asgardmeridiem | [Closed] One, two, three, not only you and me.

[Nakama is really, really not the type of girl to be dazzled by a handsome man. In fact, she's usually more flustered with a pretty woman than a good-looking man. But for the second time, she's taken aback by just how attractive and - well, pretty Johan is. He's certainly not womanly - one could never mistake him for a woman in men's clothing - but there is something of the feminine about him. It's a blending of the genders that catches her eye and holds it for long enough to be considered extremely rude.]

Oh - um, no, not at all. Sorry, I just - [Man, she's bad at excuses.] - everyone looks a bit different when you meet them in person. It takes some getting used to.

[ Johan's eyes drift close and he bows his head for a moment, his smile becoming warmer. His eyes open to allow his gaze to drift over at the dimly-coloured scenery around them. ]

I can't thank you enough for your help, Nakama. [ His gaze fixes ahead on her, once again. ]

Would you mind waiting just one moment?

Eh? Oh, no... it's okay. [She twists the map in her hand, having forgotten about it for a moment, and watches him curiously.]

[ Leaving the door wide open, Johan turns and steps a few feet, before seemingly disappearing around the corner for a bit less than a minute. He arrives once again at the threshold, this time with a bag slung over his shoulder. In his grip is a batch of cookies, wrapped in plastic. ]

I apologize for the wait. I kept thinking about what I could do to repay your unsolicited kindness, and so I made some cookies today.

[ He holds out the bag to her. ] They're fresh. Just out of the oven twenty minutes ago. I was almost hoping you'd be late, because I was cutting the timing so close.

[...

... she has no idea what to say. It's just a map, one that she's giving out to everyone who needs it, and he baked her cookies in return. She's received quite a few kindnesses since arriving here, some small and some large, but this one really knocks her for a loop.]

Oh my gosh... thank you, Johan. [She extends and retracts her hand a couple of times, not sure whether to hand over the map or take the cookies first, then finally accepts the cookies before holding the map out to him.] Really, thank you. You didn't have to, at all.

[ Taking the map in one hand, he uses his other to hold it up, in a humble gesture that requests her to stop her expression of gratitude. ] No need for that. Besides, it gave me something to do with my time.

[ His head inclines a bit as he looks at her curiously. ]

I hope you're not too cold. We could always cancel the tour.

Oh no, this is really warm. [She tugs at the cloak a bit with her free hand.] It's not like wearing a jacket, but you get used to it after awhile. It's like having a blanket around you all the time.

Is there anything in particular that you want to see in this district? Each one has a kind of feature, and Loki's is a bar, so of course I've never been there.

I see. [ He seemingly stares at her for a moment. Maybe he's being thoughtful of which questions to ask, but it's apparent the bar holds no particular interest for a man like him. ]

I'm not much of a drinking man. Could you tell me a bit about the other features? It's almost as if certain associations are assigned to each Housing District... though that's a bit prescriptivist, don't you think?

[ He turns to close the door behind him, then opens the map curiously, while stepping beside Nakama. ]

A lot of people talk about that. Like that people might have been chosen for certain houses because of their personalities, based on those of the gods. I've seen exceptions, though, so I don't think it's really a rule.

[He doesn't know she's talking about him, of course. Sam's information didn't speak very favourably of Loki, and Namine even warned her about her visit with Johan because he was from Loki. But she wants so much to trust him...]

But yeah, the other features... [She moves a bit closer to him, peeking over his arm at the map to make sure she gets it all right.] Well, in my district, there's a big bank. That's where I go to deposit my paycheques and stuff. Odin has a huge library, it's got just about everything you could think of... but nothing about the Norse Gods or Asgard, which some people find suspicious. Freya has a spa and hot springs, which I haven't been in yet, but it's a really big building so I think it must be pretty fancy.

The hospital's in Sigyn, and I've got a friend who works there... I might be helping him out, since he's got healing powers, and I can make other peoples' powers stronger with mine. Freyr has Draupnir, a big theatre - there was a Shakespeare play there last night, and there are a lot of idols and stuff here, so there'll probably be a lot of shows. Thor's got an arena for fighting and working out, I haven't seen much of that one either.

Gefion Park is in Baldr, and I checked it out with a friend pretty early on. It's cool, it's got horse-drawn carriage rides and a petting zoo and boats you can take out on the lake when it's not frozen. I bet it'll be beautiful in spring and summer. The bar's here, of course, and then Hel has... kind of a weird carnival. It's hard to explain, but it's... a bit creepy. I didn't like it when I went.

[ Johan listens with great intent, eyes following each place on the map as Nakama speaks. He commits each detail she gives to memory, taking particular interest in the library she spoke of, and the carnival she mentions.

There was so much about this town to figure out. And, of course, it seemed no one had been there for too long, so there was much to be discovered in regards to it. There's punctuated "hms" and "ah"s during the explanation, and he's quiet for a moment after she's done, appearing to process everything she's said, while looking at the map. ]

Nakama...

[ He looks up at the map and over to her. ]

I want you to take me to see the natives of this place.

Oh - [What a weird thing to take an interest in.] - sure, they just hang around the districts. They won't say a lot to you, though.

[She leads the way from the house deeper into Loki district, and sure enough, crowds of grey people begin to appear, moving to and from the local businesses. Nakama tries to ignore that deep, almost primal feeling of wrongness she gets from them and keeps her shoulders squared, her head high.]

They used to scare me a little. [Speaking as softly as she can over the bustle aroun them, head tilted up toward Johan.] They just weren't... right. But it's not their fault, and now I just think it's sad. It's one of the reasons we have to help. These people deserve to be real people again.

[ "It's not their fault." As he filtered and compartmentalized, that was all Johan truly seemed to hear.

His eyes look far away now, and his silence drops heavy on the air around the two as they watch the crowd. He sees no need to fill in that silence -- not yet -- as he watches with a growing emptiness. His hands tense as they hold the map, and his fingers twitch only slightly, before he decides to end the quiet spectating. ]

What do you think it's like?

[She glances up at him once or twice during that silence, nervous that she's said something wrong, offended him somehow. But then he speaks, and she feels like it's very important to say the right thing.]

I... I hope they don't look like that to themselves. I hope they can see their own faces clearly when they look in the mirror. Even though I know it's probably not true, I still hope that we just don't see them properly because we're from different worlds.

Because I - can't imagine it. Just slowly watching yourself fade away... [She looks deeply troubled before glancing away, and there's a lie in her voice when she says that if he wants to catch it.]

Edited 2012-01-21 17:01 (UTC)

Hmm. [ It's quiet and thoughtful, not speculative or judgmental of what Nakama has said in any way. He turns away from the sight of the crowd, himself, to look at Nakama instead, showing her that her input is very of utmost importance to him. ]

You're right. This is why we need to save them. [ He looks troubled as he speaks, but seems to have a steadfast acceptance and understanding of the situation behind his expression. One that comes from experience. ]

Everyone needs to know that they matter, and to know that they exist as an individual. Who knows what's happening to their memories, or even their feelings?

[ He turns to look at them again. ]

It seems like a very miserable experience, that most of the newcomers are content to ignore.

Edited 2012-01-22 01:17 (UTC)

Well, they're just confused and want information, and the locals don't really say much. I guess I can understand why they get frustrated.

[Hugging herself tightly, the edges of her cloak tucked into her hands so that it wraps around her.]

And I think some people would just rather not think about it. Not everyone's willing to consider something so scary. That's why people like - like us have to convince everyone.

[She'd been about to say like me. Having a partner in her endeavors is new to her. There's a bit of admiration in her gaze when she looks up at him again.]

[ He glances down at the map, with a drawn-out wistful look. ]

You're very kind, to care about those that most are unwilling to care about, and in such a set way. I can really sense that it's not vague pity with you.

[ His expression brightens, slightly, into something more hopeful. ]

You really want to save them.

[She blushes deeply, looking down again, her eyes finding the map since that's where he's looking.]

Um... thank you.

What do you want to see next?

Your favourite place. [ He definitely looks as if he has more questions to ask, as if his mind is running a mile-a-minute. ]

Would you take me to your favourite place here?

My favourite place? [She looks a bit puzzled.] I guess I never really thought of one. I like Heimdall House, because I feel comfortable there. I like my workplace, because I get to sew again. But I don't think that's what you mean.

[She glances at the map again, then nods.]

We should go to Gefion Park. It's peaceful there.

[ He pockets one of his hands, giving a grateful sigh. ]

Thanks... this ended up being more uncomfortable than I thought it would be. So I just wanted to go to someplace nice, next.

[ He gives another troubled, sympathetic look over to the faceless people. ]

Do they even have names?

I've - never asked. [And she looks troubled at that, too. She cares about them, but she hasn't even asked their names.] I work for some of them, but they never offered any names. I just never even thought of it.

[She shakes off the chill that gives her and starts to walk, glancing over her shoulder to urge him along.]

C'mon. The park's really nice. There's a petting zoo and a lake - no flowers yet, of course, but it's still pretty.

[ His line of vision lingers on them for only a moment more, before he turns to follow Nakama.

He begins to map out that they're walking from the Loki District to the Baldr, and so takes care to mentally recall all turns and paths, so he won't need the map much in the near future.

Silence is allowed to fall around them like snow as his eyes stay glued to the map, apparently lost in processing what he just saw. ]

[The silence makes her uneasy again, so she glances over at him while they're walking, her gaze naturally falling at about his shoulder. That draws her eyes down to the map, though, so she realizes what he's doing and allows him his concentration. Without that realization, she might've begun nattering to fill the silence.

Given this opportunity, though, she looks up at his face for a moment. She's still a bit stunned by his looks, by the fact that a man can be so pretty and delicate but not look like less of a man. She doesn't quite know if he's appealing to her, but he is fascinating to look at.

Then, fearful that he'll catch her staring, she looks away again.]

[ In his peripheral he sees this, and looks over at her with a smile that feigns ignorance to any staring he just received. ]

I apologize for the silence... I was just thinking. There's so much to ponder about a place like this, so many new questions arise with every bit of information.

[ He sighs a bit helplessly, giving an accepting shrug. ]

I don't want to overwhelm you, though. I understand that it can make the mood... quite heavy. It's nice enough for you to be my tour guide for the day. I needed the company.

Oh, no, don't apologise. [Firmly.] I know how it is. I came from a world I barely understood to a world I understand even less... all you can do is think and come up with theories, and they're not always nice.

[The fact that she's given him something with such little effort makes her smile quietly, though.] It's no problem. The park's right up ahead, look.

[They were walking in silence for longer than she realized, because there's the gate to Gefion Park ahead of them. The lake and boat house are visible in the distance, along with the petting zoo, and closer up stand the eight-legged horses with their carriages waiting for someone to pull along.]

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tl;dr aheeeeead.

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