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It felt a little strange to send a letter to someone on the reserve when he could probably just deliver it, but Thrain was a considerate fellow. It would be all the more stranger to appear one day at the doorstep of the address he'd written to so often and surprise the Horsewoman without warning. That would go over probably about as well as trying to sneak up on a War clans member, and given that things in the Lairs had not been going well as of late, it was best to just keep striving for good. No need to add more strife to everyone's plate when he could just avoid an otherwise potentially unfortunate kerfluffle.
So the Death Guardian sent out the letter to Ying, one that detailed she should meet him at a precise location at a precise time. Instructions were made vastly clear so that should she decide not to meet, there would be plenty of opportunity to avoid him. After all, meeting was one thing but being honorable about the whole affair was another entirely. And as Ying had been a rather kind correspondent while he had been on post and provided him a deal of comfort when otherwise he would have been bored out of his mind, he would do his very best by her.

Nevertheless, at the specified day and time Thrain waited under the tree, idly occupying himself with a set of beads and feathers he'd filched from Shaheen's house and was currently trying to braid. It was not going well at all, but he'd at least managed to make them into something that resembled a lovely bit of jewelry he'd once seen.
Nailed it.

In almost no time at all, Thrain became horribly distracted by finishing the bit of bracelet that was really quite a travesty of design. The beads had all matched when he'd grabbed them earlier in the day, but he must have viewed them in an odd light for now they appeared mismatched and total opposites. Or maybe that was from the feathers he had been doing his best to braid together (obviously unaware of the idea that braiding feathers is not something to be done), for now they were all sorts of fuzzy and off looking. A few had even begun to shed a little... Whoops.
Still, the sound of one's own name, especially in a place where almost no one knows your name, was enough to snap the Guardian out of his self imposed work reverie. For a moment he blinked golden eyes up at the very pretty ghoul, confused as to what she would want with him and why she should know his name.
"How might I help one as lovely as yourself?" He asked with an easy, if small, smile.

And then it clicked.
With a yelp he scrambled to his feet, cheeks flushed as he kept rising up only to realize--
"Good Goddess, look how small you are! It is Ying, correct? And not one of her friends to tell me to leave her well enough alone?" Errr, maybe he should stop with the whole 'words in brain must always immediately got out of mouth' thing. That probably wasn't going to win him any favors. So in an attempt to fix that he smiled at her.

Already flustered that he had totally missed the fact that she had been Ying at first and not someone else, Thrain felt only all the more distraught when she began to stutter. He had not meant to insult her size, not at all! She was so tiny and cute! He'd not expected her to look so precious was all!
And then she complimented his size, which only made him square his shoulders to appear all the taller since obviously he was very becoming. Of course he was becoming! He was the most becoming Guardian ever.
But what made him go all sorts of melty was when she hid her face. Not only had he insulted her and flustered her, but he'd made her nervous too?! Before they'd even met?!
Thrain could not handle these feels.

Unable to think of anything else to do, the Guardian stepped forward and picked up Ying in as close an approximation to a bear hug as he was willing to go with someone as small as she.
"Happy greetings, Ying of Conquest! I am sorry I made you nervous, but we have talked for many an age! There should be no nervousness!" He chuckled as he hugged her, nearly beaming because oh my Goddness she was so tiny and cute and hggggnnnnnnnn. Normally he would ask before he went about hugging things, but he just couldn't help himself!
With a hearty laugh he set her back on her feet, daring to pat the top of her head which did not even come up to his shoulders. Too cute.
"Ah! I tried to make you a thing! I did not do so well and for that I apologize. I am a Guardian, not a Jewel Crafter so do forgive my barbaric attempt at art."
The bracelet, which he had partially crushed in his hand when he picked her up, was now held out for her, all broken feathers and mismatched beads. Errrr... Maybe he'd have to work on that...

"So! Tell me of your time here at the Lairs! I know nothing, so tell me all!" He told her with an easy grin. It was fun to be so happy when she was so obviously nervous and in need of a bit of cheer. That he could do for his little friend.

"Nerves are for lesser creatures! Ones not like the Noble Ying!" He boomed with a laugh, doing his best to be cheerful and bolder for her. Such a small and nervous creature undoubtedly needed the calm, if energetic, assurance that there should be no nervousness between them. Thrain was all too glad to give that, an easy smile spread out on his face as he looked down at the Horsewoman after he'd set her back on her feet. Both hands retracted from her after the presentation of his gift, folding easily across his barrel chest to take in the happy look she would wear at seeing such a wonderful work of craftmanship. Well... Alright, he knew it was bad but at least Ying looked relatively pleased by the bracelet!
At least, that was until she frowned. Wait no! Go back to that adorable little squeal and happy look and oAAAo

"Nonsense! Your presence is all the gift I require!" He told her in a voice a little louder than might have been necessary to soothe someone's worried nerves. "I have extra time on my hands as I have not yet been assigned any specific job here yet. You are busy with your sewing and your clothes, so do not fret Noble Ying!"
And then she was wibbling at him. Nope nope nope Thrain wasn't able to handle such.
With a worried expression he bent his knees to better look at her face, tilting his head to one side as though she were a child.
"You have always promised to make me some sort of glorious garment. Now that I am here and able to give my measurements, that will be the gift from you to me. Sound good?"
Please no more wibbling or sad kohai faces. Thrain was absolute mush in response to them, unable to handle how precious she was being.

While Ying might have been a lady of the Conquest Court, worthy of all the grace and class the name commanded, Thrain was not. Thrain was not even Conquest and therefore felt no need for propriety. In fact, he wasn't even totally sure how to spell propriety. Spelling the word 'propriety' would not stop an enemy from attacking you so it wasn't really a concern.
What was a concern was the young mare hugging his torso. After she had been so cute and kouhai before (even though Thrain didn't know that word and was instead calling her 'wibbly' in his mind), he was unable to stop himself. With a good natured growl he wrapped his large arms around her and hefted her up into the air to crush against his chest.
"Well met, Ying of Conquest! Fretting is hereby forbidden when in the presence of Thrain, Guardian of Death! If you fret I will be forced to put you on my shoulders and sing you my favorite songs!" Actually he might do that anyways. Just not yet.

For now he set her down with a booming laugh that broke off into a nervous one when she took his hand.
"You would show me your home? What kindness you show me! But a garment, you honor me. What do you have in mind?"
Oh, oh, ooohhh! Maybe she could make him something fancy to woo all the pretty mares? All he had brought with him were a few articles of clothing, but they were all furs and leather and made for training and battle. Nothing to wear to a fancy event, or even for special occasions. Normally it would not be such a concern, but surely the Clans threw events now that they were all together! Something to boost morale! Right? Thrain really would like a party...