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tamingthemuse2013-12-28 10:29 pm
moriwen1.livejournal.com) wrote in tamingthemuse2013-12-28 10:29 pm
Entry tags:
Prompt #388 - Architecture - Darkening her Doorstep - Moriwen1 - Original
Title: Darkening her Doorstep
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Architecture
Warnings: None
Rating: G
Summary: “I’m not people. I like you, but I don’t want to kiss you.”
“This is it. Trade hub of the South, throne of the Sister-Queen, city of the thousand suns, Heliopolis. My home.”
Cassandra found herself grinning at Steel as he turned around slowly, then again, then took another half turn, as if he couldn’t decide where to look first. Country boy.
“How do they--” Steel brushed his knuckles over a tapered column, then jerked them away as if he was afraid he would knock down the soaring architecture. “No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. This is perfect. It’s magic. People live here? How do you sleep?”
“Like anyone else, it’s perfectly stable,” Cassandra laughed. “I hope you’re not afraid of heights, though! All the good parts are higher up!”
“No, I think this is good,” Steel said seriously.
“But there’s so many people. Besides, it stinks.” Wrinkling her nose, Cassandra tugged at Steel’s elbow. “Come on, let me show you the good parts. You’ve really never been?”
“Never really had occasion. My da came up once or twice that I remember, but one I was old enough someone had to stay home with my mother. Besides, you’re one to talk. Had you ever left before all this?”
“Why would I want to? Here we have everything. Look, if you think this is impressive, you have to see the Sky Palace and the Spiral Temple. The silverwork is amazing,” she wheedled.
Steel was obviously tantalized, and equally obviously enjoying being teased. “Well. Aren’t we in a hurry?”
“Not so much you can’t see the finest metalwork in ten days’ travel by airship. Come on.”
Steel acquiesced, but kept stopping to touch an arch or comment on the workmanship of a spiral staircase. Impatient as she was to make their contact and go before she saw someone she knew, Cassandra found herself slowing down to accommodate him, seeing her city through new eyes. Finally, having reached the fourth tier, she tugged him down to kneel on the skyway and peek between the slats of the rail, rationalizing that Steel was obviously breathing hard from the climb and needed a rest.
Justifying her reasoning, Steel sank readily to the pavement, his knees pressed against hers and his hand on her shoulder as he followed her gaze.
As she pointed out interesting sights, Cassandra felt herself relaxing into Steel’s steady touch. Suddenly, staying away from the Sisterhood didn’t seem so important as sharing her history in the city with her friend. Look, here’s where I fell two tiers and broke my arm when I was just learning to walk; there’s where I kissed the first boy I ever liked.
“Did he like you?”
“Not really.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. I didn’t really like him, either. Just wanted to kiss him.”
“People usually want to kiss people they like.”
“I’m not people. I like you, but I don’t want to kiss you.”
She was almost afraid of what Steel would say to that, so she pressed her knee into his side to shut him up and pointed. “Look, be quiet. See that there?”
Steel was very still for several moments, and Cassandra was just going to repeat herself when he answered. “By the banister there?”
“Yes, you can just see it moving, the little dragon.”
With a sharp movement, Steel turned to face her fully. His mouth was hanging open comically, which was apparently a thing people actually did when they were surprised. “Wait. A dragon? Are you being serious?” Then, shock tinging his voice as he scanned her face, “You are, aren’t you.”
“Yes, but I didn’t think you’d -- I’m sure you’ve never seen one, but they’re not really that impressive, are they? I’ve known girls who had them as pets.”
“Dragons are real?”
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Architecture
Warnings: None
Rating: G
Summary: “I’m not people. I like you, but I don’t want to kiss you.”
“This is it. Trade hub of the South, throne of the Sister-Queen, city of the thousand suns, Heliopolis. My home.”
Cassandra found herself grinning at Steel as he turned around slowly, then again, then took another half turn, as if he couldn’t decide where to look first. Country boy.
“How do they--” Steel brushed his knuckles over a tapered column, then jerked them away as if he was afraid he would knock down the soaring architecture. “No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. This is perfect. It’s magic. People live here? How do you sleep?”
“Like anyone else, it’s perfectly stable,” Cassandra laughed. “I hope you’re not afraid of heights, though! All the good parts are higher up!”
“No, I think this is good,” Steel said seriously.
“But there’s so many people. Besides, it stinks.” Wrinkling her nose, Cassandra tugged at Steel’s elbow. “Come on, let me show you the good parts. You’ve really never been?”
“Never really had occasion. My da came up once or twice that I remember, but one I was old enough someone had to stay home with my mother. Besides, you’re one to talk. Had you ever left before all this?”
“Why would I want to? Here we have everything. Look, if you think this is impressive, you have to see the Sky Palace and the Spiral Temple. The silverwork is amazing,” she wheedled.
Steel was obviously tantalized, and equally obviously enjoying being teased. “Well. Aren’t we in a hurry?”
“Not so much you can’t see the finest metalwork in ten days’ travel by airship. Come on.”
Steel acquiesced, but kept stopping to touch an arch or comment on the workmanship of a spiral staircase. Impatient as she was to make their contact and go before she saw someone she knew, Cassandra found herself slowing down to accommodate him, seeing her city through new eyes. Finally, having reached the fourth tier, she tugged him down to kneel on the skyway and peek between the slats of the rail, rationalizing that Steel was obviously breathing hard from the climb and needed a rest.
Justifying her reasoning, Steel sank readily to the pavement, his knees pressed against hers and his hand on her shoulder as he followed her gaze.
As she pointed out interesting sights, Cassandra felt herself relaxing into Steel’s steady touch. Suddenly, staying away from the Sisterhood didn’t seem so important as sharing her history in the city with her friend. Look, here’s where I fell two tiers and broke my arm when I was just learning to walk; there’s where I kissed the first boy I ever liked.
“Did he like you?”
“Not really.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. I didn’t really like him, either. Just wanted to kiss him.”
“People usually want to kiss people they like.”
“I’m not people. I like you, but I don’t want to kiss you.”
She was almost afraid of what Steel would say to that, so she pressed her knee into his side to shut him up and pointed. “Look, be quiet. See that there?”
Steel was very still for several moments, and Cassandra was just going to repeat herself when he answered. “By the banister there?”
“Yes, you can just see it moving, the little dragon.”
With a sharp movement, Steel turned to face her fully. His mouth was hanging open comically, which was apparently a thing people actually did when they were surprised. “Wait. A dragon? Are you being serious?” Then, shock tinging his voice as he scanned her face, “You are, aren’t you.”
“Yes, but I didn’t think you’d -- I’m sure you’ve never seen one, but they’re not really that impressive, are they? I’ve known girls who had them as pets.”
“Dragons are real?”