[PRP] Rotten Luck (Goran + Ichta)

[demon_pachabel]

She looked back up slowly. "Your smile was pretty worth it," she said quietly, hands still pulled in as though she'd been burned as she carefully picked at her own nails in a nervous habit. Ichta only shrunk under his gaze, looking back down and away again like an animal that had just been scolded and didn't understand why.

Despite being mumbled, Goran was understood rather well in the silence that had started to settle in. Sometimes it was a boon to have such quiet company when they didn't look ready to just run off like a startled animal. "If...it means that much to you that I don't...do it for free, I can figure something out. I just...." she sighed, "I don't need anything." Except perhaps a spine would have done her some good. She was definitely the sort that would attract teasing attention.

Ichta looked up again when he thanked her, the previous brightness she'd had seeming to return with a small smile. "You're welcome."

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

His... smile? Goran felt his cheeks start to suffuse with heat, having never before heard such a comment. She didn't seem to be teasing, and he ruefully thought that he was acting like a deadglow. If she'd wanted to make fun of him, she could have ruined the shirt, or made it worse somehow. "Well," He said slowly, resisting the urge to flex his hands with discomfort. "If you ever need help, or something... you can ask me. And I'll drop whatever I'm doing to take care of it." That sounded fair, didn't it? This way, he didn't feel as though he was poaching her generosity.

He shifted slightly when she glanced up to offer another smile, nodding curtly as though it was only proper. He held out a huge, calloused hand after another beat, watching her almost expectantly.

"Goran." His name, of course, not just a random grunt of sound.

demon_pachabel

After this RP, I want him to hunt her down and ask her about dragon colors.

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Oh, I'd hate to impose..." which was code that meant Ichta would never pluck up the courage needed to actually ask Goran for any favor of any sort. Which was fine, right? "I mean, you might be doing something important so...it's fine." She smiled again.

Unintentionally, she flinched when Goran extended a hand - it was a brief, almost reflexive gesture that could easily have been missed by how quickly she recovered from it, smoothing it over with another smile. Then she took his hand with one of her softer ones. At least her palms were soft, her fingertips were rougher from years of accidentally sticking herself with a needle in them.

"That's a nice name, I'm Ichta," she offered in turn.

tsunake

*___* all the RP!

 

[Tsunake]

He grunted at that, shaking his head. "Just copyin' letters." It was a mutter. Goran certainly didn't mind, though. It was slow progress, but it was progress. He was determined to learn how to read and write before much longer.

His eyes jerked to her face when she flinched, wordlessly studying her, but making no sound. She'd recovered almost immediately, so he saw no need to comment... but it did make him wonder if anyone had hit her before. His mind immediately leapt to bullies, and the thought made him glower with quiet fury.

Her hand was much softer than his, but he tried not to think too hard on that.

"Ichta." He repeated, nodding to himself. He wouldn't forget. And she'd complimented him again... he really wasn't sure how to handle it, so, after a moment of awkwardness, he let her hand go and stepped back.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"That's still fairly important." She didn't press why he was copying letters, and in fact her mind didn't come up with anything besides the fact that it was something he had to do and it was important. Perhaps that was because she was thinking of notes instead of an alphabet.

She didn't seem to offer up much more herself when he pulled his hand away, knitting her fingers together and tucking her hands against herself meekly. Goran's step back had put the perfect amount of space between them and Ichta didn't voluntarily increase it.

"So we'll see each other again at the Touching if not before then?" she offered up, not quite a 'we don't have to stand here awkwardly' but definitely opening up an opportunity for it if Goran initiated it. Ichta wouldn't be the first to turn her back after all.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Goran grunted in response, not about to elaborate. Being illiterate was hardly something to be proud of. Still, the mention of the Touching made his face tighten, a slew of emotions running through him. His first encounter with dragons--outside of the one that had Searched him, of course. He was still having a hard time grasping the fact that he had the potential to be a dragonrider... He was torn between utterly delighted at the prospect, and terrified that the Searchrider had made a mistake.

Too conflicted to speak, he merely nodded. He watched her for a moment, his movements growing more awkward. Goran gave yet another curt nod before he turned and left, his mind still whirling with his own thoughts.

demon_pachabel

awkward man is awkward. fin on my end though!

 

[demon_pachabel]

He had...agreed with her? Ichta wasn't certain, but that seemed to have been the case. Goran was a funny man (if not big and somewhat intimidating) and she spent a moment watching his retreating back before she sighed and picked her book up again.

She had dragon care to read up on and maybe she'd get some time in on that Tapestry on her bed as well. Fortunately, her path took her a different direction to keep from another awkward meeting on the same day. Or maybe unfortunately.

Who knew.

Tsunake

So awkward. PRECIOUS CHILDREN. Fin on my end.