, he shifts to spread both of their capes out nearer to the small fire in a few fluid motions. It still might take a little while to dry their clothes out - but the fire will keep them from freezing, too. ]

[She can't help the way she giggles a little sheepishly at that, wrapping her arms around her legs again and ducking her head. There's definitely a faint blush on her face from that--praise from Jaffar, after all, is few and far between (or, perhaps, something limited mostly to her), and she treasures every last reticent word of it.

She scoots a bit closer to the first as he's spreading out their clothes; it's warm, though maybe not quite warm enough with how small it is and the size of the cave they're huddling in--but it's a start.

She ends up rubbing her arms as she does, trying to restore some feeling to the tips of her fingers as she gets just that little bit closer to the fire. It feels...good to know that she accomplished this. It feels like really, Jaffar was right--she can do these things, and not drag him down, either.]

I'm glad... I'm really glad that I was able to help.

[She doesn't want to be useless. More than anything she can't stand the thought that she might have been useless, or even worse, to Jaffar's detriment.]

[ He would praise her more - but he finds that words are even harder for him to organize properly than feelings, and he doesn't trust himself to not say something foolish or to drive her away with a misspoken phrase. The expression she makes in response (is she blushing?) certainly entices him to try more often, though. Making her smile has become another priority of his, without him realizing it.

Once he's satisfied with the capes - hopefully they'll dry off faster - he returns to her side, quietly sitting next to her cross-legged. It really is good that she could start the fire, emotions aside. He was cold. It's more obvious now that he's sitting in front of a fire and feeling himself warming up. And she was, too, even if she wouldn't admit it. ]

Nino. [ after a period of silence, watching her rub her arms, he speaks her name again - though he waits a few seconds before saying anything else. He's thinking about something, clearly. Then, he lifts one of his hands gingerly. ] ... Give me... your hand.

[She lifts her head at his calling of her name, though she's at least patient as he seems to think through what he wants to say. After so much time with Jaffar, she's gotten used to this--to his pauses, to his silences--and she knows when he has more to say.

It doesn't bother her. As far as she's concerned, it's always been worth it to wait and see what Jaffar wants to say.

Though this...does surprise her a little, admittedly.]

Huh...?

[Her...hand? Granted, it's Jaffar, so even as she looks puzzled, she doesn't really hesitate to do just that, offering him her hand immediately.]

What is it?

[ his fingers curl around her smaller hand, perhaps a little more tightly than he intends. Her fingertips are cold. Of course they are; they'd been walking in the mountains for some time even before the rain started. Still, Jaffar doesn't like it. (Even though his hands are just as cold - Nino takes priority.) His dark eyes float up to her face, unreadable as always, and a little bit moreso thanks to the shadows cast by the fire. To a stranger, he'd probably appear sinister - but there's no malice anywhere in his gaze. ]

You are cold.

[ Jaffar's grip relaxes a little for just a moment, as if he intends to release her, but he ends up doing nothing, simply resting their hands on his knee a little awkwardly. Normally, he would never do such things - burden her with any kind of physical contact from himself, but his desire to keep her safe overrides his uncertainty. ]

... You can... come closer. You'll be warmer. [ beat. ] I don't want you to fall ill. You don't need to hold back...

...Huh?

[She thinks...that somehow, there's something really warm about Jaffar's hands around hers. Even though his fingers are just as cold, almost icy at the tips...it still feels warming. While the shadows would make him look sinister to anyone else, Nino knows better.

He's Jaffar.

He's someone who she cares about more than anything, and who would never let any harm come to her. So when he offers that up... well, her immediate thought is that he must be cold too, and she doesn't even think about anything beyond that. Instead, she scoots closer, brow furrowed in concern.]

Are you cold too...? [A rueful, self-deprecating shake of her head.] Of course you are, it's really cold... [What are you saying, Nino, duh!!] Um--I think sitting together really might be better so...

[It's kind of some awkward shuffling closer, but she really is worried about him too!!]

[ his awkwardly-expressed intentions didn't quite hit their target - but they didn't miss completely, either. She starts asking him if he's cold, and he just blinks at her, apparently not expecting her to turn the concern back his way in response. It's not like she's wrong. That is part of why he made such a strange offer in the first place. It's basic survival knowledge: bodies give off warmth. Animals will huddle together in a storm so they don't freeze, and people can do the same. Jaffar was always alone before this, so it's not knowledge he's ever actually applied, but he knows it as a fact. Even now, the reason he's surprised is because he was only thinking of it as a way to warm Nino up - not warm them up.

But, of course, Nino thinks of him before he thinks of himself. He feels a sort of settling feeling in his stomach, at once comforting and unbearable, and he gently releases her hand so that he can wrap one arm around her small shoulders to pull her towards him just barely. His hand hovers hesitantly over her arm for a second or two, like he's afraid of touching her (he is), but she's inching towards him, too, so surely she isn't wholly repelled by the idea.

Unsurprisingly, he says nothing. All he can do is watch her, feeling a little nervous for some reason. She has such a strange effect on him. ]

[Jaffar's arm around her, she's sure, is a lot warmer than it actually is.

Jaffar must be cold too, after all. After being in the elements this long, and cold and wet, there's no way that it's as warm as it feels.

But Jaffar's arm truly does feel so, so warm. She leans into his touch automatically, and then scoots closer by instinct when he hesitates towards pulling her closer. It won't do either of them much good if they don't properly huddle together, after all--so she doesn't stop moving closer until she's pressed against his side, huddled there, and leans against him.

She didn't really notice how cold she was, after all, until she finally has that relief of warmth from him (or maybe it's just because it's him that this feels so warm...?). Her cheeks are hot, but she just ducks her head a little to try and fail to hide that, and otherwise... well, she's smiling, of course. This is better for the both of them. They're just doing it to stay warm and alive, but...

It makes her happy, too, to be this close to him. It makes her happy to have his arm around her...and it makes her happy that Jaffar seems okay with it too.

She doesn't say anything--but she does sigh, softly and contentedly, as she leans against him.]

[ she nestles in a little closer than he was expecting; even though she's Nino, and she's never been anything but kind to him, he still thinks of himself as a frightening and repellent character. A killer. This is certainly the first time anyone's been this close to him before. He can keenly feel the (still slightly damp) fabric of her clothes, and the pressure from her tiny frame. As he gazes down at her, he's sure she'd fit into his arms easily. And, for half a second, he very nearly acts on the impulse to find out.

But he doesn't. He's frightened - of frightening her, and of his own feelings, a little. It's all new to him. Jaffar simply pulls her in just a little bit closer, and, as always, enjoys the warmth she brings with her everywhere. The tips of her ears are red. It must be from the cold... ]

... Do you... feel warmer? If you don't... I will leave you be.

Edited 2017-07-28 06:30 (UTC)

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