Collecting Colors
There is a small clearing right outside their camp. It had a beautiful little brook that bubbles through it. Kainen had finally convinced his companions to stop and rest after a particularly long week. His dark hair was pulled back loosely at the nape of his neck. He brushed some loose strands behind his pointed ear. He only intended to come wash off his arms and chest, a full bath could wait until tomorrow. The grime and blood had to come off now.
He pulled his shirt over his head and discarded it to the side. He wasn't overly muscled, so it didn't give him much fuss. With all the extra fighting it was beginning to get a bit tight in the arms. He reached his hand into the cool water and sighed. It felt like ages since he had a moment to breathe and relax. He let the current of the water guide his breathing. Slow and steady.
He brought some of the water to his mouth. It was clean and crisp. A little excitedly he thrust both arms into the water. He pulled a bar of soap out of his pack and began to lather his arms up to his elbows. As he watched the soap run down the stream, he spotted a bright blue color in rocks in the bed of the brook.
With gentle fingers he dug the blue stone free. It was a rounded piece of glass stone, bright blue and opaque. Not that he would ever admit it, but he loved finding cool, colorful rocks. It was a bit of a hidden hobby of his. Smiling to himself he pulled the small pouch out of his pack to add to his collection.
"What's that?" The soft female voice made him jump and whirl around. Shadowheart was pulling her braid down. She was in her casual clothes, which were not what Kainen would call modest. He would be lying to himself if he denied that he had formed a small crush on this particular companion. She wasn't sweet, but she was blunt and he liked that. She was hiding things, but everyone had secrets. She also was kind of flirtatious when the mood struck her.
Kainen tucked the back close to his leg, "Nothing much, just a bag of rocks." His blush crept up his neck and across his face. She tilted her head to the side, a curious look on her face.
"And why might you have a bag of rocks?" She sat gracefully down next to him, running her eyes over his exposed chest and down his torso. He could see the appreciation and that made his blush even deeper. He reached to her side and retrieved his shirt from the ground. He could see her pout slightly as he reclothed himself, "You don't have to put your shirt back on, on my behalf."
He played with the edge of his shirt as he mumbled, "I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable. I … It's also for me. I've been told my shyness borders on prudish." Kainen glances up at her with a small smile. She chuckles softly and leans on her elbows.
"Whatever makes you feel at ease. Are you going to answer my question about the rocks?"
"It's just a dumb hobby. Not even a hobby, just a habit I suppose." He puts the bag in the space between them, gesturing for her to look. As she opens the small pouch her brows knit together as dozens of various shaped rocks tumble out. Each one is a different and unique color or pattern, "It's not the coolest pass time, but it makes me smile when I find a new one. I found this one just now, in the creek bed." He holds out the small blue rock.
"You collect pretty rocks?" She looked up at him in amusement, but there was no maliciousness there. He nods and plucks out a dull green rock.
"I found this one the night we crashed on the beach. It was nestled in some rubble. I think it looks remarkably close to the color of your eyes." He rolls it around in his hand thoughtfully, "but I doubt I will ever find a perfect match."
She replaces all the rocks in their bag and asks, "Why is that, have you no hope?"
As if speaking without thinking he says, "Because I doubt nature has the ability to match something so incandescently beautiful." Realizing what had just come out of his bumbling mouth he froze. His breath halted in his chest and his eyes shot to hers. He watched a light pink flush covered her cheeks, her shock of the compliment giving way to something more bashful. He let his breath out as she smiled fully at him.
"You think my eyes beautiful?" She leaned forward on her hands.
Feeling a bit emboldened by her response he mirrored her pose, "I think all of you is beautiful, but especially your eyes. Your raven hair, the scar across your nose, the shape of your mouth." He watches as her eyes dart down to his mouth when he speaks the word, "All is beautiful, but it is all in the eyes for me." His hands were shaking, so he pressed them harder into the ground to conceal it from her. He was not any good at flirting, but damn it he was trying his best and he was not going to fail on account of his being shy.
She blushed in full this time looked down, just peeking back up at him through her lashes, "That is very sweet of you." His eyes keep darting down to her mouth and she notices. They aren't very far apart, he could just lean in and…
The thought is cut off when the tie holding his hair in places finally gives up and all the chestnut-colored locks fall into his face. She giggles and he sits back to fight with his unruly hair, "I don't know why I keep it this long. I need to just cut it all off." He grumbles.
"Don't you dare. May I help you?" She asks as she moves to sit behind him.
"Uh… sure. I mean, yes, please." His spine goes straight, and she can see the tension radiating off him.
"If you'd like I can braid it out of the way. Don't worry, it won't be anything feminine. You'll still strike fear in all the baddies we've got coming." He nodded and she runs her hand through the thick mass of semi-curly hair.
He shivers as her nails scrape along his scalp. He has never had someone do anything to his hair before, except the occasional trim, "I could play with this all day. How utterly unfair such beautiful, thick hair was given to a male. Despicable." Her muttering made him laugh low in his chest.
She worked for a little while in silence, then as she moved on to the next braid, she started to hum. It was a common folk song about lovers. "Down, down, down by the river." He sang to her tune.
She finished her song along with the final braid, "There." He turned to look at her, she seemed very proud of her work. It wasn't very often that he saw her with her hair down, combined with the look on her face, she was exquisite.
She blushed lightly and stood up, "I had plans on washing my hair when I got here. I think there are bit of goblin in my braid." He stood and gathered his pack.
"Then I shall leave you to your washing. Enjoy your free time." He smiled and bowed slightly before he turned to leave. As she watched him walk away, she sighed to herself. It was a bad idea to get entangled with anyone of these people, especially him. With his genuine nice guy attitude and cute, shy smiles. He could be really dangerous for her.
As she bent down to soak her hair her hands traced over the scar on her face, "He thinks this is beautiful?" Her hand lightly traced down to her mouth. She followed the shape of it. She couldn't help thinking about the almost kiss they shared. He was so close. She yanked her hand away and forced herself to focus on the task.
She kept replaying the whole interaction in her mind and caught herself smiling. Of course the big bad leader of the troupe had an adorable hobby. "Stop it." She chided herself. Just get done and get back to your tent. After wringing out her hair the best she could she walked back quickly to camp and went immediately to her tent. She didn't let herself stop and look for him.
She sat down in a huff and began trying to dry her hair the best she could with an old towel. She just happened to look down at her pillow and see a small blue rock. He'd given her one of his precious stones. It wasn't much, but she could feel the smile spread across her face. She couldn't talk herself out of liking this man, she realized.
This man who collects colors.
